Ready Player One Summary

The List of Things Some of Us Loved/Hated about This Movie

One of the main things you need to know about this movie is the fact that people who are not into the world of video games are most likely to hate a new Spielberg movie. However, if you have ever played a VRG or RPG, like Halo, Eve, Final Fantasy, or WoW, you are most likely to enjoy the movie. So, let the spoilers run!

Background Information

Did you know that the movie is based on the book written by Ernest Cline, and it took him over 10 years to complete it? It became an ultimate success and was translated into more than 20 languages. The author himself has a both technical and gaming background, however, he claims that the main hero wade is an embodiment of him in his teen years. And he is one of those people who could turn the knowledge of the geek stuff into a fortune, so let's give the man his round of applause.

Ready Player One Plot Summary

In about 30 years from now, the world will have turned into an ugly place with all ruins around, so the popularity if an online utopia called OASIS is easy to understand. This is a place that promises you to be whatever you want an escape from the horrific environment the real world has become. The main hero, Wade who introduces the world, finds himself dragged into the treasure hunt started by the late CEO of the OASIS. He finds friends, his love and yet has to survive the race for the ultimate power over the Oasis.

*note: you are most likely going to find some of the plot holes related to the character growth and game development, however, they are not critical to the movie itself.

Criticism of the Ready Player One Movie

There are basically two types of viewers in regards to this movie: those, who hated the story for the lack of originality, plot holes, and deep connections to the game industry and pop-culture, and those, who loved the movie for all the big and small details like Delorean car or the Wonder woman sticker. Another issue many people have (and that, to be honest, is a common problem of a book being made into the movie) is the drastic change the plot undergoes in the process. Some people say that there is less than 10% of the original story left in the movie.

Ready Player One: Book vs. Movie

We all know that in most cases, the difference between these two is significant. As my English Literature professor once said, you just can't take a book you read for 15+ hours and easily convert it into the 2-hour movie without losing at least something. And while I'm well aware that in the book you can 10 pages to describe scenery of the layout of the room, it takes 15 to 30 seconds on the screen. However, comparing to the book, this particular movie lack the details, development of the characters, and the game progress described in the book (for example, Aech already has an Iron Giant, whether he had to earn it in the book).

There is also a line with a Rebellion story. It was not originally in the book, and I honestly believe it just weakened the plot and connection to the audience. Let's be honest, we are more likely to sympathize the group of kids going after a corporation, rather than a small army fighting with what appeared to be - just two people. And I hate to say this, but the villains are just awful. What are these days with the bad guys turning into the freaks and comedians, rather than the horrifying figures?

Okay, here is the list of things I have found references to, and I dare you to find more!

Mortal Kombat, Battletoads, Overwatch, Gundam, FireFly, TMNT, Night rider, Back to The Future, King Kong, Marvel comics, Goro, Harley Quinn, Akira, Saturday Night Fever, Shining, Batman, Halo, Gears of War, Monty Python, Michael Jackson, Street Fighter, Vikings, Star Wars, Freddy Krueger, Duke Nukem, Terminator, Final Fantasy, Robocop, Battle Star Galactica, Rubic's cube, Hal 9000 Liches, Lara Croft, Golden Eye, Aliens, Madballs, Child's Play, Etch A Sketch, View-Master, Beastmaster, Space Invaders, Ping Pong, A-team, Batman 60's, Ryu, Iron Giant, Mecha Godzilla, Atari, Nintendo, Goons, ET, Monster trucks, Say Anything, Hello Kitty, Star Trek, Card collecting games, and Star Craft. And while you may be wondering what the mix you are going to see on the big screen, let me tell you that these classic things are addressed in all sorts of ways including visual representation, being mentioned by the main heroes or displayed as a part of the virtual reality we are going to see.

Characters and Cast

While there is nothing bad to be said about the acting of main actors, we have to say that the characters themselves are weak and definitely missing some sort of depth and twist. They are undergoing some life-changing events, some epic and tragic moments, and we can barely witness any reaction or characters change.

If we are talking about this movie compared to all the superhero movies we have been forced to watch over the years of Marvel and DC, this movie may be a breath of fresh air, however if you have read the book and admired it, we would not recommend you watch the movie.

If you feel nostalgic about the era of video games and good old movies, you should definitely watch it.