- A Minecraft Movie is released this week
- Reviews have started to make their way online
- Is Jack Black’s latest any good? Here’s what we know
It’s currently building a blocky path to a cinema near you – but what are A Minecraft Movie reviews like and is it worth your time?
Set to hit cinemas on Friday 4 April, A Minecraft Movie features comedian Jack Black as Steve, the main player in the popular video game series of the same name. Steve is a guy who’s obsessed with mining – so much so that he eventually stumbles upon a portal that transports him to a colorful new world.
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It’s called the Overworld and here, anything you dream of can be built.
Naturally, Steve is in his element but his time in the Overworld is disrupted when he’s joined by a bunch of new faces, led by Jason Momoa and Danielle Brooks. They’ll have to work together to fend off evil forces and survive the game.
That’s the main plot – but is A Minecraft Movie any good? With early reviews starting to make their way online, we’ve started to get an idea of what director Jarred Hess’s movie is like. To be honest? Reviews are a little middling so far.
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Currently, A Minecraft Movie has a Rotten Tomatoes critics score of just 52% based on 52 reviews. While this could change when audiences reviews arrive, the early consensus is that A Minecraft Movie has both pros and cons.
A Minecraft Movie reviews: What are critics saying?
Many reviews for A Minecraft Movie have pointed out that the film is suitable for the whole family but others have suggested it panders a bit too much for gamers.
Places like The Guardian hit home the quality of its performances, particularly point out Black.
“Black is a very different type of performer; you can see effort in every swivel-eyed tic and line delivery, but that’s the whole point: it’s funny (mostly) to see someone commit that wholeheartedly to the bit,” read their write up.
“It’s a shame the film as a whole doesn’t work quite as well as its standout performances, with a tendency to ping pong along from scrape to scrape with little sense that it would matter much if you rearranged the various monster attacks or obstacles to be overcome in a different order.”
Meanwhile, Variety didn’t pull its punches, saying “A Minecraft Movie” isn’t nearly as good as “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.””
When discussing its plot, their review said that while some bits were amusing, ultimately, “it never feels like it matters.”
Some other critics weren’t as kind. “It mostly chooses laziness over imagination, directly insulting everything Minecraft stands for,” said a review from Flickering Myth.
MovieWeb added: “A Minecraft Movie arrives is exceedingly silly with puerile humor meant for young children and die-hard gamer enthusiasts. The goofy characters, inane narrative, and dull musical numbers will be a chore to sit through for most adults.”
Is A Minecraft Movie a musical?
Even though Black has released a tie-in song promoting his appearance in the film, A Minecraft Movie isn’t a musical.
Black had some help in recording his song for A Minecraft Movie. Entitled I Feel Alive, it also features Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl on drums, Queens of the Stoneage’s Troy Van Leeuwen on guitar and Jellyfish’s Roger Joseph Manning Jr. on keyboards.
Mark Ronson even plays bass on and rhythm guitar on the track. Listen to it above.
