“Chicken jockey!”

Many social media users might recognize that phrase. A Minecraft Movie has been a box office hit since its release on April 4, 2025.  Starring household names like Jack Black and Jason Momoa, the film was popular even before it arrived in theaters when the trailer went viral.

Despite the film’s immediate clout, the majority of people (including myself) thought that this would be a low budget, “cringe,” and unserious movie.  However, when I ventured to see A Minecraft Movie, I was blown away by the plot, humor, and overall passion of the actors and viewers alike.  Talk about surprise!

In fact, I had never even played Minecraft prior to seeing the film.  The only lore I knew was the bit of information I learned from my boyfriend on the way to the movie theater.  When we walked out after the absolutely hilarious film, I even thought to myself “Wow, I would actually see that again!”

For people who are not familiar with Minecraft, here is a breakdown of how the game works:

• During the daytime, players work to gather materials and resources by traveling to different biomes and collecting items like wood, quartz, stone, etc.
• Players utilize these objects to construct different tools and architectural structures to aid with their survival.
• At night, deadly creatures such as zombies, creepers, and skeletons emerge and attempt to kill the player.
• Players must use the materials they collected to build houses or protective barriers between them and the dangerous monsters.

Now everyone is still wondering why Minecraft players, and even non-players, were so wild in theaters – often screaming, yelling, cheering, and even throwing popcorn.  A lot of the clips that triggered the crazy behavior were originally featured in the trailer, which had more than 36 million views on YouTube.  But I’ve also learned that a “chicken jockey” (a baby zombie riding a chicken, and one of the most anticipated lines in the movie), is extremely rare to see during Minecraft gameplay, so audiences with Minecraft experience were thrilled to see it included in the film.  This project was very meaningful to Minecraft users, and it was also remarkably enjoyable for those who are not fond of the platform.

A Minecraft Movie was beyond comical, inspiring, and plain entertaining, especially for those who crave adventure.  The film particularly displayed the strength and value of friendship, as well as moments promoting girl power and highlighting the potential of women (if you saw the movie, this is referring to the fight scenes in which the female characters unexpectedly thrive). However, if you have not seen the film, I encourage you to go to your local movie theater as soon as possible to experience this wonderful work.  If you do not want to be covered in popcorn, definitely watch the movie on a home streaming service when it is available.