Minecraft Movie Delivers Nostalgia and Viral Memes in Chaotic Adaptation
The Minecraft movie had almost nothing to do with crafting, mining, or even the game itself. Instead, it felt more like stepping into a social experiment. My experience with the movie started before I even considered going to the theater and watching it for myself. At some point, it seemed like almost every video on social media was about another crazy thing that happened during a Minecraft movie showing in theaters.
My expectations going in were less about the movie and more about the crazy things that could happen in my theater. As I entered the theater nothing seemed out of the ordinary to me, no children running around screaming “chicken jockey” and a reasonable amount of popcorn on the floor. But the first sign of chaos was upon buying the popcorn, where, at the popcorn counter, the vendor pulled me and my friends aside to warn us that they were now calling the cops on anyone who was following the “Minecraft movie internet trends” that had gone viral online.
Though upon entering the theater, I was once again starting to wonder if the cases I saw online were only the craziest stories, and the average experience was more similar to any other average movie viewing. The previews and introduction of the movie only continued to build on this notion. It lasted until the first “meme scene” appeared on screen, when the entire theater uniformly stood up and shouted “THE NETHER,” a remark references the second dimension in Minecraft. The rest of the movie was a cacophony of children screaming various names of Minecraft items at the same time as Jack Black, so pretty much just as the internet had portrayed it.
Jack Black’s casting as Steve, the default character in Minecraft, was controversial in itself as many people were hoping for someone who looked more like Steve and not just an attention-drawing famous “cop out” actor for a generic video game adaptation comedy who could headline the posters. But in the end, the Minecraft movie became the latest in a series where children's movies turn into online cultural phenomena. TikTok, Twitter, and other social media were swarmed with snippets and memes showing wild Minecraft movie screenings. As with the trend in “Minions: The Rise of Gru,” where teenagers dressed up in suits to watch the movie back in 2022.
But of course, I can’t finish this article without talking about the famous “Chicken Jockey” scene. As expected, the theater was deafening, the floor was littered with buttery popcorn, and my ears were ringing for minutes after. After the scene you would expect for the theater to die down now that the main “meme scene” had passed, but every time the theater seemed to go quiet someone would shout “CHICKEN JOCKEY!” Unfortunately, no one brought in a real life chicken, but I can confidently say that you can throw popcorn and scream at the top of your lungs without getting arrested; the theater just doesn’t want to clean up your mess.
As for the movie itself, I'd say it's what you'd expect out of a Minecraft movie in 2025. The plot is basic and inoffensive, and it just follows the general template of other kids' video game movies like “The Super Mario Bros. Movie.” It doesn't try to reimagine the genre or offer much to hardcore film critics, but it doesn't need to.
The film is embracing familiar tropes, offering up the kind of fast, somewhat sentimental, and funny movie that feels intended to keep younger viewers invested while offering up plenty of nostalgic nods for older viewers. If you played Minecraft as a kid, you'll likely have a few moments that hit home for you; for example, in the subtle easter egg that mentions famous late Minecraft YouTuber Technoblade, among many other references. It's no cinematic masterpiece, but it's clear and convincingly content with what it is. If you're a fan of the franchise or a fan of this type of video game adaptation, chances are you'll be walking out of the theater entertained, perhaps with a strained voice from shouting "CHICKEN JOCKEY," but entertained nonetheless.
