Dumb Things We All Ignored In The Minecraft Movie

Contains spoilers for “A Minecraft Movie“

Minecraft” is an incredibly famous video game that was first developed in 2011 by the creator Markus “Notch” Persson, who has had some issues. Later, it was purchased by Microsoft. This game offers a unique first-person experience where you play as a blocky character (commonly referred to as Steve), navigating and mining resources within a vast, randomly generated world made of blocks. With these resources, you can craft various items like homes, tools, and weapons. The game is also home to blocky creatures such as animals for farming and eating, as well as villagers for interaction. At night, the player must defend against threatening creatures including pig-like monsters, explosive Creepers, zombies, and Endermen reminiscent of Slenderman.

Minecraft is a blocky video game where you explore a randomly generated world, mine resources to craft items, interact with villagers, and fight monsters at night. The game was created in 2011 by Markus “Notch” Persson and later bought by Microsoft.

Because the game is incredibly famous, it’s not shocking that Hollywood would notice its potential profit and try to transform it into a movie – even though the game is primarily devoid of a compelling storyline. The film, helmed by Jared Hess, focuses on four individuals from our world who find themselves trapped in the Minecraft “Overworld.” To return home, they must join forces with Steve (portrayed by Jack Black), who has been stranded there for quite some time now.

Despite the game lacking a storyline, the film has made several questionable decisions, and unfortunately, it only reinforces our concerns about the “Minecraft” movie. While it may not be on track to become one of 2025’s biggest flops as some speculated, here are the most questionable aspects we overlooked in “A Minecraft Movie.

Why isn’t Steve native to the world of Minecraft?

In the games, when you control the character known as blue-clad Steve (primarily in first-person perspective, except for when you navigate certain menus), it’s clear that he is a resident of the Minecraft Overworld. Although Steve isn’t exactly a villager (he differs visually from them in some ways), he shares the blocky and cubic appearance with the villagers and all other elements within his environment, reflecting the game’s distinctive style.

This observation applies equally to the popular Telltale game “Minecraft: Story Mode,” which is often praised (even more so than a potential Minecraft movie), as well as Steve’s appearance in “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate” for the Nintendo Switch. In both cases, Steve is portrayed in his signature blocky villager form.

Why is Jack Black playing a human character named Steve in “A Minecraft Movie”? Since the “Minecraft” game doesn’t have extensive background stories, the only confirmed fact is that Steve is a blocky figure. However, making Steve human doesn’t seem beneficial, considering there are already four human characters from Earth in the story. Instead, it could be more interesting if Steve was a native Overlander who assists the humans. This would give him a unique character arc and broaden the theme of the movie to encompass cultural understanding.

Is this film pro child labor?

In creating “A Minecraft Movie” with Steve as a human character, the movie creators took on the challenging task of developing Steve’s background story and showing how he came to inhabit the distinctive pixelated world of Minecraft Overworld. The origin story we end up with is that Steve aspired to be a miner as a child. While this explanation for Steve’s driving force may seem excessive and overtly related to his character, it should be acknowledged that it was likely intended to be intentionally absurd by directors Jared Hess and the film’s writers.

The movie appears to show some degree of understanding, if not full support, for young Steve’s desire to become a miner, which is rather hard to justify given that corporations are currently working towards expanding the use of child labor in violation of laws.

To clarify, young Steve isn’t employed in the mine and is chased off by a gruff-looking miner, which seems like an indication of empathy towards Steve’s wishes. Immediately after running from the mine, we transition to Steve as an adult (portrayed by Jack Black) in a monotonous office job, unhappy with his situation. In a voiceover, he expresses his continued yearning to be a miner, suggesting that preventing him from becoming one as a child was somehow unfair, rather than the sensible choice made.

Why couldn’t miners find the magical, glowing Orb of Dominance earlier?

As an adult, I decided to ditch my monotonous office job and revisit the old mine that had once denied me entrance as a child. I found myself sidestepping the grizzled miner who stood guard. On a whim, with the pickaxe slung over my shoulder, I gave the cave walls an impulsive tap – quite reckless, given it seemed like an active mine at the time.

Subsequently, he discovers an oddly glowing blue cube (often humorously referred to as an “Orb” in the movie) in one of the shallow holes he’s dug. The peculiarity lies in its location – it wasn’t very deep and was close to the mine entrance. Given that the mine has been operational for at least two decades, one might wonder how none of the previous miners ever stumbled upon it during their work.

