There are certain films that have the ability to suck you in with a good premise - let alone something that has just about every conceivable popculture reference and easter egg you can find from your favorite movie, video game, or cartoon from the past three decades that have literally made an impression in geek culture and hobbydom as we know it today. That honor certainly goes to "Ready Player One" - directed by the legendary Steven Spielberg and based on the 2011 novel of the same name by writer Ernest Cline. More than just your typical dystopian video game movie, this is a visual spectacle of the rarest kind - that transports viewers to a virtual reality world filled with all kinds of treats, but also gives us an adventure in the form of one young kid's desire to find the ultimate easter egg that leads to hidden treasure, but ultimately becomes a journey of self-discovery, friendship, love, and a better future.
Thanks to Warner Bros. Philippines, I was able to catch "Ready Player One" earlier before the Holy Week - and true enough to my nostalgic popculture heart I LOVED EVERY SECOND OF THIS FILM. As a gamer and kid from the 80's, this has all kinds of references, treats, and nods that shows just how far we've come along in the history of popular culture - and this has arguably become one of my FAVORITE Steven Spielberg films ever! Below is my review for this sensational eye candy of a science fiction film - which is best viewed in IMAX to get the full and immersive visual experience!
Set in the year 2045 where much of the world has become overpopulated and suffering from crime, pollution, and climate change, "Ready Player One" follows the story of Wade Watts - an 18 year old kid who like everyone else escapes from reality by engaging in a virtual world called the "OASIS" - where users can engage in all forms of work, education, and entertainment. When the creator of the OASIS James Halliday passed away, he leaves behind the ultimate treasure hunt in his entire fortune - which can only be accessed by finding three easter eggs in a game called "Anorak's Quest". As
Unfortunately for Wade and other "Gunters" who are searching for the treasure inside the OASIS, so is the conglomerate IOI (Innovative Online Industries) and its CEO Nolan Sorrento - who will stop at nothing to gain Halliday's fortune by any means necessary. With the help of his best friend "Aech", the beautiful Artemis, and the brothers Daito and Shoto, Wade as his Avatar "Percival" goes through a journey to win "Anorak's Quest" before IOI does - looking through Halliday's past for clues and eventually discovering what matters in life beyond the virtual world.
As someone who loves video games and popculture, Ready Player One immediately caught my attention thanks to the numerous easter eggs and references to other franchises and popular shows from days back. This movie is stock full of cameo appearances - from the DeLorean Time Machine seen in "Back to the Future" to the "Iron Giant", and characters coming from games like "OverWatch", "Halo", and "Dungeons and Dragons" all make an appearance here. Heck there's even "blink and you'll miss" appearances by Robocop, Ryu from Street Fighter, and even Marvin the Martian from Looney Tunes exists in the OASIS. So much stuff and plenty to get you to keep your eyes peeled to boot.
While Ready Player One has plenty of action and visual effects that serve as a testament to how far technology has come, it's Steven Spielberg's direction and the fantastic acting chops of its cast that serve as the heart behind this film's success. Tye Sheridan is our eager beaver guide and the hero of our story as Wade Watts, with Olivia Cooke serving as his love interest and rival in Samantha Cooke/ Art3mis and Ben Mendelhson proving to be a very sinister and greedy bad guy as IOI CEO Nolan Sorrento. Then there's Mark Rylance playing the ecentric and deceased co-creator of the OASIS in James Halliday - who's story behind the scenes proves the cost of building the virtual world as well the drive behind Wade's journey to discover the hidden easter eggs as well. Along with an appearance by Simon Pegg as co-creator Ogden Morrow, this is a sturdy line-up of talents for the film that adds to its charm and breathtaking tale that will get you all excited from start to finish.
So without spoiling anything more and just to say that the film is stellar and awesome on all counts up to the amazing soundtrack it has, "Ready Player One" is DEFINITELY A MUST SEE. If you grew up in the 80's, 90's, early 2000's, or just ended up appreciating stuff from those eras - this is a living love letter of a film that gives gamers and geeks something to root for. Go see it in theaters, and eventually on home video just to spot those easter eggs yourselves!
Ready Player One opens in theaters on March 31st c/o Warner Bros. PH!
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