‘Ready Player One’ Movie Review: A Cinematic Nostalgia Trip

In an era of movie remakes, nostalgic callbacks, and the fanning of flames of pop culture, Steven Spielberg’s “Ready Player One” achieves the highest point of acclaim. Call it the mothership of all easter eggs, the film clocks in at 140 minutes full of everything you’d ever dream of in a full-length film that features most of your favorite childhood references.

To be honest, one would’ve already been desensitized by all the nostalgia-driven approach of most movies and shows, but “Ready Player One” redefines the need for it. We’ll always look back, and we’ll still love to remember the year that was.

Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros.

Coherent pacing and compelling narrative

Scribe Zak Penn is no noob when it comes to pop culture and sci-fi narratives. After having penned 2008’s “The Incredible Hulk” and 2006’s “X-Men: The Last Stand,” Penn is a writer with a knack for conjuring a great movie experience starting from the pages of the script. “Ready Player One” starts out strong and keeps you firmly glued to your seat as it progresses to a myriad of sub-plots and easter eggs. Few films find success in keeping the viewer’s eyes locked into the story, but Penn’s incredible writing achieves the need for your full attention.

Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros. Pictures

We are introduced to Tye Sheridan’s character, Wade Watts, whose name is a play at—as the film suggests—a comic book hero alter ego. From there, we begin to experience the OASIS, a virtual reality plane created by the late James Halliday (Mark Rylance), with him all throughout. It’s an impressive mix of CGI and real-life scenes that honestly doesn’t even feel like it strays away from the movie’s set reality.

Of course, in pure sci-fi and comic book-esque cliché, we know that Wade is the “Chosen One” from the get-go, although it was never directly established up front. But there’s one thing that makes Wade a fantastic developing character—he knows that he is the Chosen One. Most of the time, central characters learn about it along the way. But for Wade, there’s an inherent knowledge that he can and will get through every challenge that Halliday has set up to get the keys and ownership of the OASIS. He’s the archetype of a self-aware champion, ready to take on the responsibility of winning over the evil end of the spectrum. It’s all predictable, but surprisingly, it works.

Jaap Buitendijk/Warner Bros.

“Ready Player One’s” premise is a simple if not common trope for sci-fi films—there’s a test or challenge you have to complete for you to be the ultimate winner or savior. It sounds a bit meh on the surface, but once you get to experience how Wade wades (pun intended) through the various stages of the trials, you’d be amazed at how well-written his character is. Enter his friends, Aech/Helen (Lena Waithe), Sho (Philip Zhap), Daito (Win Morisaki), and Art3mis/Samantha (Olivia Cooke), who not only act as the supporting roles in the film but also become the heroes themselves. There’s a healthy balance between the acting and the story.

Breathtaking cinematography and creative direction

As with any other Spielberg film, you’d automatically assume that the movie is going to be a hit. “Ready Player One,” I suppose would endure as a classic 25 years (or even ten years) from now. True, having that nostalgic effect maximizes the chances of the film to be one, but given the excellent directorial chops that Spielberg always has, this can be seen as something to the extent of “Jurassic Park” or “E.T.’s” benchmark appeal.

Warner Bros. Pictures

There’s not a scene where you’d laugh at the CGI or even cringe at the blatant clarity of fakeness that most CGI + Live Action movies have. In fact, you’d never even feel that you’re popping in and out of the OASIS as you head deeper into the movie. That’s the kind of direction that Speilberg has—you never see what’s right in front of you.

The most notable sequences of “Ready Player One” are the opening war and the last battle montages. For every geek and pop culture enthusiasts that sat next to me in the cinema, it’s pure pleasure seeing everything you ever grew up playing and watching on the big screen. They even resemble a “Lord of the Rings”-ish grandeur, complete with a war-merge shot that keeps you holding your breath until the hero emerges as the victor. Another would be “The Shining” sequence, where it felt like you were watching Jack Nicholson all over again. The only missing factor was his door-and-ax smashing abilities.

Warner Bros. Pictures

I’m a huge fan of “The Iron Giant,” and seeing him re-assemble and fight with the OASIS players against Sorrento’s (Ben Mendelsohn) cronies is a dream come true. In the original Iron Giant movie, he only went head-to-head with the missile. It was closer than we could ever get to the action that time, but watching him again with a newfound purpose makes it all the more fun and inspiring.

That said, “Ready Player One’s” cinematography is a flawless piece of art that baffles you with its amazing effects and visuals. It doesn’t only come at par with Spielberg’s tentpole movies, it also outranks them in a certain way.

‘Ready Player One’ Overall Verdict

I have nothing but love and admiration for Spielberg’s works. “Ready Player One,” on the other hand, highlights the strengths of its director and exemplifies what it means to be a genre in its own right. Nostalgia will always be a hit for this, and it’s one of the movie’s strongest assets as well. “Ready Player One” is engrossing, captivating, and inspiring, as you can’t help but gape in awe and wonder for every scene and sequence (not to mention, the 80’s soundtrack!). For a film such as this, one can only thank Spielberg for bringing back your childhood, even if it was just for an hour or two.