The trailer for the Minecraft movie has quickly amassed 26 million views on YouTube within three days, but it has also received an overwhelmingly negative reception, with a staggering 573,000 likes to 1.1 million dislikes. Such a high number of dislikes is unusual for any major release.
The reaction highlights the poor reception of the trailer, which features a peculiar animation style that doesn’t align well with the game’s blocky aesthetics.
The film’s use of greenscreen effects and an eclectic cast, including Jason Momoa with a notably unusual haircut, has contributed to the negative feedback.
One of the most discussed aspects of the trailer is Jack Black’s portrayal of Steve, the main character of Minecraft.
Black’s appearance as Steve is strikingly similar to his everyday look, complete with his wild hair and gray-streaked beard, which many find bizarre.
Following his roles as Bowser in The Super Mario Bros. Movie and Claptrap in the Borderlands movie, and coupled with recent controversies involving his longtime partner Kyle Gass, public sentiment has turned somewhat negative towards Black’s frequent appearances in video game adaptations.
There are two particularly odd aspects of the movie:
1) There’s no clear reason why live-action actors are needed for this film. It’s reminiscent of a hypothetical scenario where Chris Pratt would have to dress up in overalls and enter the world of Super Mario Bros., which would clearly be problematic.
2) The film opts for a warped block style instead of creating the movie entirely within the Minecraft world itself, a concept that could have been easily executed. This missed opportunity is similar to how the LEGO Movie was made using actual LEGOs.
The disappointing trailer has sparked a debate about its target audience. While some argue that children, who are the primary audience for Minecraft, will flock to see it regardless of the trailer’s quality, there is also concern that even younger fans are put off by its appearance.
Despite the criticism, the film is likely to make substantial money, as many poorly received kids’ movies still achieve financial success.
This situation mirrors the reception of the Borderlands movie trailer, where it was evident from the start that the film would be poorly received, which it ultimately was.
Similarly, the Minecraft movie appears unlikely to be well-received, but it will likely still earn a significant amount of money despite its shortcomings.
