Ready Player One
When the creator of a virtual reality world called the OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune.
Cast
Tye Sheridan – Wade Watts / Parzival
Olivia Cooke – Samantha Cook / Art3mis
Ben Mendelsohn – Nolan Sorrento
Lena Waithe – Helen Harris / Aech
Win Morisaki – Toshiro / Daito
Simon Pegg – Ogden Morrow / Curator
Mark Rylance – James Halliday / Anorak
T.J. Miller – iR0k
Messy
Holy shit, this movie is intense. Not in a dramatic or emotional sense. Graphics-wise I mean. From its opening sequence Ready Player One is non-stop EVERYTHING. Hundreds of characters bouncing around the screen, constant speeding vehicles and buzzing buildings, endless animation, CGI, familiar faces.. it’s absolute carnage. This movie is not slack at any point though, it throws everything together all at once in an attempt to keep the viewer on their feet. And although the effort made is astounding, I personally found Ready Player One one of the most nauseating things I’ve seen since Hardcore Henry (2016).
This movie is one of those productions which is no doubt hailed by a certain group of people as the most ‘spectacular’ thing they have ever seen. Whereas other people just won’t give that much of a shit and wonder what the hype was about. I am proud to be part of that latter group – if it exists. I should think it does. On one side of the scale Ready Player One is a very imaginative and adventurous portrayal of a young man’s quest to find the Easter Egg of the OASIS which will laden him with the creator’s fortune. It is non-stop high speed action backed by a lively pumping soundtrack. On the other side of the scale it’s a car crash of characters and colour. An utter headache with too many things bouncing around the screen all at the same time, and trying to squeeze as much humour in as possible (E.G. the scene where Chucky makes an appearance – what the heck?). This movie wins and loses; it contains the same amount of complete shit as it does complete genius but whether or not it passes for watchable is completely up to the individual watching it.
Everyone has a particular taste and by Christ, Ready Player One is certainly a unique one.
The concept of this movie is quite special; people all over the world sticking a virtual reality headset on to live out their individual fantasy worlds. The real world has practically become a wasteland, this is their only form of escape. The imaginative flair continues with each person stepping into the shoes of their own avatar whom they have personally built, from body shape to clothing. It’s a very clever idea brought to life by an enthusiastic performer (Sheridan) in a style that would appeal to many young adventure seekers. The story is easy to follow and unfolds in an almost Harry Potter-type world where the race is on to get to various landmarks and reveal mystical objects which hold vital clues..
If fantasy is your thing you really can’t go wrong with this, especially during later scenes where the competition steps up a gear and Wade comes into contact with Anorak. Full fantasy mode here as magical visuals swamp the screen in all their wondrous glory; animation that could actually rival the likes of Harry Potter. The work put in to Ready Player One is faultless and its end result is a blazing picture of sheer escapism. Switch on and be prepared to lose yourself in its paradisiac environment.
My main dislike though (as mentioned above) is how messy the film can get. There are fast-moving scenes of action throughout which is a good thing, but they can often be overcrowded with people and characters. Not great, but luckily this is saved by the overall mood the film whips up.
Ready Player One may consist of high-octane car chases and avatars bursting into real people, but I feel the movie as a whole is massively overrated. It’s one of those which seems to gain nothing but positive publicity and a devoted following, just because its theme differs largely from recent releases of a sci-fi nature. Overrated, basically.
This movie is definitely worth a watch on a Saturday night when you’ve got a few people round, it’s excellent for a younger audience also. Hell, get the entire family together for this one. It might not be my cup of tea, but I am absolutely certain many families out there will have a great time with this highly animated slice of action-adventure.
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