READY PLAYER ONE

Director
Steven Spielberg

Stars
Tye Sheridan, Ben Mendelsohn, Simon Pegg and Olivia Cooke

It’s becoming a popular recurring theme; futuristic/sci-fi movies with a retro flare. Blending a dystopian not-too-distant future with a flood of 80’s gaming and pop culture references, Ready Player One creates a world that is familiar yet alarming.

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Based on the book of the same name, the film is set in Columbus, Ohio in 2045 we see a world that has become so over populated that the underprivileged classes now live in stackable caravans. People no longer strive to engage in reality, but instead escape into a cyber world aptly named ‘OASIS’ where they hide behind various avatars and exchange little detail about their real life selves. Following the death of its creator, OASIS in part turns into a hunt for the elusive Easter Egg hidden within its cyber world. The first to find the egg is granted full ownership of OASIS and the fortune that comes with it. The films protagonist, Wade Watts (played by Tye Sheridan), is one of many ‘Gunters’ (egg hunters) that regularly compete in missions to uncover the keys that unlock the egg. Through the game, Wade makes a number of friends with whom he joins forces to better their chances of discovering the keys.

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Obviously no competition would be complete without a bad guy to try and spoil the day, which in this case is played by Australia’s own Ben Mendelsohn. Mendelsohn’s character Sorrento heads an organization solely dedicated to finding the egg and in turn inheriting the OASIS fortune. A win at all costs approach pits his army of employees and slaves against the noble Gunters who are trying to preserve the sanctity of OASIS.

Steven Spielberg is responsible for some of the most remarkable cinema of the past 40 years; whether it’s bringing dinosaurs back to life, creating sharks capable of stalking families around the USA or creating temples of doom, Spielberg never fails to capture the imagination of his audience, and he proves in Ready Player One that he certainly isn’t losing his touch. This time around he takes us to a future that doesn’t seem too farfetched while at the same time creating an incredible virtual reality universe that will enthrall younger and older audiences alike. This visually impressive movie might at times feel a little long (2hrs and 20mins), but never to the point of tedium. The story is exciting enough for young teens and nostalgic enough for older viewers to get a kick.

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