VR Treasure Hunter

Ever since I first heard that Steven Spielberg had taken on the task of adapting Ernest Cline’s best-selling novel and geektastic homage to ‘80s pop-culture, ‘Ready Player One,’ onto the big screen, I can’t help but feel a strange mixture of joyous excitement and wary apprehension at the same time.  I loved the novel, which is ambitious and sprawling in its scope, packed with so much obvious and not so obvious references to ‘80s geek chic culture that made even this child of the ‘80’s head spin.  "How is Spielberg, as legendary and talented as he is, going to pull it off?" I wondered.  Tamping down my expectations but remaining cautiously optimistic, I decided to find out (as if that’s ever in doubt).

 

RP1 is the story of Wade Watts, a teenager from a near-future America who, like most others in this technologically-driven dystopia, finds the ultimate escape in a virtual reality world called the OASIS.  The creator/programmer of this truly global MMO (massively multi-player online game) environment, whose corporeal form no longer exists, had left “Easter Eggs” in his creation for people to find (and solve).  The ultimate prize?  His entire fortune, which is an insane amount of moola.  Of course, finding all the eggs (called “keys”) and divining the clues they provide is not easy, and to make things more interesting, they’re pitted against an evil soul-less tech conglomerate with bottomless resources that will do anything and stoop to any level in order to win.

 

Steven Spielberg managed to pull it off admirably.  The book is simply too detailed and had too many things going on in it to fit in a standard two-hour movie.  So Ernest Cline and screenwriter Zak Penn did what was necessary: keeping the bare bones of the plot and characters in the book, discarding most of the non-essential details and minutiae from the book, and redressing it with pop culture elements and things that a younger audience can appreciate.  Out are old-school D&D and obscure video game references.  ‘Blade Runner’ is replaced by ‘The Shining’ and Mobile Suit Gundam takes over for Ultraman in the battle against Mechagodzilla.  Even with these compromises, the movie is entertaining and enjoyable throughout its brisk two hours and 20 minute running time, so who am I to complain?

 

Grade: A-