What makes a movie great? There is no simple answer. Enjoyment is defined as many ways as there are people. Each opinion is based on subjective experiences. So, understand when I say that Speilberg's adaptation of Ernest Clines' Ready Player One falls short, but you should absolutely watch it. I do not think that it fares well when compared to the consensus greats, such as the Godfather and the like. However, if measured based on the fun you will have as a spectator, it is worth the watch.
Ready Player One is a visual masterpiece akin to the likes of Avatar. This is Speilbergs' return to what made him such a beloved director to many people. He is finally having fun with his source content again and it shows. Ready Player One is a fast-paced ride from the start. It takes a nostalgic trip through time and experiences. This helps as every frame turns into an Easter egg hunt.
The movie transports the audience into a digital universe, akin to Star Treks' Holographic Bay where the limits are only the imagination. It is a wonderland of possibilities. If movies could have offspring, it would be the unlikely child of the Matrix and Willy Wonka. Mark Rylance portrays James Halliday, the creator of both the digital universe and the contest for its control. His dying wish was to bequest his creation to a worthy successor. To this end, he contrives a contest for control. The players compete to find a hidden easter egg in the game. Through a maze of adventures the movie crescendos into a Wonka-esque ending.
It is pure fun. It has something for everyone because the movie was made for that purpose. It is a tour de force through the 80s. The very decade that first introduced Spielberg as a singular talent of gargantuan dimensions. This decade introduced the world to a lovable alien (in E.T.) who taught the world that science fiction could earn mainstream acclaim with the likes of other genres. The viewer can't but share the fun that Spielberg seems to be having on this victory lap.
To its detriment, however, this makes the film seem like it tip-toes the line with paying homage to a beloved past and pandering to those that loved it. This apparent tightrope becomes thinner yet as you analyze the story for its worth and unfortunately it does not stick the landing.
I find that the largest faults in the movie are found in the representation of the community that it portrays. It becomes obvious that the film is just another addition to Hollywood's long list of spectacle films and this film truly embraces its spectacle. In the novel, our main character is an overweight socially awkward person who escapes to the Oasis in order to have a reprieve from a world he does not feel accepted in. But, when the film starts the character Wade Watts is played by a very fit Tye Sheridan. That is not an attack on Tye as an actor, he does very well in this film, however, it is starkly different from the character we meet and connect to in the novel. Changes like these happen throughout the film, taking away from the nuance the source material had in portraying these characters. Ultimately, this leads to a disconnect between the audience and aforementioned characters. Never fully allowing for a connection to ever be made.
In addition, the ending message is not only blatantly shoved in the faces of the audience but completely falls flat. It seems to try and reinforce the message in the final act of the film completely misinterpreting the culture that it represents. This is not to say that the message is not a prevalent one but ultimately it feels like a cop-out. And that is what this entire film feels like, a cop-out.
In two hours and twenty minutes, Speilberg takes us along for a ride. It is a visual symphony showcasing how far the movie industry has grown. But at one point the attempt to dazzle audiences overtook the attempt to make a meaningful story. One where the message highlighted the geek culture it strived so hard to pander to. To that culture, I apologize because the apparent love letter to you was mishandled. But they say beauty is in the attempt and this is one hell of an attempt.
Visually stunning and immensely nostalgic. Ready Player One proves to be a love letter to geek culture. Yet, its spectacle overtakes it ultimately. This movie is worth watching. Its set pieces are truly amazing. Even if for one moment its heavy use of nostalgia takes you to a happy memory, then as a movie it succeeded. But sadly as a film, it does not.
