Minecraft Movie (2025) Film Review: A Disappointing Transition from Blocks to Big Screen

 

History has shown that adaptations of video games and toys can surpass expectations when treated with thoughtfulness and innovation. Films such as The Lego Movie and Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves have illustrated how a smart, heartfelt adaptation can connect with audiences beyond the original fanbase. Sadly, A Minecraft Movie fails to achieve similar success, presenting a standard fantasy adventure that lacks the inventive spirit that characterizes its source material.

The storyline follows four outsiders—Garrett “The Garbage Man” Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers), and Dawn (Danielle Brooks)—who find themselves transported to the Overworld. There, they encounter Steve (Jack Black), a seasoned inhabitant who guides them on their journey to find their way back home.

While the initial idea holds promise, the execution is regrettably conventional. The film champions creativity and boundless imagination as the Overworld's defining characteristic, yet ironically, the movie itself suffers from a noticeable absence of originality. The narrative, in particular, feels fragmented, with jarring and confusing shifts and underdeveloped character arcs that prevent any real emotional connection. Scenes often clash in terms of logic and pacing, suggesting a script assembled from disparate visions of its writers rather than a cohesive story.

Visually, the film stands out as its strongest element. The Overworld's lively, block-based landscapes are rendered with impressive accuracy, capturing the game's unique aesthetic and charm, and even providing moments of genuine visual wonder. However, director Jared Hess’s characteristic quirky humor—evident in his previous works like Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre—feels out of place here. Jason Momoa’s, frankly, exaggerated performance as Garrett felt strained and awkward. In contrast, Jack Black’s portrayal of Steve is a highlight, injecting the role with charisma and comedic talent that somewhat redeems the film. His dedication to the role was commendable. While younger viewers might overlook its shortcomings and enjoy the colorful chaos, A Minecraft Movie ultimately fails to live up to its potential. It lacks the wit, narrative consistency, and emotional depth required to appeal to a wider audience beyond its existing fans. For a franchise built on limitless imagination, this adaptation feels disappointingly predictable and more of a missed opportunity than a groundbreaking adventure.

The Dark Tower: Rescuing Worlds from Darkness

 

Hollywood, through Nikolaj Arcel, has brought Stephen King's world of The Dark Tower to the silver screen. This project had previously languished for a decade under the stewardship of J. J. Abrams and Ron Howard. In collaboration with Sony Pictures, The Dark Tower successfully attracted a significant audience, entering the top 10 of the Box Office within its initial days of release.

The film centers on a tower known as the Dark Tower, which stands resolutely at the nexus of numerous worlds, including Earth and others. This tower's purpose is to maintain the balance between all these realities. The narrative posits that if the tower were to fall, darkness and external threats would overwhelm and devastate all life.

The movie opens with scenes of children being forcibly seated in a device and made to scream. Their screams incrementally erode the Dark Tower. This, it turns out, is a recurring nightmare experienced by the protagonist, Jake Chambers (Tom Taylor).

Haunted by these nightly terrors, Jake compulsively draws his visions, leading his family and friends to believe he is delusional. Through his dreams, Jake witnesses terrifying shadows, including that of the gunslinger, Roland Deschain (Idris Elba).

As his dreams intensify, he begins to see mysterious figures pursuing him. Eventually, his visions lead him to an abandoned house that serves as a portal to Mid-World, the last refuge of the gunslinger. Unfortunately, this discovery compels his parents to commit Jake to a hospital for emotionally disturbed children.

However, the world Jake envisions is real. Roland, the last gunslinger, is tasked with protecting the Dark Tower from the encroaching darkness led by Walter O’Dim (Matthew McConaughey). While Walter possesses the power to kill Roland, he is unable to do so because Roland is the sole surviving gunslinger resistant to Walter's magic.

Roland's struggle to safeguard the tower is aided by Jake. Using the portal revealed in his dreams, Jake manages to enter Mid-World and find Roland amidst a fierce battle with Walter.

Jake's arrival undeniably strengthens Roland's position. However, Walter views Jake's presence as a threat and plots to abduct him, intending to exploit Jake's special abilities to launch another assault on the tower.

This film is well-suited for those who enjoy action, adventure, and fantasy. The production team successfully blends these three genres into a movie that remains engaging. Furthermore, the acclaimed actor Idris Elba delivers a compelling performance as the lead, convincingly portraying the gunslinger through his adept use of firearms.

McConaughey's portrayal of Walter is also noteworthy. He effectively embodies an irritating villain with formidable magical powers. This is hardly surprising, given the established talent of both McConaughey and Elba as prominent Hollywood actors.

