Not Quite Game Over, But Very Disappointing

Rating: 4/10 (22 March 2018)

I saw this movie at an advance screening. I enjoy Spielberg's films and sci-fi when done well, but wasn't too impressed with the trailers for this one and was not planning on seeing it in theaters. (Note: I have not read the book (also titled "Ready Player One," which the film is adapted from.) I was hoping for a riveting and entertaining look at pop culture and futuristic technology, but unfortunately left disappointed. "Ready Player One" isn't a terrible film by any means, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't feel like a wasted opportunity given Spielberg's talent.
The film is centered around Wade Watts, an adolescent male who lives in Columbus, Ohio in 2045. In 2045, almost everyone plays in "the Oasis" in their spare time--a sprawling and all-encompassing virtual reality universe. The main narrative arc of the film centers around various players (particularly Wade and his love interest Artemis) attempting to obtain control of the Oasis after the death of the game's founder. To do this, they have to obtain three keys that will allow them to view an "Easter egg" placed in the Oasis by the founder before he died. Surprisingly, the plot is easier to follow than it sounds even if you don't really play video games (like me.) The structure and pace of the narrative is probably the best thing about the movie. Despite running for 2 hours and 20 minutes, it never feels too long--an amazing feat for a generally weak film. The soundtrack is good, but the acting is quite hit-or-miss; although the lead actor does bring a healthy amount of charisma to the table through his performance.
Many viewers are anticipating this movie due to the film's numerous pop culture references. Tragically, these references are one of the reasons why "Ready Player One" doesn't work as a movie. References to many great films are often (with one good exception) stripped down to simply brief thoughts through otherwise-pretentious lines of dialogue that seem destined to satisfy hardcore geeks and fanboys but leave others in the dust. An example of this is the film's so-called homage to "Jurassic Park" (also directed by Spielberg) by simply showing a cheesy-looking, CGI T-rex attack race car drivers in a futuristic, virtual-reality race car game set in a virtual version of Manhattan. While the idea of using authentic pop-culture references in a film like this seems like a great one, these references are degraded to the soulless level of the evil corporate overlords that are the antagonists of this film. The script is overstuffed to the brim with clichÃ©s, using every stereotypical "dorky" or "nerdy" characteristic as a depictive state or plot device. The film's action scenes are more helter-skelter and knee-jerk than actually thrilling. (Think something slightly better than, but similar to, action scenes in Michael Bay's "Transformers" franchise.) All three of these complaints I have against the film are confirmed by lazy writing that often stoops low to very basic-level dialogue or making cheap shots using internet slang like "noob."
While Spielberg has contributed much to cinema as both an entertainment medium and art form over the past several decades, "Ready Player One" does not present itself as a confirmation of this in the slightest. I hate to say this, but it lands with a bit of a thud. 4/10