Jared Hess, the director of "Napoleon Dynamite," brings his indie-camp absurdist cred to this adaptation of the blockbuster sandbox video game.

"I had (my) kids that were obsessed with 'Minecraft' years before I heard about this movie. So I learned how to play the game because I love games,” the “School of Rock” actor told Reuters. “Minecraft” is a globally popular game,

When Jack Black's character enthuses, "First we mine! Then we craft! Let's Minecraft!," you are either pumping your imaginary pickaxe in the air or you are unmoving, blank-faced, in your chair. The makers of the video game-based "A Minecraft Movie" know their built-in audience and ruthlessly target them with fan service and slapstick galore.

But before agreeing, Black turned to the real decision-makers: his sons, who are avid Minecraft players. They didn’t just give their approval, but practically begged him to take the role. Like his sons,

Jack Black leads the merry way in “A Minecraft Movie,” the first film adapted from the world’s bestselling video game which opens globally Friday.