Review: 'A Minecraft Movie'

[Running time: about 1hr 45min]

Steve: “I am Steve”!
Voice over: “Get out! You need to leave!”

That’s the meme going around being aped by Minecraft-native kids.

In Minecraft, Steve is the default-player character, depicted as a blocky figure with brown hair, wearing a blue shirt and purple pants.

Enter 'A Minecraft Movie'

My three sons (ages between 11 and 17), all Minecraft players, have slightly divided opinions about A Minecraft Movie. But they're all thankful to its creators.

It’s not easy turning a pixelated sandbox game into a full-blown cinematic experience.

A Minecraft Movie does just that, with a surprising mix of humour, heart, and, not to forget, blocky adventure.

While most people unfamiliar with Minecraft may find it hard to relate to the movie, the film drops us into the familiar pixelated world of Minecraft, where creativity and chaos reign supreme. 

"It's not what I expected," says Toffee, 11. "There are actual people in the movie. It's supposed to be about blocky characters making a world out of blocks. One good point: they added the character of Technoblade (a tribute to popular Minecraft player Alexander, who died of cancer in 2022). And I didn't expect piglins to look fat."

The protagonist, Callum (voiced by Jack Black), is an ordinary player thrust into extraordinary circumstances after a mysterious corruption begins spreading through the Minecraft world. 

Open-ended world

Introduced in the game's initial release in 2009, Steve serves as a blank slate, allowing players to project themselves into the game's open-ended world.

He lacks a predefined backstory or personality, emphasising the game's focus on creativity and personal expression. 

To save the realm (in this movie), he teams up with a diverse group of players and non-player characters (NPCs) — each representing different play styles and personalities.

To fans of the game, however, these would all sound familiar.

"They made the characters more realistic, which is good," my 17-year-old eldest teen quipped. "The storyline is relatable to the game's lore, though dialogues between humans and blocks took out some of the game's vibe."

Challenges

What follows is a quest-style journey full of challenges, from battling Creepers in the dead of night to solving intricate puzzle temples with tongue-in-cheek nods to Minecraft lore. 

The plot isn’t groundbreaking, but it’s sincere — and the film cleverly balances nostalgic in-jokes for longtime players with enough exposition and laughs to make it accessible to non-gamers and kids.

In this 2025 film adaptation, A Minecraft Movie, Steve is portrayed by Jack Black. 

In this interpretation, Steve is an expert crafter who has spent years living in the "Overworld", the "normal" world in the game. 

The film follows Steve and a group of unlikely heroes, including characters played by Jason Momoa and Danielle Brooks, as they navigate the blocky Overworld to combat the villainous Piglin queen, Malgosha.

This narrative introduces a more defined personality and role for Steve, expanding upon his original portrayal in the game.  

Stylised animation

Visually, the movie embraces the blocky aesthetic without trying to “fix” it. 

Instead, it leans in hard, finding charm in its limitations. The animation is fluid and stylised, like watching a well-modded game come to life. 

There's also a satisfying physicality to the action sequences, especially during moments of crafting, mining, or building massive contraptions mid-battle.

The voice acting is a highlight. Jack Black brings his signature energy and humour, with Olivia Rodrigo and Pedro Pascal adding unexpected depth and charm to their roles. 

It occasionally dips into cheesy territory, but the humour — often self-aware and lightly satirical — lands more often than not.

Collaboration

Where the film truly shines is in its message:

"I think A Minecraft Movie celebrates collaboration and creativity, the characters helping each other to achieve a common purpose, which is their survival."

It also marks the power of imagination, and taps into the heart of what makes the game timeless: the freedom to create, destroy, rebuild, and connect with others.

There are moments where the pacing stumbles, and the final act wraps up a bit too neatly — but it’s hard not to walk away smiling. 

While A Minecraft Movie doesn’t reinvent the genre, it lovingly crafts a fun, surprisingly thoughtful experience that feels true to the game’s spirit.

Rating: 4.5/5
Perfect for fans, family-friendly, and better than it has any right to be.