We’ve talked plenty of times on this website about various video game adaptations, both the good, bad, and incredibly bad. The one thing that we’ve been consistent about, though, is that it’s not a bad thing to do such adaptations…so long as you put effort and quality into the piece. Even if it’s not a “smash hit” like certain superhero movies or Pixar films, it can still be meaningful. When the Minecraft Movie trailer dropped last week, and people got their first look at what Warner Bros was doing with the film, the reactions were decidedly mixed. Oh, and the trailer got over a million dislikes on YouTube.
Yet, even with the negative reactions to the live-action/CGI hybrid look, Jack Black just playing himself in a blue shirt, and so on, the thing many keep saying, “Don’t worry about it, it’s a kid’s movie!” Or, “It’s not for you. It’s just for kids!” There was even a special opinion piece by The Gamer that highlighted that notion. Except, it DOES matter, and just because the people “upstairs” think that “the kids will love it” doesn’t mean it’ll be a good movie or represent the game that it’s based on well.
The stigma here is that “kids don’t want quality shows, they just want something simple to watch.” That’s not true, though, and many of you reading this is proof of that. During the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, some of the greatest animated programming for kids dropped. Yes, some things were “simple,” or meant for kids to easily process so they could learn things from it, but there were also deep and story-rich animated shows that left a lasting impact on people. Just look at the recent revival of the animated series with the X-Men for proof of that. That was such a legendary show that almost 30 years later, those “kids” were fully-fledged adults who couldn’t wait to see what happened next.
It also reminds us of the terrible Oscars moment when comedians Wanda Sykes and Amy Schumer said that “animated stuff is only for kids,” even though it’s not. You don’t think that with its hundreds of millions of copies sold, that Minecraft isn’t played by a bunch of adults who like relaxing in its chill world and building all kinds of things? Exactly.
The Minecraft Movie may be “tailored to kids,” but it shouldn’t be “just for kids.” That’s the kind of singular-focus thinking that’s doomed numerous other video game adaptations, with a recent one proving that. If we can’t do right by one of the biggest video game franchises ever, then we’re seriously doomed.
