Preconceptions and Pop Culture

 

Ready Player One – (2018) In a dystopian future, “real life” is inside a virtual reality world. Solve the problems of that world and the greatest prize of all, control of that reality, is yours. A young man and some friends team up to take a shot at that prize.

Directed by Steven Spielberg             Starring Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Simon Pegg

Why I Liked It : An amusing enough story with some cool graphics and pop culture references out the wazoo.

Based on a best-selling novel, the movie ran into the predictable negative responses. It wasn’t EXACTLY like the book, and EXACTLY the way the fans had envisioned it. I understand that response, but the response to both objections is “And it was never going to be.” That’s a compromise that is inevitable. If you love the book and can’t bear the thought that it’s going to be a “mess” (by your definition) on the screen, then don’t watch. If you watch, decide what’s important, and see if they can pull that off.

Having never read the book, I had no preconceptions about the story. Which allowed me to sit back and enjoy the movie for what it was.

And that’s a fairly stock young-adults-against-the-corporate-suits story. A little romance story line. The naïve, but idealistic main characters fighting the good fight against all odds. Corporate villains who care only for the bottom line and power. The outcome was predictable from the start. That’s not a bad thing, per se, but there aren’t any parts of this plot that will be novel to even casual moviegoers.

With all that in mind, the cast is good enough; the script is good enough; the effects are very cool. After a slow first half hour, there’s more than enough action to keep me interested. The real gem in all this are the pop culture references. They are everywhere and in numbers that boggle the mind. If you want to deep dive on them, watch the movie once for the story and get a feel for the style. Then watch it again focusing on the pop culture. My bet is that you’ll need at least two more viewings to catch them all.

“Ready, Player One” is a quest story. The ultimate prize awaits the best and brightest who overcome the challenges. There’s a trace of “Willie Wonka”, and a dash of “Tron” here. Virtual reality taking over our “lives” feels a lot like the entertainment walls from “Fahrenheit 451.” Take all that and graft it onto your basic YA action film, mix in the pop culture seasoning, and you end up with “Ready, Player One”.

It may not be the book, but it’s not a bad way to spend a couple hours of viewing.

Rating – *** Worth A Look