Steven Spielberg’s highly acclaimed movie, based on the 2011 sci-fi novel Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, hit theaters this weekend, giving Spielberg his biggest opening weekend since 2008. This visually stunning, fast-paced and exciting movie takes you on a journey through the virtual reality world of the future during a competition that tests the knowledge of 1980’s pop culture. While the movie didn’t stay true to the book, the adaptation was fun and creative, making for a very entertaining experience.
The opening scene, with its contrast between the visual scenery of a dystopian future set in 2045, with Van Halen’s Jump playing in the background, will have any nostalgic lover of the ’80s smiling. As the story develops many reminders of the fun and crazy decade make their way into the storyline. But the movie has plenty to appeal to other generations as well. The OASIS, a virtual reality online world where people escape the harsh reality of life, includes worlds inspired by reality, fantasy and video games through the ages. My son especially appreciated the glimpse of Minecraft and the Star Wars references.
The storyline includes the underdog, a poor high-school student with a difficult living situation, who is up against a large corrupt cooperation in a competition that will ultimately determine the future of the online world. There is humor, romance, surprise and horror that keeps viewers on the edge of their seats, or hiding their eyes depending on the challenge.
The challenge of transforming a best-selling novel to the big screen often results in disappointment for those who have read the book. While I think I would have enjoyed the movie even more if I hadn’t read the book, I really enjoyed Ready Player One, appreciating some of the smart ways they were able to incorporate the spirit of the book.
Movie times: click here
Genre: Action/Adventure/Sci-Fi
Director: Steven Spielberg
Actors: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn
Running Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Rating: Rated PG-13 for sequences of violence and language.
