Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One is set to make its way to cinemas tomorrow and the reviews are in. Across the board, the comments are generally favorable, with the overall consensus among critics that the film was a sight to see.
Based on Ernest Cline's 2011 novel, Spielberg's adaptation is full of pop culture references, graphics, and jam-packed with action. Set in the year 2045, the feature follows unlikely hero Wade Watts as he makes his way through a virtual reality universe dubbed OASIS. Whilst inside, Watts discovers clues to a hidden game within the program, which if he wins, means full ownership of the OASIS world.
Already, critics have been fulsome in their praise for the movie, lauding its special effects and nostalgic pop culture references. Clearly, it's a movie that all ages can enjoy.
With the film set to hit theaters, we've done a quick roundup of how critics are reacting to the movie below. Let us know in the comments if you plan on seeing it.
Some said the visuals were on point
Peter Travers, Rolling StoneFor those looking for Ready Player One to condemn the digi-verse as a destructive force against human connection, find another movie.
Chris Nashawaty, EWSpielberg, a master world-builder, has created two distinct realms in Ready Player One, the film seamlessy shifting between the candy-colored OASIS and the bleakness of reality.
Dan Caffrey, Consequence of SoundReady Player One invited us back into its glossy, comfortably nostalgic landscape — sound and all.
But a few thought the film was too long
Soren Anderson, Seattle TimesThe emphasis here is on the splashy spectacle with those insider-knowledge elements jammed together in a frenetic hodgepodge. Also, at two hours and 20 minutes, “Ready Player One” is just too darn long.
Michael 'O Sullivan, The Washington PostAt nearly 2 ½ hours, it’s a long, long film — feel less like watching a movie than like playing a video game — or, rather, like watching a video game over someone’s shoulder.
Roger Moore, Movie NationMy advice? Just go with it. But maybe after the buzz has worn off consider just how low the bar has been dropped on these Bollywood-length mass market confections, movies that go on and on because they have to give EVERYbody everyTHING that they want. And lots of it.
Others admired its references to pop culture
Brian Truitt, USA TodayIf you’ve ever wanted to see Hello Kitty and RoboCop in the same film, Spielberg’s got you covered. The abundance of references isn’t as egregious as it is in the book. Think of it as the Goldilocks and the Three Bears of nerdiness: Some might think there are too many, some might think there are too little, but really it’s just right.
Eric Henderson, Slant MagazineReady Player One is the feature-length equivalent of that scene in Luc Besson's The Fifth Element where Milla Jovovich's character visually shotguns the entire history of humankind in one sitting, only in this case it's mostly just the Wikipedia pages tagged 1980s and 1990s.
A.A. Dowd, AV Film ClubThink Second Life by way of Comic-Con, with every third user cosplaying as their favorite 1980s hero.
Ultimately the film was good but not quite great
Mick LaSalle, San Francisco ChronicleSome of the virtual scenes stretch on too long, and at over two hours, the movie has dull spots, or rather moments so relentlessly frenetic that they become boring. Still, it’s good to see Spielberg, at 71, still finding new forms of cinematic language with which to express his humanism.
Wenlie Ma, New.com.auReady Player One is vintage Spielberg — a noble hero with good intentions on a quest against the bad guy who just doesn’t get it. It’s fun, it’s entertaining and it’s good. It’s just not amazing.
Ready Player One hits cinemas March 29.
In other movie news, here's the crude new trailer for 'Deadpool 2.'
