A Minecraft Movie Changed my Life

From the truly stunning AND realistic CGI, to the fantastic performances from actors: Jason Mamoa, Emma Myers, Sebastian Eugene Hansen, Jennifer Coolidge, Danielle Brooks, And of course… Jack Black, as well as the incredibly catchy music such as “Steve’s Lava Chicken” and “I Feel Alive”, The entire movie was an absolute paragon. THIS is true cinema. My heart was on fire as if it had been lit up by a flint and steel.

This film is a fantastic metaphorical exploration of the human condition and the ongoing battle between creation and destruction in one’s mind. Minecraft is first and foremost a sandbox game in which players use their creativity to build up the world around them, however this world is constantly facing the threat of chaos and destruction-- represented by the mobs and collapse of structures. In this context, the film is an ingenious commentary on how we, as individuals, navigate our own lives. Just like in Minecraft, we build thoughts, ideas, and identities (the structures we place), but they are at a constant threat of being destroyed by the “mobs” of our life (anxiety, fear, depression). Throughout the movie we see the beautiful structures created by our protagonists (mainly by our main man Steve) and the gorgeous landscape of the overworld, that are both under threat of the evil sorceress Malgosha, and her army of piglins and nether creatures who aim to take control of the overworld. Malgosha is a clear metaphor for anxiety and depression, while the overworld is a metaphor for one’s mindspace and creativity. Depression can completely destroy one's mindspace and their ability to be creative and happy. I believe this entire movie is actually a metaphor for Steve’s mind; as a child he yearned for the mines, however he was unable to go due to his age, so he lived an unhappy life in the real world, where he lost creativity and wonder. Years later he finally returns to the mines and finds an ancient artifact (healing his inner child) to take him to the overworld (his mind and creative space). For years he is very happy with his life in the overworld, building, exploring, and making friends, until eventually there is nothing left to explore, and he yearns for exploration once more. This causes him to find a mysterious portal leading him to a dark place with no joy, and a leader who rules with an iron fist and no sympathy. This is Steve's first encounter with depression, and he knows he can not let it take over the overworld. He makes sure his best friend, Dennis, takes the one thing granting this depression the access to the overworld and the power to destroy it is far, far away, while he is taken prisoner for many, many years. A group of unlikely heroes finds the artifact and reopens the portal to the mindspace in which they see how amazing it can be with the beautiful scenery and architecture (the positive parts of Steve’s mind) but also how incredibly terrifying it can be with the dangerous mobs --chicken jockey-- and unrealistic physics (the negative parts of Steve’s mind). By the end of the movie the group of heroes has to face Malgosha (depression) as a team and defeat her and her goons permanently -- meaning that Steve has officially overcome his depression. After the epic battle, the group of heroes decides to leave the overworld and return to the real world, while Steve stays behind… but wait! No he doesn't: he finally decides to stop living inside of his head, and start living in reality, hence the song “I Feel Alive”.

This movie has taught me so much, what an ender pearl is, that villagers love crushing loaf, that the middle aged man wearing a teal unisex blouse and overworn jeans is Steve, and of course, that you can overcome anything with the help of friends.

In the wise words of Steve, “First we mine, then we craft, LETS MINECRAFT”

In conclusion, A Minecraft Movie has changed my life forever. I will never be the same, and I firmly believe that Jack Black deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for this performance.

Thank you for reading!