This article contains spoilers for A Minecraft Movie.
A Minecraft Movie was one of the most anticipated films of 2025 — but not for entirely positive reasons. When the first trailer for the movie was released, it received backlash online from fans of the game for being live-action instead of animated, which would’ve lent itself better to being adapted from the blocky style of Minecraft.
Many fans expected a dumpster fire of a film when watching A Minecraft Movie, myself included. Minecraft, which was released in 2011, is one of the best-selling games of all time, having sold over 300M copies globally.
While I wasn’t a huge fan of the initial trailers for the film, I was excited to see A Minecraft Movie in theaters. Minecraft, like many others, was a game I played all the time growing up: my addiction to the game started when it was released on the XBOX 360, and I grew up within the peak of the Minecraft era on YouTube watching creators like DanTDM, Stampy, Aphmau, PopularMMOs, and more.
Case in point, Minecraft was a key part of my childhood and one of the first video games I was exposed to. Even now, though I don’t play it as often, I still suffer from two-week Minecraft phases with my friends every so often.
Even with the disappointment of the original trailers, I was still excited to see A Minecraft Movie: the game was such a nostalgic part of my childhood, and I still play it, so I was looking forward to seeing it on the big screen. My friends and I went on the opening day, April 4, and while the movie definitely isn’t perfect, it’s truly worth it for all Minecraft fans to watch it at least once.
The Nostalgia of Watching A Minecraft Movie
Going from being a young girl playing Minecraft on the XBOX 360 in the 2010s to seeing the game on the big screen during my first year of college, 14 years after the game’s release, was a perfect nostalgia trip.
I was instantly hit with nostalgia with the opening screen of the film, which emulates the loading screen that players see when they load up a world in Minecraft. Undoubtedly, one of my favorite parts of the movie was the music — the movie lifts the overworld theme directly from the game, the sounds of the mobs (such as the sheep, zombies, skeletons, villagers, etc.) are also lifted directly from the game, and there’s even a scene that uses the jukebox track “Pigstep” from Minecraft.
Another part of the film that’s perfect for fans who grew up playing the game and watching creators from the 2010s era of Minecraft content are the cameos from popular Minecraft YouTubers, who have been dubbed the “OGs.”
The YouTubers in the movie featured LDShadowLady, DanTDM, Mumbo Jumbo, and Aphmau, who all had short roles at the beginning of the film. Another notable tribute was to TechnoBlade; when the characters arrive in the village, led by Steve (Jack Black), a pig walks by wearing a crown, referencing Technoblade’s Minecraft skin, which is also a pig who wears a crown.
This tribute was heartwarming and a great nod to one of the most notable Minecraft creators on YouTube. When the pig walks by, another character asks, “Is that a pig?” and Black, in response, says, “That’s not a pig. That’s a legend.”
The Experience of Watching A Minecraft Movie
What made A Minecraft Movie an even more entertaining film to watch was the audience in the theatre. In the multiple trailers that were dropped for the film, Black has multiple one-liners that started trending online, such as when he says “The Nether,” or “flint and steel!” or “chicken jockey!”
When these scenes played in my theatre, the audience spoke the lines right along with Black, making the delivery of the jokes even better. Some people may not enjoy it when audiences chime in during movies, but A Minecraft Movie is a silly, entertaining film, and it fit the general atmosphere of the audience.
Another notable part of the film that had the audience cheering when I watched the film was Black’s songs in the movie. That’s right — “songs,” plural. The songs, from an objective standpoint, were a little bit silly, but that’s the perfect vibe for the film, and it made the movie an entertaining watch.
Final Thoughts
A Minecraft Movie is by no means a cinematic masterpiece content-wise, but entertainment-wise, I loved the film. This movie was made for audiences who are already fans, as the music, cameos, and the general atmosphere of the Minecraft world bring a nostalgic rush for those who grew up playing the game. There was even an end-credit scene that teased a sequel, so for those who haven’t yet seen the film, make sure to stick around afterward.
Don’t go into the theatre taking A Minecraft Movie too seriously because its delivery is purely fun and entertaining; however, I wasn’t expecting such a nostalgic rush, which took the film to new heights in my eyes.
The plot is a bit lackluster and predictable, but the movie was still entertaining, and I’d love to watch it again once it comes out on streaming. The film’s sideplot added another fun layer to A Minecraft Movie, featuring Jennifer Coolidge, who plays a vice principal at a high school who hits a villager from the Minecraft world with her car and then proceeds to take him out to dinner.
Overall, the reaction from fans to the film was mixed, but it’s still a solid movie. In a sneak peek for A Minecraft Movie, director Jared Hess discussed his thought process behind the title. Hess said that it was “very intentional that the movie is called A Minecraft Movie, as opposed to The Minecraft Movie,” because the film only represents one story within the Minecraft universe.
The decision behind this choice is perfect — Minecraft is such a creative space for players, and while the movie isn’t perfect, it’s only one story; yes, while the movie could’ve been adapted better for the big screen, Warner Bros did an excellent job creating a film that caters to fans that have enjoyed Minecraft since the game’s release.
If I had to sum up the general theme of the movie, I would choose the last line of the film — near the climax of the movie, when the characters are gearing up for a final confrontation, Black says the line, “First we mine, then we craft — together we Minecraft!” This pretty much sums up the silliness and entertainment value of the film and some of the general moments or scenes of stupidity…It’s a movie about Minecraft. This film was meant for the fans, and the filmmakers delivered.
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