In the wake of the film’s release, cinemagoers have been sharing footage of crowds watching the film, with certain moments prompting loud, vocal responses from the people in attendance.
One moment, which features prominently in the film’s trailer, sees Black and Momoa confronted in a boxing ring by a cuboid Minecraft chicken, who is ridden around the ring by another character. “Chicken jockey,” exclaims Black’s character, a reference to the video game that seems to be sending audiences wild.
Several videos captured by cinemagoers show audiences chanting the line along with Black, before whooping and clapping loudly. On social media, many people attested that they had witnessed, or participated in, similar outbursts.
“My theater clapped every time Jack Black name dropped a Minecraft item that was in the trailers, and when he said Chicken Jockey I s*** you not the entire row in front of me gave a standing ovation,” one person shared.
“Just got back from watching the movie myself, can confirm everyone in the theater collectively yelled ‘CHICKEN JOCKEY’ during that moment and it was glorious ngl,” wrote another.
“This is what made me love my experience more, bc even though the movie wasn’t as bad as i thought it was going to be, the packed cinema with everyone shouting, clapping and cheering whenever jack black name dropped something genuinely gave me so much joy,” commented someone else.
However, the phenomenon has drawn staunch criticism from others, with some claiming that audience participation had “ruined” the theatrical experience for them.
I think there’s much worse things going on in the world than audiences having fun at a silly movie. If it bothers you too much, just wait to watch the movie at home in like 3 weeks.
I don’t even know what’s real anymore
Are there absurd transvestie aliens in this movie?
The people complaining about that movie would have heart attacks and die at a screening of Rocky Horror.
People go to kids movies, and complain about the kids. Huh.
Isnt the Minecraft generation in their 30s now?
Minecraft has only been around for 15 years, so I would think the generation that never knew a time without Minecraft would be about that old, as well.
The crowd and reactions are one of the biggest parts of the theater experience that’s actually positive.
The crowd and reactions are the exact reasons I usually stay in to watch films. Severe anxiety, and all that. I love the theater experience minus that, tho.
I hate the trend of films leaving theaters so quickly now because I used to wait several weeks to catch a film past it’s peak and be one of like 3 people in there and it was bliss. Get the best seat, get to enjoy the film without children crying or people on their phones, or the constant shuffling of jackets. Hyper vigilance is a curse.
But… Catching the 10yr anniversary of Interstellar was the second time I’d been at a packed theater where no one spoke and it was amazing. But it was slightly ruined by the guy next to me stinking of beer and cigarettes.
And catching the R-rated release of the animated Killing Joke was the first time. The film with the original voice actors? It was phenomenal despite the packed theater but it was slightly ruined by the guy next to me constantly using his napkin after every bite and every sip of drink. He’d wipe his face, then his hands, then his cup and toss it somewhere. Rinse and repeat for an hour and a half, every few moments. Drove me nuts. The ending being true to the comic was pretty funny to see the crowd, and specifically him, be so disappointed, plus the quick rushes out the theater for parents to take their kids was satisfying too when they realized R-rating meant R-rating.
Catching mystery films at regal or cheap films at AMC are about all I can do because the experience is cheap enough to outweigh my anxiety, but even that’s been a while with money being tight.
To me the theater is now a place for collective enjoyment. The home viewing experience is good enough if I want to watch something in silence, not that I have even a modest set up. The theater is now about having that energy and cheering because it’s all that’s really left.
I imagine it varies between countries. In the UK I would say I’m happy for laughter, and the odd gasp. Anything more such as cheering, singing or clapping is not on to me personally.
I think at this point they could make the “Hawk Tuah Skibidi Movie” and people would clap and throw popcorn in the air every time they say a brain rot catchphrase from tiktok.
And honestly I’m ok with that, the only people there know what they are signing up for.
Throw popcorn in the air? Now that’s monstrous. Dont give them any ideas.
I’m fine with people getting rowdy (I went to a late screening of Spider-Man: No Way Home that was pretty raucous and it added to the fun) but I draw the line at throwing water and popcorn around as the cinema staff have to clean up that mess.
In a way it’s obviously shitty behaviour, and I feel for the people who have to clean it, on the other hand if the cleaning becomes too much and recurring they will have to hire a dedicated cleaning crew, and that creates jobs
It never fails to baffle me how media has managed to gaslight Americans into thinking that creating pointless busywork jobs for their own sake is some sort of moral imperative.
And they will add it to ticket prices
Michael Bay is in talks for a movie based on the skibidi toilet cinematic universe.
https://variety.com/2024/film/news/skibidi-toilet-michael-bay-movie-adam-goodman-1236077245/
Saw it last night, can confirm audience went wild with chicken jockey and flint and steel. Honestly didn’t think it was too bad, but I think part of the trend is also to fling fucking popcorn all over the place because when we went in the theater was spotless, and when the lights came back on, it was like a fucking popcorn bomb went off in there, the worst I’ve ever seen in my life; honestly felt bad for the employees.
Rocky Horror Picture Show vibes
Did people throw popcorn tho at RH?
Or the pirates from the SpongeBob movie.
And that’s one more reason why I’ll never go back to a cinema.
My favorite part was when the Minecraft guy said, “it’s craftin’ time” then he crafted all those mines.
“Anyway, I started digging. Crunch, Crunch, Crunch.”
Mine was when Master Chief showed up in the post-credits and suggested he and Steve should team up and then both shouted “It’s time to play Xbox™ One™”
So Jared Leto is in it!
Born to be a creeper
He actually does say “First we mine, then we craft. Let’s Minecraft!”
Sounds fun, not sure what’s there to be theatrical about
It could be so good while high, imagine these bombs dropping ‘chicken jockey’. I don’t get it at all but it sounds like good fun or at least bizzare experience
I find it funny that the article uses a quote from Moist Critical’s video on it (as well as I think Schaffrillis Productions and PhoenixSC, I know I’ve heard the quotes before on youtube) and they leave it anonymous as to who said it
spawns
I saw it with my kid today. There were a bunch of applauses to references which I didn’t get (never played Minecraft). The chicken jockey and honestly can’t remember the others, but there were like 3 more. It is annoying because the people who made the film can’t hear you. Having said that, I attributed it to the people likely being kids who don’t know how to act in a theater.
