In a Nutshell

Spielberg’s latest adventure is a frenetic mix of CGI and live-action, which sees a teen hero battle an evil corporation in a high-stakes virtual reality game.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1677720/?ref_=nv_sr_1

The Coziness of 80s Pop Culture Nostalgia

The film opens on ‘the stacks’ – a high-rise trailer park in Columbus Ohio in 2044. There’s a dystopian feel to it all, soundtracked by Van Halen’s upbeat 80s rock classic ‘Jump’. This sets the tone for the rest of the film which wraps the coldness of the CGI virtual reality world in a cosy cover of 80s pop culture nostalgia.

We’re introduced to Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan), an everyman teen who finds an escape from his tough life in ‘the Oasis’ – a virtual reality world where everything is possible. Watts idolises James Halliday (Mark Rylance), the creator of the Oasis, who died leaving a secret puzzle inside the world he created. Wade and his friends spend most of the film as their CGI avatars inside the Oasis, solving the pop culture trivia clues hidden inside it.

There’s a strong range of supporting characters too. In particular, Mark Rylance gives a surprisingly nuanced performance as the Oasis’ socially awkward creator and Ben Mendelsohn who’s clearly enjoying his role as the stereotypical corporate bad guy Nolan Sorrento.

Fun with Trivia

If a plot propelled by obscure references sounds grating – the film should be a welcome surprise. It has a lot of heart, and the 80’s trivia is there from a place of fun, and not nerdish-superiority. And although Mark Rylance’s character is buried in a Star Trek coffin, there’s a wide mix of cultural touchpoints to enjoy spotting in the film, from The Breakfast Club to Pacman and Star Wars.

From a kid’s perspective, you get to indulge in the idea of entering into your own personalised fictional world. Spielberg has tremendous fun with this and treats his characters to a cultural pick n mix. To me, this really summed up the ingenuity of childhood make-believe – there’s no reason Batman can’t be best friends with Godzilla.

CGI and Live Action Mix

The film is at its best during the live action sequences, and the switching between CGI avatars and real-world actors made it take that bit longer to fully connect with the characters. The whole thing is a little too long and doesn’t hang together perfectly.

But although the film is overlong, there is always something visually interesting happening on screen. There’s a particularly striking sequence where the CGI gang explore the live-action surrounds of The Shining. It would almost make you want to extend your stay in the Overlook Hotel.

A Human Heart

Spielberg can veer towards the schmaltzy sometimes, but at his best, he is able to root fantasy and horror firmly in the everyday. The characters are a huge part of this for Ready Player One, and they ground this potentially soulless film.

Wade and his main ally Artemis (Olivia Cooke) are refreshingly normal looking outside of the Oasis, and I wish we could have seen more of their teenage selves instead of their avatars. The take-home message of the film is that we too should spend a little less time online, and more time in the real world.

Verdict

It won’t go down as a Spielberg classic, but this warm-hearted adventure has enough pace and visual inventiveness to keep most people entertained.