Pure Spielberg Magic

Rating: Null/10 (15 May 2018)

Jam-packed with overwhelming nostalgia & countless references to pop culture of 1970s & onwards, Ready Player One marks Steven Spielberg's return to the genre he single-handedly revolutionised with his sweeping cinematic vision and presents the cinematic game-changer in sublime form as his latest is another larger-than-life extravaganza.
The story of Ready Player One takes place in the year 2045 where people regularly visit a virtual reality universe called OASIS in order to escape the desolation of their real lives. The plot revolves around the contest that was announced after the death of OASIS founder, the winner of which will inherit the full ownership & control of the virtual universe.
Directed by Steven Spielberg, it's been a long time since a film of his has been this fun, adventurous & freewheeling. Infused with a sense of warmth, wonder & magic that only he can provide, Ready Player One sets its premise by giving an overview of the fundamentals of OASIS with speed & clarity. Every frame is a pop culture galore yet Spielberg makes sure that his film has its own identity.
Production design team brings OASIS alive in meticulous detail and the navigation through it is smooth & effortless. While the first race sequence offers an adrenaline high & jaw-dropping thrills unlike anything in recent years, one particular standout is the film's tribute to Stanley Kubrick's The Shining, ingeniously recreating the setting, mood & atmosphere of that horror masterpiece right down to a tee.
Cinematography operates the camera with kinetic flair for scenes set in the OASIS while events taking place in real world are drenched in cold, desaturated palette to further reflect the dismal world its inhabitants are living in. Editing isn't perfect when it comes to interweaving the drama unfolding in two worlds but the pacing is terrific.
Instead of Spielberg's long-time collaborator John Williams, we have Alan Silvestri composing the score and he does well to fill up the void.
Also worthy of mention are its spectacular visual effects without which Ready Player One wouldn't exist. And as always is the case with a Spielberg film, every VFX shot is exquisitely refined, seamlessly integrated & never feels out of place. Coming to the performances, the cast consists of Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Mark Rylance, Ben Mendelsohn & others, and though there are no standouts, all of them do well with their live-action roles as well as their respective OASIS avatars.
On an overall scale, Ready Player One is an endlessly captivating, entertaining & satisfying sci-fi adventure that effortlessly succeeds as an awe-inspiring ode to the genre that cemented Spielberg's own legacy, a heartfelt love letter to cinema, and one nostalgia trip that you may want to revisit again n again. One of the finest films of the year so far, Steven Spielberg's latest is pure escapist bliss in every sense of the word and a cinematic gem for anyone & everyone. Strongly recommended.