Reviews are in for this weekend’s A Minecraft Movie, and word of mouth for the latest video game adaptation is mixed so far. On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film currently has a score of 55% with 44 total reviews counted as of this writing. A critics’ consensus has not been revealed as of this writing, but a glance at the reviews help paint a picture. The positive ones highlight the film’s cast (Jack Black’s performance in particular) as one of the strong points. The movie’s tone and universal message were also praised. On the negative side, people largely criticized the formulaic nature of the plot.
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When compared to other recent video game adaptations, the Minecraft Rotten Tomatoes score is in the same ballpark as 2023’s The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which posted a score of 59%. However, it isn’t nearly as high as last year’s Sonic the Hedgehog 3‘s Certified Fresh mark of 85%. While Minecraft didn’t receive universal acclaim, it can at least take solace in knowing it fared better with critics than Borderlands, which was widely panned with a score of 10%.
After a prolonged period of development that saw different versions of the project fall apart, A Minecraft Movie finally debuts on April 4th. Starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa, the film follows a group of four friends who get transported to the Overworld, a place where creativity knows no limits. Teaming up with Steve (Black), they fight back against the forces of the Nether, a dark realm looking to stifle creativity and destroy the Overworld.
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Box office projections indicate A Minecraft Movie is going to post one of the highest openings of the year so far. Estimates have it pegged for a debut in the range of around $65+ million domestically. The expectation is its worldwide haul could be as high as $140 million this weekend. A Minecraft Movie has a production budget of $150 million.
Though A Minecraft Movie‘s Rotten Tomatoes score is on the “rotten” side of the spectrum, its figure is arguably higher than some people might have predicted. Reactions to some of the early marketing materials were mixed, as some people felt the film’s approach to bringing the Minecraft world to life gave the project an eerie vibe. However, while the film isn’t exactly a home run, it’s apparent that director Jared Hess didn’t strike out either. A Minecraft Movie may not reinvent the wheel when it comes to video game adaptations, but it avoided the same fate as Borderlands. The reviews should help A Minecraft Movie stand out as a fun option for families, and it’ll benefit from a severe lack of competition.
More reviews will come in over the next few days, so it’ll be interesting to see if the Minecraft Movie score fluctuates in one direction or another. Typically, the first wave establishes what the ballpark will be regarding the Rotten Tomatoes score, but A Minecraft Movie could surprise us yet again. 55% isn’t too far from the site’s threshold for a “fresh” mark. Maybe A Minecraft Movie will find itself in that territory soon.
