Light-hearted music.
A glowing portal.
A whole world of disappointment.
Unlike the excitement the Minecraft movie teaser was supposed to spark, all it prompted was frustration for us.
And we’re not the only ones. Within 3 days of its release, the official trailer has received 1.2 million dislikes, more than double the number of likes, with many commenters citing issues such as bad casting and miserable CGI.
The addition of live actors with CGI landscapes has left many issues to be solved. Viewers criticize the ineffective green-screening of actors or awkwardly rendered Minecraft animals that are simply unsettling.
In light of the backlash, Mojang, the studio behind Minecraft, responded with multiple excuses defending the movie’s credibility.
Let us dismantle them one block at a time.
“We’re trying to do something original.”
Is Mojang serious?
To defend the stilted plot of the story, they claim that the plot is “original.” They must not realize that the concept of “people being transferred to another world” is so common that it even has its own sub-genre known as Isekai.
And don’t get us started on the “original” plot of the movie in which the “newcomers” fight off a hostile force from the nether.
Sound familiar?
It should. That is the premise of the 2023 Minecraft game “Minecraft Legends,” in which a Minecraft player is “transported” to the world of Minecraft legends to fight off a Piglin force.
And just like how “Minecraft Legends” failed, being abandoned from development, this movie also sprints towards its doom.
“The movie isn’t meant for you.”
Then who is it meant for? Non-Minecraft players?
The entire premise of a videogame movie is to cater to fans of the specific video game. If the producers decide to push towards a new audience, the purpose of the movie is defeated.
The idea simply sucks, favoring a newer audience for more profit over actually satisfying loyal fans and Minecraft players.
Minecraft turned its back on players who played the game for many years. Players who gave Minecraft the fame they have. Players pushing for this movie to even exist in the first place.
When the trailer released, fans on Reddit started believing that the movie would be a “soulless cash grab” and as Minecraft responds to these claims with more excuses, it seems ever more likely.
As we inch towards the release date 6 months away, we can only hope that Mojang wakes up to their senses.
We do not want another “Isekai” plot.
We do not want another awkward CGI-filled movie.
We want a Minecraft movie.Note: As of November 19th, a new trailer has been released for the Minecraft movie receiving a more positive response. Although it relieves some of the worries presented in this article, we still do not believe it adequately responds to the issues presented in the teaser.
