When I first saw the trailer for Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One, I was on board. It seemed to have everything I could possibly want from a movie: a dystopian city, an underdog fighting for justice, flawless CGI work, pop culture references, and even classic 80s hits. So, one rainy Wednesday evening, I weaved through the neon streets of Shinjuku and made my way to the theater.
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Before we get into specifics, here is a brief overview of the general plot:
Based on the original novel written by Ernest Cline, Ready Player One follows the life of a 17-year old boy named Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan). Like the majority of the people around him, and across the globe, Wade spends his days gaming and socializing in the OASIS. A virtual platform created by tech and gaming genius, James Halliday (Mark Rylance), the OASIS acts as a distraction from what has basically become post-apocalyptic world.
Upon Halliday’s death, it is revealed that he planted an Easter egg somewhere in the OASIS, and the first person to discover it would gain full ownership of this highly coveted virtual world. Of course, everyone wants in; especially the greedy CEO of Innovative Online Industries (IOI), Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn). Determined to keep the world’s precious OASIS out of Sorrento’s hands, Wade teams up with friends old and new as they hunt for Halliday’s hidden Easter egg.
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Sounds pretty interesting, right? But did the film live up to the hype? Is it worth seeing in the theater? Well…that’s a difficult question. In an attempt to find the answer, let’s go ahead and break this movie down into the parts that make it worth it and those that, well, don’t.
Worth it: The OASIS
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I gotta admit, I wouldn’t mind hanging around in the OASIS every once in a while. I’m no avid gamer or virtual reality enthusiast but the way this movie presented the OASIS, made me want to jump right into the screen. The fact of the matter is, the breathtaking nature of the OASIS would not have been possible without the impeccable use of CGI animation. Some of you who have read my review of Justice League might be thinking, “Huh? I thought you didn’t like movies with too much CGI”. Well, for this movie, I’m making an exception. In fact, I wouldn’t have minded if the entire movie was set in the CGI world of the OASIS.
Worth it: Pop Culture References
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From The Shining to Gundam, this movie is a treasure trove of pop culture references. Whether it’s theme music or iconic items, it’s as if the film is sending us on our own Easter egg hunt. I’m sure that there were dozens of references that I didn’t manage to spot. Of course, if pop culture isn’t really your cup of tea, this aspect might be lost on you.
Not Worth It: The Romance
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If you love a grand, romantic sub-plot, this particular movie probably isn’t for you. While there is a romance between Wade (aka Parzival) and Samantha (aka Art3mis), it is rushed and seriously underdeveloped. Parzival and Art3mis spend plenty of time together in the OASIS, flirting, Easter egg hunting, and what not, but nothing substantial about their personal lives is shared. Despite this lack of emotional development, the two seem completely enamored with each other when they meet for the first time in the real world. Even more surprisingly, they are both ready to entrust their lives to each other. Maybe this is just me being cynical, but this sudden full-blown, I-trust-you-with-my-life type of romance seems far-fetched and bit cliché. A budding romance would have been more understandable and easier to accept.
Not Worth It: Character Development
As I’ve hinted in the previous section, this movie suffers from a serious lack of character development. Although we know the basics about Wade, we get to know very little about anything or anyone else. For example, we learn early on that Wade lives with his aunt and her annoying boyfriend, but we see nothing more in terms of Wade’s relationship with them for the rest of the film. Does Wade care about his aunt at least? Does she care about him? Are we supposed to feel some sort of way about Wade’s aunt and her boyfriend? Nothing is clear when it comes to Wade’s relationships. In other words, the lack of character development makes it difficult for us, the audience, to figure out who to latch onto and who to forget.
Overall Verdict
As you can see, it’s an even split between major pros and cons for me. Ready Player One is worth it if you are a pop culture buff and want to take on the challenge of finding every Easter egg in the movie. It’s also worth it if you simply want to see something that’s fun and easy to watch. It’s not worth it if you’re looking for serious plot/character development and major feels.
Overall, a 3.5 out of 5 stars for me!
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Thanks for reading! :)