Fun for Gamers But Not Like the Book #Movie_Review

Filled with 1980’s and video game references, Ready Player One appeals to gamers.
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Based on the best-selling book by Ernest Cline, Ready Player One is set in 2045 where people escape the drudgery of their daily lives by escaping into a virtual universe named the OASIS. When the creator of OASIS died, he set up three challenges which led to an Easter egg and the ownership of the virtual reality world.

​Wade/Parzival (Tye Sheridan) finds friends in the OASIS and an escape from his boring life. As a fan of the OASIS creator, Halliday (Mark Rylance), Wade is able to solve the first challenge and win the first key, which sets him and his friends up against the Innovative Online Industries (IOI), a video game conglomerate and manufacturer of most the virtual reality equipment. The IOI and its owner wants control of the virtual reality world and are willing to kill in order to get it.

​Ready Player One movie is much different than the book which has fans of the book up in arms. Even with the book’s author as the screenplay writer, most of the favorite scenes and 80’s references are missing in the movie which has fans up in arms. 

​However, if you go into the movie knowing it’s not like the book (or if you haven’t read the book) you will enjoy the storyline of five kids who band together to take on the big evil corporation. The 80’s and gaming references are fun for people who understand them. After all, what movie can you see the TV show Batmobile alongside Back to the Future’s DeLorean and Speed Racer’s car? Or where the Iron Giant fights alongside Gundam and Master Chief from Halo battling Meca-Godzilla? Many of these references go by so quickly, fans will want to see it again and again to catch the ones they miss!

​While not a movie for everyone, it will appeal to many fans of video games. The message of reality vs virtual reality is one for all of us who get caught up online. As Halliday states, “As terrifying and painful as reality can be, it's also the only place where you can find true happiness."