“Minecraft” is an open world game with no storyline consisting solely of blocks, allowing creativity, freedom and imagination to flourish. Turning this concept into a movie is a difficult feat. Released this past Saturday in theaters, “A Minecraft Movie” joins the recent trend of video game film adaptations.
With a budget of $150 million dollars and a cast of fan favorite actors like Jack Black and Jason Mamoa, the movie ambitiously tries to make its place among well-received video game movies like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” and “Five Nights at Freddy’s.”
Mojang, the Swedish video game company that created “Minecraft,” has been teasing a potential movie adaptation for approximately 11 years. So when the film was officially announced, restless fans were anticipating something that would do justice to the legendary game. However, the initial trailer evoked mixed reactions.
“I would have much rather it be animated in “Minecraft’s” style, but the live action gives it a more comedical aspect,” Lambert senior Pranav Sathish commented.
Fans have had an immensely positive reaction to the movie, helping it generate $301 million at the global box office upon its first weekend in theatres. Senior players of Minecraft united with younger and newer fans to enjoy this movie.
“It was what I expected…it was just a fun movie…it’s meant for kids,” Sathish said.
In fact, fans enjoyed the movie so much that it became an issue for movie theatres. Fans would scream, yell, cheer, clap and even throw buckets of popcorn at the screen during scenes. One of the most famous scenes is when Steve, the default character of the “Minecraft” game and main character of the movie, s
ays the line “Chicken Jockey,” a direct reference to a rare but aggravating mob from the video game.
“Honestly, one of the best parts is how excited the crowd is whenever the one liners drop,” Lambert senior Vivian Ho said.
Warner Bros. Pictures and Mojang plan to collaborate in the future to turn “A Minecraft Movie” into a trilogy. The movie ends on a note that prompts for further adventure, with Steve remembering that he has more hidden treasures in his attic. Fans are looking forward to seeing how the storyline progresses, but for now, “A Minecraft Movie” has proven to be a pixelated nostalgia hit that is set to continue breaking records at the box office.
