Movie Summary: Director Steven Spielburg ‘s adaption of Ernest Cline’s 2011 novel of the same name “Ready Player One” released March 29. Set in 2045, the movie concerns a fight over the ownership of a virtual reality paradise called OASIS and stars Tye Sheridan as Wade Watts. 

Brenna says: 

Fun filled and nostalgic 

If you’ve wanted to see a movie that will give you fun-filled futuristic experience sprinkled with pop culture of the past and present, “Ready Player One” is a movie you’ll enjoy.  Centralized on a virtual reality game called “Oasis” that all of a society in 2045 has become addicted to, this movie mixes both live action and CGI graphics to create a fascinating crossover between the real and the semi-real. “Ready Player One” is a nostalgic trip into the past with its references to “The Shining”, “Back to the Future” and “Jurassic Park” while also jam-packed with comedy and action. For those who are not into pop culture or gaming, this movie might not be appealing to you. The movie does have several cheesy one-liner jokes and falls short in establishing some characters, but overall it is a fun, lighthearted experience.

Jordan says: 

Thrill ride worth seeing

Steven Spielberg’s latest film Ready Player One is a fun action thrill ride. Based on the 2011 book written by Ernest Cline, Wade Watts who lives in the year 2045 competes in a virtual reality gaming competition and must collect three keys to unlock its grand prize inside the OASIS. The strengths of the movie are its story and the special effects. It was great to see the many pop culture references peppered throughout, though you may need to watch it twice to catch all the references. The performance from Ty Sheridan as Wade also helps drive the movie. There’s also a great finale to help wrap it up. The film’s main flaw was the development of its secondary characters. The book explains things more in depth, but the movie rushes through situations in order to explain the story in a two-hour movie. The film is still worth seeing.

Robert said: 

Not amazing but fun

“Ready Player One” is not an amazing film, but it is one that defied my personal expectations and was entertaining in an innocent, dumb-fun way. As obnoxious as “gamer culture” and nostalgia pandering tend to be, the numerous licensed character cameos and spot gags don’t take anything away from the storyline and the movie itself never feels awkward or overstays its welcome; it holds attention just fine if you don’t take its outlandish wish-fulfillment premise too seriously. The main protagonists are all relatable, likeable, well-written people that go through solid character development and do a lot to draw the viewer into the film’s retro-future fantasy world, which is by far the greatest strength and most interesting aspect. In the end, if the premise interests you, it’s worth your time, but don’t expect a game changer.