"A Minecraft Movie," is a Lot of Fun

My family streamed, "A Minecraft Movie," on HBO MAX over the weekend while we were trying to relax in the awful heat permeating the Midwest region. I'd seen reviews that veered more towards negative and expected something mediocre. I actually found it quite delightful. I'm a fan of Jack Black and he turned his Jack Black-ness up to the max for this movie (so, I understand those who dislike him hating this), Jason Momoa is an absolute treat as a washed-up video-gamer, and the three other cast members don't get as much to do but still are fun--Sebastian Hansen, Emma Myers, and Danielle Brooks (she has a mobile animal farm that is a hoot). The secondary cast has some winners too (Jennifer Coolidge is a treasure, haters be damned). 

The plot isn't exactly complicated, with a bunch of folks ending up in the world of Minecraft due to a magic item that gets broken and needs to be replaced while dealing with an evil sorceress. The main selling point is that there are lots of silly jokes that make this movie work, even though you wouldn't necessarily expect a tie-in to a video-game with nary a plot to be good. As one review that does like the movie describes it--"Mindlessly dumb and incredibly fun," with a lot of credit due to how quirky and absurd it gets. One-liners get fired off fast enough that even though some miss, enough hit for a giggle. The town's potato chip factory hiring a social media influencer to get their follower count, "Above 75." A gigantic warrior pig who is supposed to look imposing, but is actually quite polite, even as he tries to squish you (voiced by the Director, Jared Hess, no less). Jermaine Clement in a cameo-ish role as a storage unit auctioneer desperate for a friend to help him pick up ladies while they go out wearing, "Matching unisex turquoise blouses." Some jokes fall flat, but some really had me chuckling.

Momoa is fantastic as a washed-up celebrity video-gamer with a failing retail store.

What of the, "Minecraft," world itself, however? Well, I've only barely ever actually played the game, but the movie sure does make it look beautiful in its blocky strangeness. Tons of references are present that die-hard aficionados are sure to appreciate, but even if you've never played the game, the whole flick is enjoyable. "A Minecraft Movie," made a ton of money and became a bit of a GenZ, "Rocky Horror Picture Show," with fans bringing props (even a real chicken) and shouting memes, so I'm sure a sequel will be on the way soon. I look forward to it, as this was a wacky good time!

5 out of 5 Stars.