Countless video game references and did I understand 90% or them? Nope. Did I enjoy myself? Yes.
I have been looking forward to this movie for just about a year. Right when I heard that Steven Spielberg was directing a movie that was pure 80’s nostalgia I went to my nearest bookstore and bought the book “Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline. I read the book in just over 24 hours and really enjoyed it. This guy LOVES his 80’s movies and arcade games, and me not being a gamer, a lot of the references went over my head. I was still very much able to enjoy the book as a near-future sci-fi read. The book and the movie are extremely different, so was the movie able to keep my attention as well as the book?
Th short answer is yes. Just about everything is different from the movie to the book. The basic story is the same, but the challenges and how characters interact are completely different. It’s not a bad thing for the most part. The challenges in the movie are much more suited for a big screen, as they involved much more action than the puzzles of the book. My main problem is that the character development was extremely rushed. Particularly that of Parzival (Tye Sheridan) and Art3mis (Olivia Cooke). Their romance is really shoehorned in, and there were a lot of groans from the audience at some pretty dang cheesy lines.
That being said, I thought that this movie was one of the most fun popcorn movies I’ve seen in a while. It reminded me of old Spielberg movies where the focus wasn’t an Oscar but just entertaining the audience. I completely understand that this movie isn’t for everyone. If video games really aren’t your thing, even just to watch, then I don’t see you getting much out of this movie. For someone like me who appreciates a good Easter egg, you won’t leave disappointed.
8/10
CinemAddikted 