It could be more believable if Steve chose to venture into an undisturbed location, or even a spot marked with “Danger” and “Keep Out” signs. Yet, surprisingly, it’s just there, almost out in the open. In a narrative that pushes the boundaries of credulity, this was one of the most implausible scenes (and remember, this is a film featuring a wrestling duck).

Letting a kid make a rocket is beyond irresponsible

At the onset of “A Minecraft Movie,” it’s established that Henry (Sebastian Hansen) is an outcast. Early in the story, during an art class, he creates a unique drawing of a banana in a rocket jetpack, which is met with ridicule from stereotypical jock bullies. They criticize his work, specifically pointing out that the jetpack in his drawing isn’t realistic according to scientific principles. Before this, they had already mocked him for his impressive artwork, but their comments about the unfeasibility of the jetpack resonate as a symbol of his social isolation and misunderstanding by his peers.

Henry declares that he’ll demonstrate something and proceeds to construct a makeshift rocket using school supplies, all while the teacher looks on without interference. Remarkably, when Henry attaches this homemade rocket-pack to a science lab skeleton, the teacher is among the spectators. Unfortunately, the jocks sever one of the wires, leading to an accident where the rocket and plastic skeleton crash into a factory, resulting in an explosion.

Why would any mature individual tolerate such an occurrence? Indeed, there are numerous humorous comments about the poor quality of the school and the ineptitude of this specific teacher. However, the implausibility of events (as well as the survival after a depicted explosion) strains credulity. Moreover, the over-the-top nature of these events feels jarringly incongruous with reality, making the transition to the more fantastical Overworld less convincing.

Why would Garrett automatically assume he’s in a game?

In the movie, one rather foolish action taken by Jason Momoa’s character Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison stands out among many (indicating how absurd it is). Upon entering the cube-structured Overworld for the first time, he searches for a peculiar, pink sheep in a field, assuming it is a ‘Quest Giver’. Despite other characters warning him against engaging with the sheep, he disregards their advice and carries on his interaction.

In one sense, Garrett’s mind naturally drifts towards fantasy realms given the bizarre, dreamlike setting he finds himself in. After all, he’s deeply engrossed in video games, to the point of owning a store dedicated to them. So, it’s not unreasonable that this perspective influences his thoughts.

However, it’s important to note that “A Minecraft Movie” is set in a world where the game Minecraft isn’t part of reality (we’ll delve into that later). This might lead one to wonder why Garrett would think he’s playing a game. Although the environment appears peculiar and block-like, it lacks the digital feel typical of video games. The movie’s visual style is far from pixelated (in fact, the lifelike fur and skin can seem rather jarring on screen).

Beyond this, it’s rare for stories or CRPG games to feature non-anthropomorphic animals as quest providers. Moreover, given his disdain for fantasy (preferring brawler games and frequently labeling Henry as a nerd), his actions present an inconsistency in character development as well.

Why would Steve burn his mouth on chicken if he created the place?

In “Minecraft,” whether it’s the video games or the movie, a day-night cycle lasting approximately 20 minutes is in place. During nighttime in the Overworld, hostile characters like Creepers that explode, green-skinned zombies, and skeletons that shoot arrows become active, posing a threat. On their initial encounter with these creatures, the main characters find themselves in peril but are bravely saved by Steve, who brandishes a sword. Following their rescue, the group joins forces with Steve to locate the Orb of Dominance. Steve desires it to save his friend, while the group needs it to return home.

Following the establishment of their partnership, Steve leads them on a tour, revealing various parts of the Overworld. One of the initial stops is a village inhabited by long-snouted, monosyllabic residents who flourish there. Although Steve mentions that some of the town was constructed by the villagers, he proudly claims credit for crafting its most impressive features. Among these is a chicken eatery, where Steve designed an intricate mechanism that cooks the meat using actual lava. Upon presenting the roasted square-shaped chicken to the group, Steve takes a bite – scorching his mouth. This raises the question: why did Steve burn his mouth? It seems he built this restaurant years ago and frequently returns there. One would think he’d be aware of the potential risks by now, given his frequent visits.

Why can characters randomly know how to fight?

In the popular game Minecraft, players typically engage in combat with various enemies found in a hypothetical Minecraft film. This is unless they’re playing in ‘Creative Mode’. Interestingly, many of the items, weapons, and armor seen in the movie are directly taken from the games. Given that Steve originates from the Overworld in these games, it seems reasonable that he would know self-defense to protect his constructions.

