10 Reasons Why Minecraft Movie is Already HATED

10 Reasons Why A Minecraft Movie Is Already Hated


Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re looking at why “A Minecraft Movie” has unearthed so much hate before even coming out.

Another “Lego Movie” Knockoff

It’s been over a decade since “The Lego Movie” surprised everyone with its humor, creativity, and heart. It set a gold standard for movies based on kid-friendly products. If “Bobbleheads: The Movie,” “Playmobil: The Movie,” and “The Emoji Movie” proved anything, though, it’s that “Lego Movie” set the bar too high. Even some of the “Lego Movie” follow-ups couldn’t replicate the original’s success with the franchise being put on hiatus. That seemingly ended this fad… until “A Minecraft Movie” emerged. If the intent was to capitalize on “Lego Movie,” “Minecraft” feels five years too late. Even if it did come out five years ago, it’d still be after the fact. Maybe “Minecraft” will surprise us like “Lego” did, but everything looks far from awesome.


This Is What Jared Hess Is Doing Post-Oscar Nomination?

Jared Hess broke out with the sleeper cultural phenomenon “Napoleon Dynamite.” “Nacho Libre” was more divisive, yet gained a minor cult following. With “Gentlemen Broncos,” “Don Verdean,” and “Masterminds,” Hess’ early success started to seem like a fluke. That was until Jared and Jerusha Hess received an Oscar nomination for “Ninety-Five Senses.” This poignant, visually stimulating short revealed a different side of Hess, leaving us eager to see more. Then he made “Thelma the Unicorn,” which was about as mid as kids’ movies get. Now with “Minecraft,” Hess seems like a director for hire at the mercy of studio notes and focus groups. He might have a unique vision, but chances are this is just a paycheck to finance more personal works like “Ninety-Five Senses.”


Warner Bros.’ Recent Reputation

You know how toxic relationships can change people for the worse? That’s how we’ve felt about Warner Bros. ever since merging with Discovery. While the studio is still taking creative risks like “Barbie,” it’s also represented everything currently wrong with cinema. “Juror No. 2,” possibly Clint Eastwood’s last film, was given the tiniest theatrical release before being dumped on Max. “Batgirl” and “Scoob! Holiday Haunt,” despite being virtually completed, were scrapped for financial purposes. Whether or not “Coyote vs. Acme” crawls out of limbo, WB undeniably did the filmmakers dirty. Yet, WB felt “A Minecraft Movie” needed to be seen. The fact this is getting released while so many other promising projects have been neglected only makes us more concerned for the studio’s crumbling legacy.

Tired Humor

“I… am Steve!” The marketing department apparently felt that line would have people rolling in the aisles. Instead, it had them rolling their eyes… and making memes that are ironically funnier. This supposed comedic mic drop proved so infamous that it overshadowed the trailer’s other lazy gags, many of which feel ten years old. Hell, even going back a decade, we can’t recall any teenagers using phrases like “toolbag.” While the actors look like they’re trying, that seems to be a trend with many modern comedies. Rely on the actors to bring the funny while the writers fall asleep at their desks. We’d like to think they’re saving the funniest lines for the movie, but if this is their best foot forward, seriously, what are we doing here?


Jack Black Overexposure

We like Jack Black. He easily gave the best performance in “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” as Bowser. That doesn’t mean he needs to be in every video game adaptation. His voiceover work as Claptrap in “Borderlands” is proof of that. His presence in “A Minecraft Movie” feels like the studio piggybacking off movies that had a better understanding of how to use Jack Black. Despite what he says in the trailer, we don’t buy Black as Steve. He looks more like someone who wanted to dress up for Comic-Con, but didn’t feel like putting any effort into his costume. At the very least, he could’ve trimmed his beard to match Steve’s goatee. Are we the only ones getting “Mandalorian” Season 3 vibes?


Pandering to Kids

While “Minecraft” is a game for all ages, statistics show that more than 40% of the user base is between 15 and 21 with the average player being 24. Given its older following, “A Minecraft Movie” could’ve taken an adult approach like “Barbie.” It’s clear that the film is instead aiming at a younger demographic, which will be fine as long as the outcome is charming, witty, and makes every viewer feel like a kid again. That’s not the impression we’ve been getting so far. The advertising seems geared toward children with short attention spans who’ll watch anything colorful, silly, and draped in an IP they recognize. Why appeal to everybody when you just need the kids to drag Mom and Dad to the box office?

Not Understanding the Source Material

On a certain level, the filmmakers appear to have a grasp of what “Minecraft” is, at least compared to some other video game adaptations. The trailers work in several Easter eggs and references, poking fun at things about this world that admittedly don’t make a ton of sense. As ridiculous as some mechanics are, “Minecraft” is a surprisingly soothing, even atmospheric gaming experience. This hasn’t shined through in the movie’s advertising, mainly giving us flashbacks to Adam Sandler’s “Pixels.” The film seems to be promoting a message about imagination, falling in line with the game. Where the possibilities in the game are truly boundless, though, the movie looks boxed in with a run-of-the-mill plot, cliched characters, and morals we’ve seen before.


The Use of Live-Action

For all the CGI, we have to give the filmmakers credit for constructing a lot of practical sets and props that capture the game’s aesthetic. We could totally see this inspiring a theme park attraction. That said, when you have Jack Black and Jason Momoa walking around these sets, that’s exactly what it feels like: a new park coming to Six Flags. Every actor looks out of place in this world, especially when you pair them with animated characters. “Minecraft” is all about immersion, and the presence of live actors kills the illusion. Given the game’s simple, blocky nature, the studio should’ve gone all in on animation like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” Even then, some of the animated characters here would’ve required redesigns.

Creepy Animation

The world of “Minecraft” is, for lack of a better word, cartoony. Being part live-action, “A Minecraft Movie” attempts to bring a sense of realism to this world. It’s not impossible to achieve a balance, as seen in “Detective Pikachu” and the “Sonic the Hedgehog” movies. Unfortunately, the movie’s sheep, goats, and other creatures look like Sonic before his redesign, right down to the uncomfortable teeth. The CGI characters are still too cartoony for us to believe they’re really interacting with the live actors. Yet, they’re realistic to the point of being unpleasant to look at. We can’t say it’s quite as bad as Ugly Sonic or the abominations from Tom Hooper’s “Cats,” but these designs are bringing out the worst of both worlds.


There’s Already A Pretty Good “Minecraft” Movie (Kind Of)

To be fair, “Minecraft” isn’t the easiest game to make a movie around. There isn’t really a plot and not even much conflict, save the occasional zombie outbreak. If you’re looking for a compelling narrative set in this universe, though, look no further than “Minecraft: Story Mode” from Telltale Games. Although technically a game, “Story Mode” plays like a movie with well-rounded characters, inventive worldbuilding, and unexpected depth. It even features strong voice acting from Patton Oswalt and Catherine Taber, among others. “Story Mode” isn’t without flaws, but to us, this is the template for what “A Minecraft Movie” should be. Rather than expand upon that template, the actual “Minecraft Movie” seems to be building something safer and more generic. Hopefully, we’re proven wrong.

Do you think “A Minecraft Movie” will be 2025’s most pleasant surprise? Let us know why in the comments.