Due to its combination of genres, the film offers a satisfying blend of adventure and action sequences. The fantastical elements of the story are visually translated to the audience with impressive visual presentation. Moreover, the film's detailed visual aspects defy its relatively low rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

For those unfamiliar with it, King's novel that serves as the basis for The Dark Tower is actually comprised of seven main books and two additional volumes, published between 1982 and the final installment in 2004. Readers of the novels will notice several deviations in the film adaptation.

It can be argued that Arcel aimed to create a loose adaptation of the source material. For instance, he altered the background of the main character and the skin color of the gunslinger. While The Dark Tower film does incorporate some of King's narrative elements, Arcel intentionally moved away from the "Dark Tower" novel's tone to appeal to a broader audience.

Consequently, the film feels rushed, with numerous plot points being condensed. Viewers who haven't read the novels might find it unremarkable. Conversely, fans of The Dark Tower Saga may find the film lacking as it doesn't fully visualize the novels.

Given the numerous narrative threads left undeveloped, a sequel might be more compelling. Many aspects of the story are not fully explored, leading to unanswered questions at the film's conclusion. Considering the seven books and two additional stories in the series, a serialized adaptation akin to the Harry Potter films could have been more engaging.

For enthusiasts of the novel series, The Dark Tower may fall short of expectations. However, the film still offers entertainment for fans of action flicks, particularly those who appreciate the Western genre and the legend of the gunslinger. Additionally, its mystical elements place it within the realm of classic 1980s science fiction.

Review and Summary: Priscilla (2023)

 

The film commences in 1959 with Priscilla's family relocating to West Germany due to her army officer father's new posting.

A chance encounter at a local diner leads to Priscilla being invited to a party where Elvis Presley is expected to be. Despite her enthusiasm as a fan, her parents initially refuse to let her attend. However, the same individual who extended the invitation later speaks with her parents at the diner, persuading her father to change his mind.

Priscilla and her mother select a dress for the occasion, and Elvis is immediately drawn to Priscilla. He nicknames her "baby," a notable detail considering she is only in ninth grade at the time.

Their relationship progresses, and Elvis seeks her father's consent to continue seeing her. Their time together is cut short when Elvis's military service concludes, forcing him to leave Germany. He departs without maintaining contact, causing Priscilla significant heartbreak. Nevertheless, three years later, he calls her, expressing his love and inviting her to live with him at Graceland. He arranges a first-class ticket for her visit. Upon arriving, she is introduced to his inner circle, including friends, business associates, and his grandmother.

It is at Graceland that Elvis introduces her to sleeping pills, one instance leaving her unconscious for two days. Subsequently, they travel to Las Vegas, where Priscilla, despite her young age, is treated as older and engages in taking drugs with Elvis while he gambles.

Although Priscilla is reluctant to return to Germany, she eventually does, only for Elvis and his associates to convince her parents to allow her to move in with him permanently.

Upon her arrival at Graceland, the mansion feels desolate as Elvis is away in Los Angeles filming movies. When she starts school, rumors about her relationship with Elvis circulate among the students, and Priscilla finds it challenging to live with Elvis's father and stepmother, who are not as welcoming as she had hoped.

When Elvis returns, he begins to exert control over Priscilla's appearance, insisting she wear only the clothes he prefers, despite her own tastes. He also urges her to dye her hair and wear more makeup, a transformation that ultimately makes her appear older.

Priscilla barely manages to finish high school and reaches a breaking point when she reads reports of Elvis's alleged involvement with his co-star. She flies to Los Angeles to confront him, but Elvis dismisses her concerns and asserts his dominance in the relationship. This pattern of him prioritizing his needs over hers continues in other instances.

Soon after, Elvis and Priscilla become engaged, and she becomes pregnant. However, Elvis's increasing anxiety about his career leads to volatile behavior, including an incident where he throws a record at Priscilla. His growing drug dependency further strains their relationship.

Priscilla gives birth, notably applying her makeup before going to the hospital. The couple grows increasingly distant, and Priscilla eventually begins an affair with Mike Stone. In 1973, she visits Elvis in his hotel room and informs him of her decision to file for divorce.

She returns to Graceland to collect her belongings and bid farewell. As she drives away, emotionally drained, Elvis's devoted fans remain outside, cheering.

The film, characteristic of Sofia Coppola's style, masterfully employs subtle details and visual cues to convey Priscilla's isolation and despair. Cailee Spaeny's performance as Priscilla across various stages of her life is remarkable, creating a striking contrast with Jacob Elordi's portrayal of Elvis. While the film may not be a personal favorite, Coppola's artistic vision is undeniable.