A Beautiful Monster

Rating: 7/10 (6 April 2018)

*This review is coming from a viewer who has not read the original book, this review is based solely on the film adaptation.*
At first sight, Ready Player One (RP1) might resolve as "classic Spielberg magic", and in many ways you'd be right. The entertainment value is undeniable. With nostalgia in full flight, RP1 is an enormous, bombastically fun pop culture extravaganza. But underneath the beauty lies a beast, a beast of often sloppy storytelling, alarming plot holes and more, leaving Ready Player One more as a one-night stand of fun than as a serious long-term lover.
Again, I cannot deny the simple fact that RP1 is down right fun. As long as you haven't been living under a rock for the last 40 years, there will be some sort of movie, game or musical reference to tickle your fancy even a little. Centered around the Oasis, a virtual reality video game of the future, inhabitants can imagine whatever they want inside the game, leading to an endless stream of glorious cameos from fictional characters from every facet of entertainment you could think of. The in-game setting of the film is fantastical, it's loaded with nostalgia, Easter eggs, pop culture references, etc. The atmosphere of the Oasis itself is engrossing, from the unique locations to the vastly populated worlds, it made me feel as if I was part of this massive virtual universe along with everyone else in the game. The CGI is so dynamic, I, like the characters in the film, was hooked on always being in the Oasis, it gave me a level of connection to the movie that was vital to draw me in, and the heavy, yet brilliantly creative use of the CGI did just that.
Where RP1 thrives most is when the story focuses itself inside the Oasis. The simple yet wondrous quest at the forefront of the Oasis makes for the best storytelling, because it's just that, simple and wondrous, like a video game of early days. It's magical, charming and ridiculously fun. Meeting new characters inside the Oasis, exploring the virtual world, it made me feel like the game and everything inside was real.
Now on the flip side, when the film strays away from the virtual world and cuts to the real one, things can get real ugly. Of course, I knew the entire film wasn't going to be set in the Oasis (not that I would've been opposed), as there had to be real-world implications to make the story feel more tangible. There are some interesting subliminal messages regarding the future of video gaming and social media to be thought upon, but largely the narrative direction in the real world is borderline horrible. The plot outside of the game can become so slow and boring, in contrast to the Oasis, it's like watching paint dry compared to attending a Bruce Springsteen concert. The pacing is often painful, with the second act just begging to get itself over with to get to the "final boss" third act (which is exhilaratingly fun).
The plot holes are prominent, several characters in the real world are not half as exciting as they are in-game, and it leads to distorted imbalance that distracts from RP1's true storytelling strengths. When RP1 moves away from the imaginative, simplistic narrative structure of the journey inside the Oasis, it's like an entirely different, much less original or engaging film. The story is really like 'Beauty and the Beast', the Oasis and the real world. Except here, there's no redeeming value inside the beast, it's just bland, shallow and uninteresting.
RP1's set of characters are much like its story, either incredibly unique and fun, or, well, not so much. On one hand, you have some great characters both inside and out of the Oasis. Lead character Wade Watts, aka Parzival, is the stand out by miles, even though his development is rushed and sometimes lackluster. Wade is the beaten down, underdog hero you can't help but root for. His out-of-game story might not be too gripping, but he's still the David versus the goliath that is ultimately heartwarming, and actor Tye Sheridan fits and plays the role splendidly. Other than, at times, Wade's main love interest Samantha, aka Art3mis (Olivia Cooke), and occasionally main antagonist Nolan Sorrento (nicely played by Ben Mendelsohn), the characters in the real world don't hold a candle to their Oasis counterparts. The virtual reality presents such a richer connection to the characters from their design to their in-game accomplishments, the supporting cast is simply 1000% cooler in the Oasis. Wade's best friend Aech, Simon Pegg's portrayal of Ogden Morrow, even the creator of the Oasis himself, James Halliday, are all more interesting, more aesthetically pleasing virtually than in real life.
When RP1 tries to be a character driven film, its characters ultimately suffer. Trying to give backstory to some of the supporting cast outside the Oasis seemed like a waste of time. It was necessary for the primary characters, Wade, Samantha and Halliday, but for smaller characters, it hurts the pacing and the wonder, leaving some characters much less enjoyable than others.
The acting itself was all around decent. I mentioned Tye Sheridan's fantastic lead performance, as well as Ben Mendelsohn's solid antagonist acting job. Veteran Mark Rylance gets a special shout out for his portrayal as Halliday and his Oasis-equal, Anorak. Rylance is charmingly awkward and lovable in the role, and uses the awkwardness to deliver funny dry humor as well. T.J. Miller is funny enough in comedic relief as I-ROk, the super awesome-looking secondary antagonist, but his character often felt miswritten to fit Miller's comedic style. Simon Pegg does well as Odgen, Halliday's partner, and Olivia Cooke is okay as Samantha. Here's an unofficial approval of acting prowess to the CGI team for bringing the likes of The Iron Giant among numerous others to life on screen, the movie wouldn't have been the same without them.
This is the ultimate celebration of pop culture. Yes, I can nitpick all day about structural flaws that plague good movies from being great movies, but I know at the end of the day, RP1 is supposed to be fun, and for the most part, it really is. Yes, there are major inconsistencies with engaging storytelling, proper pacing and character writing, but that's all outside of the joy that is the Oasis. Just like the game itself, it's a whole new world in there; the virtual world is bursting at the seams with ludicrously entertaining pop culture cameos and Easter eggs, vivid CGI that draws you in, and a sense of simple storytelling wonder and adventure that reminded me of my first movies and video games. Steven Spielberg might not have crafted a masterpiece that will be re-watched over and over by everyone who sees it, it's not that type of film. But at its core, Ready Player One entertained enough to put a big, nerdy, nostalgic smile on my face.
7/10