Based on the smash hit video game launched in 2011, this action adventure comedy begs the question of ‘Why only now?’ But based on early reports, ‘better late than never’ works in this case; the film looks like it’s heading to smashing 2025 box office records this weekend - at the very least, regarding video game movie adaptations. The record to beat would be the $146.3M of Super Mario Bros 3-day start. Barbie opened to $162M, and who knows if, despite the divisive and mixed reviews, A Minecraft Movie can aspire to top even that.

With 204 million monthly active players, Minecraft has been a cultural phenomenon as a video game since its inception. Tutorials, walk-throughs, parodies, and tributes constantly pop up on YouTube, demonstrating how the fans are super-active as a community and eager to prove their love for the game. So, for the die-hard fans, the question would be whether the film does justice to the game. I’ve never played the game, so my approach to the adaptation is whether the film works on its own and keeps me interested throughout the film’s relatively short running time of one hour and 40 minutes.

Directed by Jared Hess (Nacho Libre and Napoleon Dynamite), the premise has to do with four misfits: Garrett (Jason Momoa), Natalie (Emma Myers), her nerdy brother Henry (Sebastian Hansen), and real estate broker/aspiring petting zoo owner Dawn (Danielle Brooks), all entering a mystery portal and ending up in the Overworld. There, they’ll team up with a crafter, Steve (Jack Black), to battle Malgosha, the piglin ruler. All this is accompanied by a soundtrack of heavy metal power ballads whenever Garrett is on screen and either rock songs or trippy pop songs when Steve is acting up.

Set in Chuglass, Idaho, the film starts on a zany, mock-serious tone, with quotes like ‘There is no ‘I’ in team, but two in winning’ by Garrett. A salute to Jason for being game and turning this Garrett into one of the film's comic highlights. It’s so against type and ridiculous you can’t help but laugh - from his outfits to his mock bravado, cowardice, and plain ineptitude.

Jack Black parodies his previous film outings, and there are moments when it’s like Jumanji meets Game of Thrones meets Super Mario and Wreck-It Ralph. I liked Myers and Hansen for putting some gravitas in the proceedings, as both Black and Momoa are going over the top and chewing the scenery each time they’re on screen. Brooks may be a main character, but it’s left until very late before she makes much of an impression.

I’ll even give a nod to Vice Principal Marlene (Jennifer Coolidge), as a recurring joke that works to keep the adults watching this film engaged with what’s going on. And that is what holds up the first 45 minutes or so—this off-the-wall humor and how the film breaks expectations with the casting of Momoa.

It’s the last half of the film that I question - as it seems they’re trying too hard to please everyone and play mainly to the video game fans. I clocked out at the one-hour mark and waited for the film to end. But that’s me; you can say I’m not the primary audience. Watching this on an SM IMAX screen was great, as so much more of the movie magic and CGI can be experienced.