Ready Player One Review

This is very much a video game type of movie, while it does focus on pop culture overall I do feel that gamers will most appreciate this film. That is, aside from one line at the ending which was silly and a true gamer would never say or put into practice. That out of touch aspect aside, and again it just an off line towards the ending this was well handled. It has a simple, yet dynamic plot and it's actually exciting to watch. Basically the creator of this magical virtual reality world called the Oasis has died, years have passed and no one has been able to solve the easter egg he left behind.

A single player can win the world he made by collecting three keys and it's a battle to do so as a corporation also wants in. There are some creative elements to the journey as a group attempts to discover the secrets that hide these keys. It's a dive into what makes games so special and I appreciate that. For the most part, there was a lot of respect for the properties as this is essentially references the movie. You should see basically every iconic property in history at some point whether that's in the front or background of the action.

The battles were epic being large in scale and filled to the brim. You were still able to get a sense of what was happening as it tracked the main characters well.

The CGI was fantastic since the whole thing is essentially a digital world. I would have liked a deeper look into the social hubs that would exist in that type of world, but I'm generally glad they stayed out of the real world as much as they could. The two are obviously connected, but the wonder is being disconnected from reality and fully engaged in this spectacle.

The acting was great and I liked the core group that was put together, their evil corporation antagonist was just as good while being menacing. It seemed like a rather realistic portrayal of what could happen once we do get this type of infrastructure up. Virtual reality is here and the technology is really just picking up so this is a possibility at some point. I would have liked to see the romantic element fleshed out a bit more, but most of the story felt natural weaving through the lore of gaming so well.

The Conclusion

Ready Player One is fun and a really enjoyable ride through games as well as regular pop culture. There were some excellent scenes with the horror one being a true standout. It has something for everyone and actually a decent plot along the way. I liked how the characters were handled and this whole world seemed plausible. The CGI was great, everything looked fantastic and I thought the characters were revealed and represented in a proper way. There were some fun surprises along the way as the action was well paced and the laughs delivered. It's mostly a gaming focused movie, but with just the right amount of style that the general audience will also enjoy it. There should be a character in there for everyone and all of the properties were presented in a proper and caring way.

Ready Player One Review at Theater with Standard Viewing
Screening Provided by Warner Brothers

Rating Overall: 8.0