I have recently become re-obsessed with Minecraft in the lead up to this film, downloading the game to my phone again and watching a dang Minecraft documentary earlier this week. I quickly remembered how much I adored this game, and it made me really excited to see the film, even if the trailers and production didn’t promise much. When I got to the usually sparsely populated Regal tonight, it was packed with Minecraft fans! They clogged up the lines to my courtesy cup, but I forgave these casuals once their presence in my auditorium completely changed this film for me. Tonight was easily the best and funniest theater experience I’ve had since Barbie, even if the product was not up to the same level.

As for the film itself, it excelled where I thought it would: in Jack Black’s inexplicably high commitment to the craft, taking Steve to Level 1000 and delivering each of his lines with so much conviction that each one became a meme that I had seen a million times before even getting to the theater. I kid you not, there was raucous applause and cheering as my entire theater said “CHICKEN JOCKEY!” in glorious unison. Jason Momoa was a surprise, hamming it up big time and matching Black’s energy in each of their scenes together. If the Minecraft Cinematic Universe spawns out of this film’s guaranteed mega-success, their chemistry will keep me coming back.

The rest of the main cast didn’t do as much for me, since their roles were much smaller, but they each had a couple of moments of solid humor. I’d include Jennifer Coolidge in that group, too; her tiny and insane subplot as she fell in love with a villager was hilarious and definitely needed more screen time. Much of the script was super funny; its unapologetic stupidity and series of vocal stims that felt like unlocking Xbox achievements as the film hit each one was one of the film’s best qualities.

The film struggled in its narrative, though, bringing a pretty standard story to a creativity-fueled world and IP. Rarely in A Minecraft Movie did the characters mine or craft, which should have been the top priority and a layup for Jared Hess and his team. I also thought the world was occasionally designed in ways that didn’t align with the game, whether it was the zombie arms and movements that were too human, or the fuzzy creepers not blowing up at their canonically right time.

I was underwhelmed by the journey the characters took (it felt more like a bunch of vignettes leading the audience to each memed line), and the villains were a little boring, too (Rachel House’s vocal performance was pretty great, though). Though they occasionally felt out of place, I was loving Jack Black’s many songs throughout the film. “Ode to Dennis” may be legitimately good(?), and “Steve’s Lava Chicken” will be stuck in my head for days. I had already been listening to “I Feel Alive” because Lord knows I can’t keep myself from listening to a movie’s music before it’s released, and that’s a banger, too.

A Minecraft Movie was very obviously flawed and, in the grand scheme of things, probably an underwhelming product born from a beloved IP, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have a great time. Much of my positive experience is thanks to a great audience. I need these posers to show up to every movie I see—they ain’t showing up on random Wednesday afternoons like I am—because they elevated the experience so much. If A Minecraft Movie is what it takes for people to go back to the theater, I’ll take it. I imagine my rating will go down on a rewatch, but my rating tonight reflects both my love for a really funny and entertaining film and an all-time great crowd to watch with. I guess I’ll be seated for A Minecraft Movie 2: Redstone Boogaloo, too, so catch that review in a few years.