‘Chicken Jockey’
COURTESY | Youtube
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a video game and a studio in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a movie.
I cannot say that “A Minecraft Movie” is a good movie. Then again, I would be lying if I told you I didn’t laugh when I watched it.
Director Jared Hess, known for “Napoleon Dynamite” and “Nacho Libre,” which Jack Black starred in, clearly imbued the same unpredictable, dry humor of his previous films into the Minecraft movie, but the played-out plot and weak acting bring it down.
The story begins with Steve, played by Jack Black and named after the Minecraft video game protagonist. Steve, growing tired of his mundane adult life, returns to his childhood dream of mining. In the mine, he discovers a portal to “the overworld” (the world of Minecraft) and starts a life of creativity there.
Due to plans of domination from an evil sorceress, played by Rachel House, from “the nether” — a dark, lava-filled realm originally from the game — Black has to cut off the portal home and is imprisoned by her. Cut to years later and somehow, a washed-up arcade champion, played by Jason Momoa; a parentless sister-brother duo, played by actress Emma Myers and child actor Sebastian Eugene Hanson; and a real-estate agent, played by Danielle Brooks, end up in the overworld with Black.
What follows is a classic adventure story: the unlikely gang of misfits must band together to meet the common goal of getting out of the strange place and getting home. Ultimately, what they learn from their journey they bring home with them, and like any nostalgic kid’s movie, they learn the importance of friendship, creativity, and childlike wonder.
Black’s role is a classic type: the seasoned veteran in a strange place, similar to that of Robin Williams in “Jumanji.” Black, however, is far less compelling than Williams in the 1995 classic.
In this movie, as is the case in many of his movies, Black walks the line of cringe and comedy. As he has gotten older and his childish acting style has stayed young, he has veered further from that energetic and out-of-pocket style in beloved movies like “School of Rock.”
None of the main actors produce a convincing performance, and the script, especially for Black, is very weak. As internet meme-culture has picked up on, much of Black’s lines are simple demonstratives, as a baby does when first learning to speak. Perhaps you’ve heard the lines: “flint and steel,” “the nether,” and who could forget, “chicken jockey.”
If you are unfamiliar with these phrases and have a child who uses the internet, just ask him about “chicken jockey.”
I don’t think people go see this movie because they think it’ll be good — it has a 46% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 6/10 on IMDB — people seem to see it because of the cultural movement and maybe a secret hope for something good connected to their nostalgic memories of playing Minecraft, the most popular video game ever.
Countless videos online show theatergoers cheering, clapping, and even throwing bins of popcorn at the screen when Black delivers the famous line: “Chicken jockey.”
This break in decorum, though mostly by teenagers, shows that no one has been taking this movie very seriously and yet, somehow, that has worked very well for marketing.
The most remarkable thing about the Minecraft movie is, after only two weekends, it is already the highest-grossing film based on a video game ever and the most profitable movie to come out this year so far.
I question if Hess ever took this movie seriously, but if he and the studio were trying to harness the beast that turns internet fame into a cultural movement and thus profit, then they succeeded.
The absurd and cringeworthy line delivery from Black, Momoa’s ridiculous pink outfit, and Myers’ chronic TikTok face somehow turned a profit. If the studio did this on purpose, then it has unlocked both a great and evil power of film: the ability to turn garbage into money.
The movie is not all bad. The love affair with the Minecraft villager had some funny moments, and the whimsical atmosphere and color palette, along with an absurd setup, show some comedic and artistic know-how.
The movie was a fascinating piece of culture, and I enjoyed watching it, even if it was bad. If you care about Minecraft at all, then it’s worth the price of admission.
