Minecraft and its icon Steve has re-entered the world with a cinematic boom. Despite the game reaching its popularity peak many years ago, the film starring Jack Black and Jason Momoa has gathered together a community – an interesting group indeed. “The Minecraft Movie” has brought joy for its younger generations, yet disruption to those working in movie theaters.
Large crowds are drawn into the theaters for phrases like ‘I am Steve,’ ‘The Nether,’ and the most popular, ‘Chicken Jockey.’ These movie segments have become viral on social media, as there are videos of audiences erupting in screaming the lines, throwing popcorn, and even bringing in a real chicken when such phrases are said by the main character, Jack Black.
Experiencing “The Minecraft Movie” not once, but twice, the theaters are just like the viral videos – absolutely chaotic, but in the best way possible. It’s no surprise that younger generations have found a new, yet strange, hyperfixation again. Somehow we continue to find odd trends, then blow them out of proportion due to hit videos on TikTok or Instagram. With full honesty, I have never laughed harder in a theater. In addition, I have never heard louder cheers for characters and their preformed scripts – even when seeing Spider-Man: No Way Home on opening weekend.
Elias Acevedo ‘27 adds onto the positive experience of “The Minecraft Movie.” He tells us, “I loved the Minecraft Movie and the theater environment mostly because of the nostalgia behind the video game.”
“Being in the theater with other people sharing that same feeling allowed everyone to embrace being a kid again and enjoying the experience to their best ability.” This movie uprooted many childhood memories for past Minecraft players, which crafted a wholesome experience – and fun one too.
On the other hand, not all audience members enjoyed this disruptive and ill-mannered crowd. Ian Robinson ‘27 found the crowd “annoying” and explained how he “had to sit next to kids that were just talking the entire movie.” When not engaging in the ‘viral experience’ of this film, outsiders can see these behaviors as an extreme distraction away from the film itself. This is understandable, as it’s strange to be hit with popcorn when the crowd screams ‘Flint and Steel.’
While being critical, there were many flaws with this movie. Viewed as someone who played copious amounts of minecraft in their childhood, the movie itself was poorly constructed. There were many plot holes, misrepresentation of strong female characters, and mixing of biomes that would never exist in the game. Without the crowd engagement and the memes crafted by this movie, I’d be utterly disappointed.
All in all, “The Minecraft Movie is iconic, you gotta go at least once,” exclaims Sydney Cuticelli ‘27. If you’re looking for a polite and etiquette-filled crowd, stay far away from “The Minecraft Movie” in theaters. However, if you’re looking for a hilarious and audience engaged atmosphere, this film is a must watch.
