The game has changed. Literally

Rating: 6/10 (1 April 2018)

Plot; In the future, a planet in the throes of severe economic strife escapes into a virtual online world called the OASIS where many become preoccupied w/a contest embedded by its creator that will give the winner complete control of it.
I suppose it's fitting that a movie filled to bursting with "Easter eggs" is being released on Easter weekend. If you've read Ernest Cline's novel (or seen the trailers) you know that Ready Player One is a story steeped in pop culture; primarily 80s in the novel, a bit less so in the movie. Cline's novel is, among other things, a love letter to the 80s. It's not subtle, but it's genuine and comes from a place of true affection. The movie, on the other hand, seems to simply be throwing these things against the screen to see what sticks or to check off boxes to appease various demographics. The result is that the story's beating heart is often missing. And speaking of the story...
...it's different. Very, very, very different. If you have a slavish dedication to the novel, be prepared for disappointment. The basic premise is the same, but not much else. Translating a novel into cinema always requires changes, but here those changes often feel like someone said "I really like what you did there, but let's do it completely different.". Once again, much is lost in the translation. Ernest Cline isn't one of our great writers, but his RP1 did an exceptional job of world building and getting inside the head of our main character. Much of that gets lost here amongst the spectacle.
Visually speaking, this film is a winner. The OASIS is a fully immersive world that will dazzle and delight. You could watch this movie a dozen times and not soak in even a quarter of its detail. Many technical Oscar nominations await.
Ready Player One works on the level of fleeting popcorn cinema, but like so much of Spielberg's forays into the genre the last few decades, it's more a work of obligation than one of passion.