My Personal Thoughts on "Ready Player One"

The mere mention of the name Spielberg instantly conjures up things like "icon, living legend" or "genius of his craft". After all, with such ground-breaking genre-defining classics like E.T., Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park and Schindler's List under his belt, few can argue that statement to the contrary. Though as of more recent times, he has shifted his visions to a more sombre of tones, leaving behind the action-packed, fast paced fantasy adventures he is more well-known for. However, Ready Player One attempts to hearken back to the era of those unique gems from his impressive back catalogue. Which also begs the question, can his bolts of "lightning brilliance" strike again for the umpteenth time, and this late in his illustrious career?

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Being an adaptation of Ernest Cline's 2011 novel of the same name, Ready Player One is set in a semi-dystopian world where virtual reality has, in essence, gone global. But it's so much more than just that. Cryptocurrency has merged with these new technological advances of mankind, to where people can earn money in this virtual environments whilst participating in a plethora of games they love and enjoy, as the same time. The virtual environment is called OASIS and plays host to countless millions of people around the world, who also have their own private avatar to partake in this online world. Some years after the firm establishment of OASIS, a shocking revelation is made. Co-founder James "Anorak" Halliday (played by movie veteran Mark Rylance) announces a contest in which the individual must find three hidden easter eggs within the virtual world. As a reward, they receive a quarter trillion dollars as well as full ownership of OASIS. Thus, we follow in the adventures of Wade Watts (played by Tye Sheridan) and his online avatar , Parzival, in the quest to find those eggs and win a possible prize beyond anybody's wildest dreams.

Giving away anything more than that and we'll run into spoiler territory. For this movie "must" be seen with minimalist prior information. Now, let's get one thing out of the way from the outset. I've never read the book so therefore have only my vast back catalogue of movies I've watched, to compare this one with. So my review will be completely unbiased in regards to my overall standpoint of the movie. Ready Player One grips you firmly with both hands, from the very beginning. The world Spielberg has built here, is nothing short of outstanding. Taking very real elements of today's upcoming tech and amalgamating it into his vision of the future, was a veritable feast for the eyes. People locked in to their headsets, earning money through online gaming, recreational activities, VR getaway experiences. I was, in short, simply blown away. But this is just scratching the surface. Within the multitudes of aesthetic beauty, lies a heart-warming tale of adventure, discovery and action galore. I loved Wade Watts as a likeable, charming character and his small ensemble of friends he picks up along the way. Mostly being avatars he already knew from OASIS. As weird as this sounds, it produced an uncannily familiar feel within me, in regards to my first Steemfest experience. I'll leave you to figure that one out!

Of course, one major selling point for this movie are the number of nods to past pop cultural lore, in our own personal histories. From a mind-melting collection of video game and movie references, all slotted into meaningful places in the plot along the way, the "rewatchability" factor of Ready Player One is off the charts. Even more so if you're a true film fanatic or hardcore gamer. The chills running up and down my spine whilst my memory banks flooded with all sorts of on-screen thrown-backs from my childhood, were a joy to behold. And, as I mentioned, all woven into the fabric of the story-line with that distinctive "Spielberg-esque" aplomb. The action sequences are some of the best I've ever seen. Particular mention goes to a race near the beginning of the movie. It's got Spielberg's trademarks written all over it and for that alone, is worth the price of admission. One criticism I've heard about this movie, is with the characters and not enough attention being given to them. Well, I found the truth to be anything but. There's a solid comradery found between each of them by the end of the movie and, as a viewer, feel a genuine connection throughout, making you root for them to win even more. Spellbinding stuff indeed and technical wizardry at it's finest.

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Well, I've just scratched the surface, when it comes to this movie, but that only furthers your enjoyment for when you actually watch it. Final thoughts? This is one of the most enjoyable movies I've seen in years. Yes, years! The originality, the action, the nostalgic cultural references littered throughout, the fast-paced plot. In fact, maybe the quickest two and a half hours of my entire life! I just didn't want it to end. This is an instant classic, by anyone's yardstick. A pioneering example of movie-making excellence, on par with anything else on the exhaustive list of Steven Spielberg's other cinematic victories. Recommended beyond words and one absolutely not to be missed.

My Verdict: (9.5/10)

*(Source: 1,2,3,4)

Hope you enjoyed this post, please look out for more on the way... (author: @ezzy)

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