In the movie, Jack Black’s character, Steve, does have an extraordinary talent for conjuring objects out of thin air, which comes in handy during battles. However, it’s important to note that just because he can create weapons, doesn’t mean he’s automatically skilled at using them. Prior to his life in the Overworld, he was a sedentary office worker, so mastering weaponry might still be a challenge for him.

In the movie, Natalie’s (Emma Myers) combat skills are a bit hard to swallow, especially given that the film doesn’t explain where they come from until late in the story. Similarly, Garrett’s fighting prowess seems improbable, considering his worn-out state at the time. The script could have made these abilities more believable by showing that Natalie had given up martial arts to take care of her brother and this journey helped her rediscover it, but that angle isn’t explored.

Garrett surviving his heroic sacrifice is cheap

During the heart of the movie, Garrett, following them obtaining the Earth Crystal and an Ender Pearl, performs a selfless act. The group finds themselves encircled by adversaries on a bridge, and after Steve and Henry successfully board a nearby hot air balloon, Garrett chooses to remain behind, buying them additional time to flee. In a large, fiery blast, it appears that he perishes. This scene, surprisingly emotional; director Jared Hess, known for incorporating elements adults would appreciate in his breakout film “Napoleon Dynamite,” doesn’t shy away from including death scenes (including some earlier ones) even in a children’s movie.

It appears undeniable that Garrett will likely pull through, given that contemporary Hollywood productions, particularly those targeted towards children, typically avoid such extreme scenarios. If it had gone there, it would have been daring and impactful. Interestingly, children’s movies aren’t always overly sanitized; witness the poignant demise of Maria Robotnik (Alyla Browne) in the recent video game adaptation “Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

As a gamer, I must admit that it was satisfying to witness Garrett’s transformation from a self-centered scoundrel into an altruistic champion. However, in the final moments, instead of following through with his heroic arc, he pulled off a last-minute, Han Solo-esque rescue move. While it was intended to be inspiring, it ended up feeling flat and predictable, almost as if the writers ran out of original ideas. Truly disappointing.

The movie’s ending goes against the story’s main theme

At the close of “A Minecraft Movie”, the conclusion appears unassuming at first glance. Following their escapade in the Overworld, the primary characters reopen the portal leading to reality. Upon returning to Earth, Steve, Garret, and Henry embark on creating a new action game, inspired by their experiences, which gains widespread popularity. Remarkably, Steve and Garrett also establish a local band that finds success, reviving Garrett’s struggling retro video game enterprise in the process.

Indeed, each character employs their unique talents to spearhead thriving business ventures. For example, Dawn sets up an unusual petting zoo, featuring Steve’s bulky dog Dennis as the star attraction, while Natalie opens a self-defense school. Even Henry gains popularity with his successful rocket project.

So far in the movie, we see that creativity is emphasized as being crucial for the human soul and worth pursuing even when it seems challenging or pointless. However, since all the characters end up financially successful, this conflicts with the idea that creativity is just an outlet for our humanity. Instead, creativity appears to be portrayed merely as a means to an end – success. This pattern is often found in films, particularly Hollywood productions, but it’s still a problematic message. It could potentially explain why many people perceive art as mere content or a commodity to be sold, rather than something with a more profound purpose that transcends profit.

Why didn’t the film end with the invention of the real Minecraft game?

Initially, the notion that a “Minecraft Movie” must conclude with the construction of a video game seems pointless and superfluous. This is primarily because when transforming a property from one form to another — such as a video game being changed into a cinematic narrative — it’s not mandatory to incorporate elements of the original medium within the adaptation itself. In other words, it would be comparable to every film based on a book ending with the author writing the very book that inspired it.

If you’re adamant about concluding the movie with the characters developing a video game, why can’t it simply be “Minecraft”? After all, it might diminish Markus Persson’s role, but so what? Moreover, it’s common for fictional works to dramatize the creation of other art forms, such as Marty McFly composing “Johnny B. Goode” in “Back to the Future” or the 2012 film “John Carter” portraying Edgar Rice Burroughs writing his sci-fi novels based on his relative’s found diaries (which, of course, is a fictionalization and likely one of the reasons it didn’t do well).

In the movie “A Minecraft Movie,” instead of the characters creating a random ’80s-style beat-em-up game at the end, it would make more sense for them to develop a game called “Minecraft.” This way, the film’s central theme of emphasizing creativity is maintained.

2025-04-05 00:01