What we really have...

Rating: 8/10 (4 April 2018)

Steven Spielberg's "Ready Player One" is somewhat the paradox, in both good and no so great ways. As "Ready Player One" opens, we see Ohio in 2045 with vertically stacked trailer homes. It's the home to 18 year-old Wade, played by Tye Sheridan. All the while we hear "Jump" by Van Halen from their "1984" album, back from my youth.
Spielberg orchestrates nostalgia for 1980's and '90's culture, which reveals as part of Zak Penn and Ernest Cline's screen narrative based on Cline's 2011 novel. The worthwhile message that what we have is our reality, and risking yourself gives life is nearly lost in 2 hours and 20 minutes of visual spectacle eye candy, and intense action for thrill sake near the end.
"Ready Player One" tells the story of the perils of the constructed virtual reality world called OASIS, where game created avatars compete to discover the 3 Keys. Possession of those Keys grant the victor reign of OASIS from its late Creator Halliday, played by gentle suffering Mark Rylance.
Master gamer Wade's avatar is cool handsome Parzival. His intimate rival is beautiful free-spirited Art3mis, played by strong vulnerable Olivia Cooke, who intends to beat him.
Much of the story occurs in the virtual OASIS, where authentic risk, danger, and even love are not necessarily real. Or are they? This where "Ready Player One" falters somewhat. Although, the visual imagery evokes that sense of wonder in the amazing motorcycle races, and cool high tech. Wonder lies in the love story of Parzival and Art3mis. Dancing together in the air of the rave-like club, Art3mis cautions Parzival that he doesn't really see or know her. That he might be disappointed.
That discovery in the real world is the most intriguing and human story. In that world Wade poignantly says, "I'm not disappointed..." That made the movie for me. I think Steven Spielberg seems so compelled to marvel the audience in the thrills of OASIS, instead of trusting the unique humanity of Sheridan and Cooke. Love stories really move. Spectacular visual CGI effects and lifelike human capture amaze, but are essentially narrative gravy.
"Ready Player One" is the tale of the brilliant man, who didn't risk falling in love and regretted that for the rest of his life. Consequently, he created the virtual world OASIS where he could simulate the greater he never risked. And the rest of the future world in 2045 embraced living that virtual life as opposed to the real one. Perhaps, this is our caution for the obsession of virtual reality games, social media and similar constructs.
Toward the end "Ready Player One" bogs down in gamer war and chases. The movie could have easily been half an hour shorter. Fortunately, Tye and Olivia's collective humanity remind of the purpose of it all. What we really have is reality in life. And what makes that all worth it, is taking a risk and having faith.