I waited a decade for this? Jack Black looks bored, the sheep is terrifying, and the internet is already begging for a redesign.
I have been playing Minecraft since the Alpha days. I remember the first time I punched a tree. I remember the panic of my first night. So when I sat down to watch the first official trailer for A Minecraft Movie, I wanted to love it. I really did.
But after seeing Jack Black announce “I am Steve” with the enthusiasm of a tired cosplayer, I felt a pit in my stomach. Is this really what we waited a decade for?
The “Pink Sheep” Problem: Why It Looks So Wrong
Let’s rip the bandage off: the art style is… a choice. And it’s the wrong one.
We need to talk about that realistic Pink Sheep. When that thing bleated at the camera, I didn’t laugh. I recoiled. It looks like something out of a fever dream or an AI generator gone wrong. The filmmakers have chosen this bizarre “hyper-realistic textures on blocky shapes” aesthetic that lands squarely in the Uncanny Valley.
It reminds me vividly of the original Sonic the Hedgehog trailer design—the one with the human teeth. The difference here is that A Minecraft Movie has committed its entire world to this look. The Piglins look grotesque, not threatening. The Llama looks like it belongs in a horror movie. When Jason Momoa (sporting a very questionable wig) interacts with these CGI creatures, the green screen effect is painfully obvious. It doesn’t look like the Overworld; it looks like a soundstage in Burbank.
Why The “I Am Steve” Moment Flopped
Then there’s the casting. I love Jack Black. The man is a national treasure. But seeing him in a blue V-neck, looking exactly like Jack Black, simply stating “I am Steve” felt incredibly lazy.
There was no effort to embody the silent, stoic survivalist we know from the game. It felt like a Jumanji sequel skit rather than a genuine adaptation. The issue isn’t just the look; it’s the tone. The trailer has that generic “MCU quip” energy—”This guy is such a toolbag”—that feels dated.
Minecraft is a game about isolation, creativity, and survival. This trailer sells a loud, chaotic, “isekai” comedy where modern people get sucked into a video game. We’ve seen this plot a thousand times. Where is the mystery? Where is the terrifying silence of the deep caves?
Can They Fix It? (The Sonic Solution)
Technically, the lighting is competent, and the voxels are accurate to the game geometry. I paused at 0:45 to look at the crafting table, and yes, the items look “correct.” But accuracy doesn’t equal soul.
Fans are already tearing this apart on X (Twitter), and honestly, I get it. The comment sections are flooded with “Corridor Crew could do better” and “This looks like a parody.” Unless there is a massive pivot in the next trailer—or unless Warner Bros. pulls a “Sonic” and redesigns the entire aesthetic—this is shaping up to be another Borderlands disaster.
Final Verdict
I want to be wrong. I want to walk into the theater and have a blast. But right now, A Minecraft Movie looks like a corporate product designed by people who have never survived the first night. The visuals are jarring, the humor feels forced, and the “realism” is nightmarish.
Are you watching this for the memes, or are you skipping it entirely?
Jordan Blake is a rogue film critic and former VFX compositor with over 15 years of industry experience. Tired of paid reviews and “safe” opinions, Jordan left the studio system to tell the audience what Hollywood won’t. He specializes in forensic frame-by-frame analysis, exposing bad CGI, and decoding hidden lore that others miss.
Known for his “no-nonsense” approach, Jordan pays for his own tickets and refuses to attend press junkets, ensuring his loyalty belongs only to the fans. If a movie is a cash grab, he’ll say it. If it’s a masterpiece, he’ll explain why technically.
Specialty: VFX Breakdowns, Script Analysis, Hidden Details.
Motto: “Cinema doesn’t lie, but marketing does.”
Follow him for: The truth behind the pixels.