Review of Ready Player One (2018) by James S — 28 Apr 2018

This is the most optmisitic dystopian future I've seen in a while. OK, perhaps 'dystopian future' is a stretch. It's not too far in the future, and there are many parallels to modern society. The two worlds of the OASIS and 'reality are characterized very differently, so lets dig into that.

Over half of this movie takes place in the OASIS, a virtual reality game that has enthralled the populace. The movie wastes very little time getting into the OASIS, and there is a stark contrast between the two worlds. The colours in the OASIS are more vibrant, the world is more fantastical, and our characters seem more confident in the game. As events in the real world affect our characters, we are kept enthralled in both worlds, and the plot comes to a satisfying, if somewhat drawn-out climax.

The cast is fine, with Sheridan and Cooke being more believable in the OASIS than in real life. The 'bad guys' seem more interesting here, with Ben Mendelsohn and TJ Miller stealing every scene they are in.

Spielberg's touches are all over the movie; it has many light moments, and fully realized characters. The plot is great, although it deviates from the novel in many ways, it is still great to watch.