Courtesy of Warner Bros.

Although there was a lot of hype surrounding this film, the movie was not all it seemed to be and is heavily directed toward young audiences.

Going into A Minecraft Movie, I was aware that it was aimed at children, and therefore, I didn’t have high expectations. The theater was packed from top to bottom, carrying parties of all ages. From parents and teenagers to children as young as five years old, people sat in their seats eagerly waiting for the film to begin. Given how packed the theater was, I began to think higher of the movie, and was excited for it to start. After the movie ended, I realized that I should never have heightened my expectations.

A Minecraft Movie is a mix of fantasy and comedy based on the 2011 video game Minecraft. The film stars actors Jason Momoa, Danielle Brooks, Emma Myers, and Sebastian Hansen, who are seen as outcasts in the real world that are pulled into a cubic realm. Inside this cubic realm, they embark on a quest to save the world with help from a crafter, Steve, who is played by Jack Black. Throughout the film, there were many times I sat in my seat wondering what all the hype was about. The story seemed to lack a bit, and I was a little bored towards the end, even though the movie was only about an hour and forty-one minutes long.

The film has been in theaters since April 4th and has gone viral for having specific trends that have followed the movie. These ‘trends’ have overtaken theater culture and have gone viral on social media. I had heard about many of these trends on social media and from friends, which inclined me to go see the movie in the first place. They may seem harmless at first glance because most of it is simply shouting the words on the screen as the characters say them. For example, at the beginning of the film, when the character Steve is first introduced, he states, “I am Steve.” When I was watching the movie in the theater, the whole theater yelled the line in unison, almost startling me. Personally, I did not find these to be funny at all, but I understand why some people would find thrill in being included in this trend.

Other trends associated with the movie are not so harmless. At about the halfway point in the film, there is a fight between one of the main characters and a baby zombie on top of a chicken called ‘Chicken Jockey.’ One of the main characters, Steve, yells the name of this character, and it is a trend to yell the name, too. Though many theaters have taken this too far, not only yelling at the screen, but throwing popcorn and other things around the theater. Thankfully, my theater did not do this as we watched the film, but when I walked into the theater to be seated for the movie, there was popcorn everywhere, which I now assume is from that trend.

Overall, I would say A Minecraft Movie is not all it is said to be. Before I attended, I read many other reviews that had very positive things to say about it, but I personally do not agree with some of these statements. I thought the movie was funny for a child, but I would not recommend it for audience members over the age of 13, unless you prefer a cringeworthy film.