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- “Ready Player One” is at once familiar in its fabric and forward-thinking in its technology, with a combination of gritty live action and glossy CGI. It’s an ambitious mix that can be thrilling while it lasts, and yet it fails to linger for long afterward, leaving you wondering what its point is beyond validating the insularity of ravenous fandom.
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Mar 30, 2018 · A Spielberg-directed adaptation of a novel that celebrates '80s nostalgia and pop-culture references. The action is breathless and non-stop, but the story is thin and the characters are bland, according to this critic.
Ready Player One is a sweetly nostalgic thrill ride that neatly encapsulates Spielberg's strengths while adding another solidly engrossing adventure to his filmography. Read Critics...
- (5.8K)
- Steven Spielberg
- PG-13
- Tye Sheridan
Mar 28, 2018 · ‘Ready Player One’ Is a Vintage Pop Bonanza. Here’s a rundown of some of the bigger references you need to know before watching Steven Spielberg’s film.
- Steven Spielberg
- Steven Spielberg's fun (and funny) adaptation of the beloved sci-fi novel.
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- Ready Player One Review
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By Alanah Pearce
Updated: Aug 6, 2021 7:40 pm
Posted: Mar 20, 2018 5:50 pm
This is a spoiler-free advance review of Ready Player One from its premiere at SXSW.
Though its pop culture Easter egg-filled trailers might have suggested otherwise, Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the beloved sci-fi novel Ready Player One is far more than just a reference-fest. It’s an action film first, both in the relatively bland real world and in the colorful, over-the-top virtual one, and carries Steven Spielberg’s affinity for thoughtful timing and some genuinely thrilling sequences.
Taking place half in Columbus, Ohio and half in a virtual playground known as the Oasis, Ready Player One follows the story of Wade Watts (played by Tye Sheridan) as he searches for an Easter egg hidden by the Oasis’ creator, James Halliday (played by Mark Rylance). VR-obsessed humans in the real world are on the hunt for the Egg, and should they find it they’d be granted control of the Oasis and a significant amount of riches. It’s an appealing challenge, set in a VR world that feels like it absolutely could be real in a decade or three.
Without spoiling anything, there’s a single horror-based sequence alone that sells the movie brilliantly. It takes an iconic movie setting you’re almost definitely familiar with and puts a character who’s never seen it at all right in the middle of it. Watching that character fumble and fail over things I’ve been aware of my entire life was a delight, and it was even better when it flipped that knowledge on me, too. This is where the glut of pop-culture Easter eggs in Ready Player One works to its benefit – the movie took something I know and melded it with its own uncertain world of creative action, and it was both satisfying and exciting to watch. A weapon is thrown and grows to be the size of a skyscraper in mid-flight as the environment changes, and the terrified character running away from it doubles back to the rest of the heroes without the need for sets or structure. It’s all so fast, smooth, and satisfying, in a way that’s reminiscent of some of Spielberg’s earlier works like Jaws or Jurassic Park, just without the building sense of dread.
Of course, that horror segment is built on a cameo that’s particularly successful because it’s actually important to the plot, as opposed to a one-off gag. Most of the others serve no purpose other than to get some easy laughs, or perhaps a proud nod from someone who might recognize them when others don’t. Sometimes it’s Batman’s Harley Quinn acting as someone’s player avatar, or a fictional weapon being used during a fight, or just a throwaway line of dialogue. While I’ll admit to personally being charmed by plenty of Ready Player One’s pop-culture references and even having a few moments of pseudo-pride at growing up with nerdy interests that are celebrated in Spielberg’s movie, it does seem like he forgot to properly establish the ‘real world’.
Ready Player One is so enamored with the world of Oasis that it doesn’t spend as much time fleshing out the dystopian Ohio of 2045. How did everyone get so addicted to the Oasis, and when? Do they make real money inside the Oasis that can help them pay rent or pay for groceries? Are people happy with this way of life, and what are the effects of this extreme tech obsession? I could write another 50 questions here that, sure, might be answered in the book, but are unfortunately neglected in the movie. Every time the plot returned to the real world I was curious, especially because the set design and art direction are both notably impressive, but almost always left me underwhelmed.
Characters’ backstories may as well be ignored, too, since they’re mostly background decorations that are stuffed into 30 seconds before being completely forgotten. Wade Watts is an orphan, and while that’s mentioned once, it ultimately serves no purpose to him as a character and doesn’t contribute to any arc. There’s not a remarkable amount of character development overall, outside of valuing teamwork and people for who they are in the real world, not just in the Oasis. That said, almost every character’s story seems to be simple, sweet, and ultimately positive, so I don’t consider any of that to be a deal-breaker – it’s just lacking in depth and development.
What surprised me the most is that Ready Player One is a genuinely funny movie, from start to finish. From a hellish, scary-looking Oasis avatar unexpectedly talking about his real-world neck strain to a presumed genius openly leaving a very childish password visible, it’s cheeky, witty, and never lingers too long on a single joke. In fact, one of Ready Player One’s biggest successes is that it very rarely takes itself too seriously. It does hit cheesy territory a couple of times, like with a character seriously and unironically saying the line “a fanboy knows a hater,” but, for the majority of the time it knows how to make fun of things the book has been criticized for taking much too seriously.
For example, some of the best jokes are cuts between what’s happening in the real world and how it influences the game world. If someone is being attacked in the Oasis, watching their physical response in the real world is a satisfying punchline. There’s smart use of physical comedy, even when it’s completely animated, and it ties neatly into the action-packed hero’s journey that keeps Ready Player One moving along at such a thrilling pace.
Everything in Ready Player One ties together into an action-packed, upbeat, hero’s journey that keeps the film moving along at a thrilling pace. While it’s not particularly emotional and I was disappointed by how many questions are left open by its shallow visits to the real world, it’s still a lot of fun. Countless cameos and funny moments make it...
Review scoring
good
Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of the beloved sci-fi novel Ready Player One is far more than just a reference-fest.
Alanah Pearce
IGN's Alanah Pearce gives a spoiler-free advance review of Steven Spielberg's adaptation of the sci-fi novel Ready Player One. She praises the action, visual effects, and nostalgia, but criticizes the real world and character development.
Mar 20, 2018 · Film review: Ready Player One. 20 March 2018. By Nicholas Barber,Features correspondent. Alamy. In his latest, Ready Player One, Steven Spielberg blasts his way into the 21st Century....
Ready Player One is a terrific film with a very well written plot and an immensely talented cast. The film is truly like no other, establishing a very beautiful and unique spectacle from the get go, creating a virtual reality world that we get so entranced in that we often forget its fictional.
Read critic and audience reviews of Ready Player One, a sci-fi adventure film by Steven Spielberg. See the ratings, scores, and opinions on the movie's plot, characters, and visuals.
