Dissapointed but not surprised (contains spoilers of the book and movie)

Rating: 6/10 (28 May 2018)

(this entire review is a fight between book vs movie)
I was really excited to watch this movie, like REALLY excited.
When I saw the movie poster in theaters (like three weeks ago) it actually didn't caught my attention but when I found out it was based in a book, it was game for me. So I read the book in a week and fell in love with everything in it.
Since the beginning of the book I found it so fun, Wade/Parzival character's was funny and witty and you could easily feel connected with him and his way of telling the story. The whole book is filled with 80's references, pop-culture, music, good movies references that I have watched million times and even books. It was everything I have loved and more. An 80's lover dream.
Needless to say, I had big expectations for this film even when the trailer started to ruining it for me.
But the movie....
It's worth the watch but it's SO different from the book. That's why I gave it 6 stars, because if you haven't read the book, you will enjoy it.
1- Tye Sheridan was born to play Wade. He is exactly how I imagine him in the book. But in here, the script and direction plays a big game. His character did not only lack that witty-funny-charming-nerdy persona, he also was a pretty null actor. That means, bad direction from Spielberg.
2- I understand the change of plot and script because in some way they have to make the audience connected to the story, like making Art3mis meet Parzival in the first half of the movie, but still, I feel like they didn't give them enough time to connect. That first "I love you" scene was so forced and out of nowhere when in the book they spend months talking to each other.
3- Thumbs up to the animation of the movie. It really felt like being inside of a game, which gives the movie that geeky touch the book has.
4- The movie lacks drama. Yeah, it's true, this is not a dramatic movie but it needs the drama to build a great connection audience-characters, and the book gives a whole Almanac to chose from: At3mis 'breaking up' with Wade and him going into a depression phase to then work things out with himself. Losing his family and his only friend in the real world, the old lady I don't remember her name. I-Rok being a pain in the a** and selling them to the IOI after supposedly being 'their friend'. None of that was well put in the movie.
5- Thumbs up for the representation of Halliday.
6- OG needed more recognition in the movie, he did a lot for the kiddos.
7- This may not be as important, but I think it could have had more technology or at least a better representation. The only tech we were introduced in the movie was inside the IOI or that suit Wade got. It's sci-fie, it's Spielberg. Give me more.
8- The gates to get the keys. The first one in the movie, even when in the book had a geeky-touch having to play a classic game inside of a game, was fun. It was a race and it showed that Wade was 'the chosen one' to win by figuring out the clue. But the rest of the tests?
The Shining, really? I don't even have words.
I did like the third test, it was what we needed but it was too short.
9- The ending. Ugh. I have to say that I love a cute love-is-all-that-matters ending (like the end of the book) But this was so cheesy. Just two teenagers making out. Really? That was the ending?
It does gives a certain hope for a second movie (Cline is already talking about writing a sequel to the book so I wouldn't doubt there's a sequel to the movie) but come on, that was a lame ending.
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Overall, the movie was just another movie. 6/10. I expected more.
I apologize if this review was mostly focused on the war book vs movie, but if you haven't read the book, DO IT. It's waaaaay more epic.