Underwhelming

Rating: 4/10 (31 March 2018)

As a viewer who hasn't seen the book prior to watching the film, that comparison is one I am unable to consider. From the beginning, RPO is visually pleasing. From the stacks of motorhomes to the virtual world of video games, the CGI is impeccable. However, this may be the film's only saving grace.
Throughout the plot, there is barely a hint of character building or at least an attempt to evoke empathy for the situations of the characters. The only emotional connection I felt when witnessing this 2 hour and 19 minute car crash was the faint nostalgia forced on us by either off-hand remarks or dubious references - I assume introduced by the book. It is not unlikely that these confused pop-culture nods are typical of Spielberg's work, however, they become ineffective as a result of the film's inability to entice me into its story.
RPO attempts to present two realities - one virtual and one real. However, both of these realities in fact appear as fantasy. In both worlds, each character has an alternate 'avatar' of him/herself. This is what causes it to be impossible to follow the character arcs or backstory's belonging to them.
Despite being underwhelmed by the lack of good quality storytelling, acting and directing, this film left me with a common question for the modern society. Is the world of fantasy and video games detaching us from reality?
Or was the moral one of many other themes introduced throughout the plot? Who knows.
You could have been so good, Ready Player One. Shame. 4/10