This Week's Review: "Ready Player One"

To say the least, I was overwhelmed by Steven Spielberg’s latest venture, “Ready Player One.” The trailers had been ambiguous, and I had never read the original novel, so I was not sure what was going to transpire on the screen.

In a dystopian future, the only solace is a massive virtual reality game known as “The Oasis.” Somewhere within the game are three keys which will lead to the discovery of the ultimate “Easter egg,” placed there decades earlier by the game’s creator. The clues are ambiguous, and the hidden keys are guarded by ferocious creatures, including King Kong. 

The virtual world is chock full of allusions to the films, television shows, and games of the 1970s and 80s. I was particularly struck by the incorporation of scenes from “The Shining,” but dialog from “Star Wars” and “Excalibur” also added to the tapestry. The entire film is close to a massive game of Trivia.

Mark Rylance, cast as the aging creator of the Oasis game, was the only cast member I recognized, but the younger members of the cast hold their own. One of Rylance’s last lines drops the hint that the game might not be over.

The film is pure fun and should be seen on a very large screen.