Masterful Storyteller Spielberg Saves "Ready Player One"

Rating: 8/10 (11 May 2018)

Let me start with a disclaimer. I have never read the best-selling book this film was based on. I'm also not a big video game person. So "Ready Player One" was not necessarily on my "must see" movie list when it came out last month. But I do love most Steven Spielberg movies and I had heard that there were lots of 1980's pop culture references in the film (and the book) so it began to pique my interest.
I must admit though, I didn't go in with very high expectations.
The story is a hodgepodge of familiar tales. There's a "Willy Wonka" vibe, a heavy dose of "Avatar" feels, and even a few scenes that reminded me of "The Goonies" and "The Breakfast Club". Some of those I think are obvious while others are perhaps implied. But either way, it's pulling from some great past movies, stories, and pop culture icons, so it keeps you entertained (much like the hit show on Netflix, "Stranger Things")
Steven Spielberg continues to prove what a masterful storyteller he is because he took a story that could have been all spectacle but without any heart or emotion to connect us to it. But he was able to balance both parts really well, although he didn't have me fully invested until well into the second act. There are still some plot questions I don't think were answered or explained very well. But "Ready Player One", much like the video games of our childhood and the current "cyber reality" we all find ourselves in (whether we like it or not), is meant to pull us away from the "real world" and enjoy some "pure imagination" for a few hours in our day.
I would recommend seeing it in the theater while you still can, but I expect to do very well on home video because it's really designed for multiple viewings so you can catch all of the pop culture Easter Eggs in the background. I'm looking forward to seeing it again myself.