[Review] Ready Player One: Fulfilling a Fan's Wishes

Following February's The Post, Steven Spielberg's second film of the year, Ready Player One, also opened in Hong Kong last week. This time, he returns to the sci-fi genre, showcasing his mastery in directing Hollywood blockbusters and proving he's still got it.

Ready Player One is Steven Spielberg's first sci-fi film in over a decade, since 2005's War of the Worlds. The film centers on a virtual world where almost everyone wears VR-like devices, spending a significant amount of time living in this virtual realm, hoping to complete a treasure hunt and change their fate. In this futuristic world, various environmental and social problems plague reality, making it impossible for people to find comfort in their real lives, forcing them to escape into the virtual world of OASIS. However, when people become too immersed in the virtual world, they neglect real-world problems and their actual family and friends, accumulating massive debts to mega-corporations and being forced into labor camps. Currently, VR technology is rapidly developing, and many pay-to-win games are rampant, making the film's theme very timely. Additionally, while watching this film, I felt that this setting also seemed to critique the consumer culture and credit card usage in the real world (especially in the US), which traps people in heavy debt. In recent years, many Hollywood blockbusters have been criticized for lacking substance, merely providing temporary entertainment and an escape from real-world pressures. Ready Player One clearly does not belong to this type of film; it even attempts to critique similar cultures.

That being said, this theme of the film remains confined to the sci-fi story's setting and is ultimately voiced by the protagonist at the end. As the protagonist participates in the treasure hunt, much time is spent searching for clues related to the game's designer, James Halliday (Mark Rylance), learning about his life and his regrets. Some say this character is modeled after Apple founder Steve Jobs, while others suggest he's based on Star Wars creator George Lucas, leaving ample room for audience speculation. However, these themes don't connect much with the theme mentioned in the previous paragraph, leading to a sense of discontinuity in the film's themes and plot, making some themes hard for the audience to remember. The film is an adaptation of a novel, and I haven't read the original, so I don't know what cuts or changes were made in the film, but I believe this might be a major reason for the disjointedness.

However, as a Hollywood blockbuster, the film's pacing and special effects are impeccable. The film gathers dozens of anime, movie, and video game characters; different classic works cross over in one film, which I believe is the wish of many movie, anime, and video game fans. I'm not very familiar with anime and video games myself, but when you see Gundam fighting Godzilla in the movie, what more could we possibly complain about? As a movie fan, the scene that excited me the most was undoubtedly the classic blood wave scene from The Shining, as well as the nostalgic hotel and bathroom settings, which almost made me scream! In recent years, there have been frequent rumors of The Shining being remade or a sequel being developed, which has met with considerable opposition. This time in Ready Player One, Steven Spielberg not only created his own version of The Shining but also brought different characters to the big screen, which was incredibly enjoyable! Different audiences, during their formative years, undoubtedly have their favorite works and characters, and I believe this film can fulfill many fans' wishes all at once!

The story set in the virtual world of OASIS is almost entirely rendered with CG animation, meaning half of the film consists of animated sequences. Steven Spielberg previously released the animated film The Adventures of Tintin several years ago, so he was clearly at ease handling animated scenes this time. Compared to the director's previous works, Ready Player One features significantly more computer special effects, with a single film encompassing scenes like car races, escapes, and massive battles. And the director filmed all of them with incredible tension and excitement, no less impressive than any recent Hollywood special effects blockbuster, proving that Steven Spielberg, who has directed many smaller films in recent years, is still at the top of his game and absolutely capable of making spectacular sci-fi blockbusters. Additionally, the director once again collaborated with Oscar-winning Best Supporting Actor Mark Rylance from Bridge of Spies, casting him as the introverted, socially awkward mastermind of OASIS, James Halliday, which truly proves that he can make any character believable. In contrast, the film's protagonist Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) and female lead Samantha Cook (Olivia Cooke) are less striking, and their characterizations are somewhat bland, with their romantic storyline feeling a bit abrupt and seemingly unnecessary. However, I think the most interesting character in the film is definitely the comedic i-R0k, and he also appears to be the only main character who doesn't reveal his true identity, perhaps related to actor T. J. Miller's sexual misconduct allegations.