A Quest for Easter Eggs

Rating: 8/10 (5 April 2018)

In a way I probably shouldn't be surprised that a film about a kid hunting for Easter eggs in a computer game is full of Easter eggs. In fact, this film seems to be somewhat of a tribute of everything that happens to be Eighties pop culture, even though it is based on a much more recent novel and has also been set in the future. Still, is you want to see the protagonist drive around in the Delorian from Back to the Future, then this is certainly a film to watch.
To be blunt, I actually quite liked this film, and it actually met my expectations, which is very, very rare when it comes to a film. A part of me, upon discovering that Spielberg had directed it, was satisfied that I was going to enjoy it, though it seems that he has been hiding away for a while, only to suddenly make a come back (though it seems he has basically been behind the scenes a lot). Then again, this film really seemed to drag me back to the golden age of my childhood, and kept me interested all the way through.
For those who don't know, an Easter egg is a hidden thing in a computer game that die hard enthusiasts go out of their way to look for. Mind you, I've never been that dedicated to a game that I would go hunting for Easter eggs, but interestingly the term has now also transferred over to movies to refer to subtle things hidden in the film that usually gives a nod to something that came along before.
The film is set in a dystopian future where everybody plays in a game called the Oasis, namely because life in the Oasis is so much better than life in reality. The founder is your typical computer geek who has no social skills whatsoever, and even though he made a mint out of the game, he has resisted temptations to flood the players with advertising. However, he has died, and has left a challenge for the first person to find the three Easter eggs he has hidden in the game, and in doing so they will pretty much gain ownership of the game.
Not surprisingly there is an evil corporation that wants that coverted position, and they are basically pouring huge amounts of money into the project. Mind you, I get the impression that they are pretty much making a bucket load of money anyway off of the game, but as is the case with many of these companies, they always want more. So, the film comes down to a struggle between a group of kids and this evil corporation over who will win.
In a sense this film seems to be about a war against those who are seeking to monetise fun, and to monetise it at whatever cost. In a sense there is no limit as to some people's attempts at making money, and when the stakes are high, they will go out of their way to tip the playing field in their favour. In the end it is always a question of money, and there is simply an attitude that any problem can be solved simply by throwing money at it. However, it is the little guys in this film that win out over those who really seem to be cheating to tip the balance in their favour. Another thing that seems to come to mind is this whole debate over net neutrality.
Another thing about this film is that it had a lot of elements of Charlie and the Chocolate factory, though you never know Wonka's plans until the end. Yet, like that film, we have the rich kid who gets to where he wants simply by throwing bucket loads of money at the problem, yet in the end is never actually able to overcome his own shortcomings. As in this film, money doesn't always mean that you will get what you want, because sometimes the knowledge that you need to complete the problem is just a little out of reach.