Whether or not you’ve seen the Minecraft movie, you definitely know about it, or at the very least heard someone quote it. I myself have been unable to see the movie, but I don’t think I need to. From what I’ve gathered over the internet, the new Minecraft movie does not extend far beyond the viral trailer moments. As always, there will be spoilers, but this time, I wouldn’t worry too much about it.
The Minecraft movie was released on April 4, 2025, but the trailer released on Sept. 4. Ever since the trailer came out, the internet hasn’t stopped quoting it, to the annoyance of many people. The Minecraft movie was regarded to be a total gimmick. The internet collectively agreed that it wasn’t going to be good, that it was yet another move by Big Film to milk our childhoods. Despite that, the movie did incredibly well, but why?
Minecraft, the game, has no plot. It’s an open world sandbox where the general goal is to survive and build. You can’t, however, make a movie without a storyline. Very much following a theme, game adaptations have loose plots, stitched together with quotable moments and the incredible power of Jack Black’s singing. According to freshman Knox Gary, “the plot was horrible and had no resemblance to the game itself.”
Knox said he went to see the movie with his friends, not because they love Minecraft, but “for the meme”.
Junior Logan Chen said he went for a similar reason.
“I saw it because it was a fun thing to do with a group of friends… If there were no clips online of parts of the Minecraft movie being sped up and slowed down, I probably wouldn’t have watched it,” said Chen.
Despite the lack of plot or character depth, Chen said he enjoyed “yelling ‘chicken jockey’” and laughing at the movie with his friends.
A film does not necessarily need to be deep or emotional to be enjoyed. As seen, people didn’t go to the movie because they thought it would be great, they went because it’s not good. That’s perfectly fine, but it’s part of a larger conversation about the integrity of movies. Comedy and action is a very popular genre in film, but does it mean anything if the action and comedy is just to garner box office sales? Is a movie good if there really isn’t any integrous meaning to it?
Minecraft, the game, released in 2011 and is a significant part of many people’s childhoods. Much like with the Mario movie and Sonic movie, these games hold a special and emotional place for a lot of people. After killing the Ender Dragon, Minecraft ends the game with a poem. Called “The End Poem,” it is the only narrative text in the free roam game. The nine minute poem is of a conversation between the developers, talking about how the character, you, is “sentient” enough to understand that there is a world outside the game. The poem is genuinely touching, explaining that the game is only a “short dream” or an escape from reality, which is really just a longer dream.
The end result of the poem is literally “touch grass” or, more delicately, enjoy your life! Playing minecraft is an emotional experience. The original game was somewhat lifeless and desolate. The music still evokes the sadness and heartache of being all alone in a world that doesn’t seem to end. Minecraft is regarded as a game that is more about feeling than being distracted. I often built my own house in minecraft, with my own cat and bedroom. I spent a lot of time in Minecraft just sitting around and listening or bonding with my friends and brother. The Minecraft movie, in some people’s opinions, is defamation of a game and a rude ignorance of people’s feelings towards it. Obviously, no one is going to riot or protest the movie; ultimately it’s another cash grab on peoples childhood, but some wished it was more emotional and sensitive. Many wish that movies like these would stop being made, as part of a larger conversation on original works coming from Hollywood.
Even if you did or didn’t like the movie, I recommend finishing the game again, reading the poem and taking time to enjoy the game for what it is. After all, this life is only a long dream.
