- Ever wondered what the world would be like without Spielberg? No Spielberg means no Indy, no ET, no Jaws, and no Jurassic Park. - Wow, that'd be a great void in cinema.
- But wait, he didn't only direct movies, he produced a ton too. -Really?
So, no Spielberg, means no Back to the Future, no Roger Rabbit, no Gremlins, no American Tail, no Land before Time, no Men in Black, no Pinky and the Brain, no Shrek, no Madagascar, no Kung Fu Panda, no How to Train your Dragon...
-I don't care!
But there's more! Because you can't even imagine how many filmmakers have been inspired by his career. So, no Ridley Scott, no James Cameron, no Chris Nolan, no David Fincher, no Peter Jackson...
- Enough! I get it! Do you want me to get nightmares too, now? No Peter Jackson means no Lord of the Rings, which mans no Andy Serkis, which means No Planet of the Apes! That's too sad.
As you see, we would have lost a lot without this big-screen wizard. But what happens when the symbol of 80's and 90's blockbusters adapts a book packed with references to his very own movies? Let's find out.
Nice one.
Ready Player One is a Sci-Fi novel written by Ernest Cline and set in the 2040s. It's the story of young loner Wade Watts who spends his days connected to the Oasis - a MMORPG
– it's prononced 'meuporg'.
Connected to a 'meuporg' in Virtual Reality,  along with almost everyone else on the planet.
When the creator of the Oasis dies, Wade learns that he had hidden an Easter Egg in the game, and whoever finds it first will take control of the Chocolate Factory...
Sorry, I meant the Oasis...
You got the young rebels against the evil government and I'll just let you guess who's gonna win.
I really liked the nihilistic tone of the book and its realistic portrayal of our future society. It's a chilling world you don't wanna live in. There's war, natural ressources have been used up, people are starving and live packed like sardins in slum areas.
- Not the kind of place where you get up early to jog around the block.
Of course and this is why people spend so much of their life connected to the Oasis. Not to join some online community, but to escape their miserable and depressing reality.
But by spending so much time in the virtual world, they're disconnecting themselves from what is real. This is clearly a cautionary tale because this future doesn't seem that far away...
Unfortunately, the movie has been toned-down for a younger audience, with major plot points that have been removed entirely. As such, the stakes feel much less important.
There's barely any mention of online addiction. And apart from a few piles of trailers and graffitis here and there, 2045 looks rather bland. From the director of gripping sci-fi thrillers such as these, I was expecting more memorable visuals.
In the book, the bad guys from IOI – the evil corporation who wants to rule the world –
are  cold, methodical and will do anything to get rid of the competition.
In the movie, IOI should have been called LOL, because the bad guys are fumbling around like idiots and they always end up losing against a bunch of inexperienced teens.
I can already hear you. 'It's because RPO wants to recapture this light-hearted tone of 80's classics'. And... you'd be right
The bad guy even comes taken straight from a John Hugues movie, like The Breakfast Club or Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
Still, RPO would have been much better if it had stayed closer to the book. The bleak narrative has been replaced in favor of a cliche story. The movie often feels dull and key moments don't even feel that rewarding.
I know that the writer of the novel worked on the screenplay as well, but I'm not sure how much he had to say about it. It might even have happened this way...
Thankfully, this is a Spielberg movie through and through. It's well-shot, well-framed and some moments clearly benefit from his experience of master story-teller.
Especially the hall of memories and the spectacular car chase that reminded me so much of Motorstorm.
But the movie peaks too early and the movie ends with a run-of-the mill army brawl – and once again in the snow!
What's with Hollywood these days? You give them complete freedom ('white card') to create never-seen-before futuristic worlds and they always take it literally.
It makes me mad to see so much more originality in shows like Rick and Morty or Gravity Falls, than in a 2h20 blockbuster that is supposed to push the limits of your imagination.
Just like the book, RPO is jam-packed with references to movies, games, anime and 80's pop culture. If you're a fan, you'll have a blast with all the 'Where's Waldo?' easter eggs.
-Look, the T-Rex! Freddy Krueger! Here, Robocop! Here, Akira's bike! With so many Easter Eggs, I get it now why the movie came out for Easter.
What did I say wrong this time?
But actually, most of them only show up for a second and their presence is barely relevant at all. Blink and you'll miss them.
So, RPO offers some fun visuals, but it's nothing more than a shallow pop-corn flick. It relies too much on nostalgia alone, and nostalgia can be quite dangerous because it's essentially based on emotions.
Producers who can exploit these emotions can easily attract a target audience and get filthy rich without making any effort. Ever wondered why we're getting flooded with so many remakes, reboots, and nostalgia-based TV shows?
If these modern 'visions' where worthy of their models, why not. But they're most often... what's the word?
MEDIOCRE !
Thanks
I can't wait for this trend of nostalgia-based movies to die off.
From one of the best filmmakers of all times and such a fascinating novel, I was expecting a far superior movie. Get rid of all the Easter Eggs, you'll be left with a predictable script that more often than not misses the point of the book.
But I won't say I didn't have any fun at all, especially when Spielberg is playing with the Dolorean like a 10 year-old kid. And if you know me, you know I love Back to the Future.
So, just for that, I'm glad I saw it on the big screen.
At last, I'm sure that after the movie, you'll likely talk about it with friends and families to ask who's understood which reference. And sharing the experience is also the reason why we go to the movies, isn't it?
If you liked the movie, I recommend the book (the French translation is awesome). It's an easy and compelling read, like some good old Harry Potter.
Finally, here's a list of movies to watch if you liked this one. I hope you enjoyed the video. Like, comment and subscribe to support my channel. See you !
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
