On April 4th, 2025, thousands of gaming fans across the country pulled up to their local movie theater to experience Warner Bros newest motion picture “A Minecraft Movie”. My experience with the now legendary film came just a few days after it’s release, when me and 9 dudes showed up to the latest showing, ready for the mind altering cinema we had all waited to so long to consume. It took half of an inspirational, quote-laden movie filled with some of the GREATEST comedy ever conceived to finally get to the part of the film that me, my friends, and millions of other dudes our age had been waiting for at every showing.
The theater grew deathly silent as the illuminating screen projected a baby zombie falling from a crate onto a chicken. The zombie’s face quickly goes from peaceful and innocent to mean and nasty, which scares actor Jason Momoa’s character, causing him to let out a scream. That’s when the camera pans to acting legend Jack Black, who utters his next two words with such confidence and distinction it’s like he’s really in the room himself, “CHICKEN JOCKEY”. No theater in the nation could have prepared just for what has happened because of this scene. If you’ve been living under a rock (aka you don’t doom scroll social media) then I’ll fill you in, 9/10 times the theater goes absolutely WILD. Popcorn flies, drinks are thrown, joyous dudes leap out of their chairs cheering and happily crying out to high heaven, overtaken by the power of the moment.
When asked what about the scene spoke to him the most, ERHS XC and track runner Noah Padua said “Well I was already on edge from (a friend’s) water bucket release irl.”, referencing another amazing scene and quote from the movie.
This scene is amazing. I would go as far as to say that it’s masterful and brain rot embracing approach could very well go toe to toe with so many legendary movie scenes, like the opening scene to The Dark Knight or even Darth Vader’s iconic “I am your father scene.” My reasoning is not just because of it’s perfect camera angles, stunning lighting, or now iconic line delivery, but because it brings people everywhere together.
“Like I am your father had everyone shocked back then but for actual theater reactions there’s no way anyone’s ever gone more wild than Chicken Jockey.” claimed ERHS xc and track runner Caleb Lee.
Whether people or simply clapping or cheering, or setting off fireworks and sneaking live chickens into the theater, the scene has become bigger than the movie itself, acting as a focal point of unity for dudes across the nation. It connects all of us in a way that no other movie can. Simple yet effective, straightforward yet complex. It has transcended beyond just a part in a movie, it is now an experience within itself. It is peak cinema.
