Ready Player One : Review

In the not too distant future, humanity has weathered some dark times. Now they find fulfilment for their lives inside a virtual reality world known as The Oasis. But, when James Halliday / Anorak (Mark Rylance – Dunkirk), the creator of The Oasis dies, he leaves an easter egg inside this virtual world for all its users. The first person to pass three challenges, and collect three keys, will win his entire fortune and control of the world he has created.

Enter the High Five. A group of players, who like many others, take up the challenge to find solve the puzzles left by Halliday. The group is made up of several disparate characters, namely Parzival / Wade (Tye Sheridan – X-Men: ApocalypseScouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse), Art3mis / Samantha (Olivia Cooke), Aech / Helen (Lena Waithe), Daito (Win Morisaki), and Sho (Philip Zhao). 

Massive global conglomerate 101 has a huge army of players, and as a group are seeking the elusive easter egg, but victory for them is to come at any cost, even if they have to kill for it.

Ready Player One, is as much an escape from reality, as the artificial world it depicts. From the cinematic computer generated world of The Oasis, the fast paced scenes inside the VR world, to the drama back in the real world, to the barrage of pop culture references and icons, the film is a thrill ride of the most fun kind, and is sure to delight any audience member.

While fast paced, the story is engrossing. The drama of the real world, and the action of the computer generated one. Ready Player One is set to be a sure fire hit, appealing to different audiences on different levels, as it resonates with different viewers, through different layers.

Not many films include as many appealing aspects as Ready Player One, yet it’s one of those films one would seek to enjoy more than one, in the hopes of catching yet another pop culture reference, spotting a hidden gem on-screen, or merely to marvel once more at the worlds it reveals.

Read SAMDB’s Ready Player One Q&A.

Ready Player One opens 29 March 2018 in South African cinemas.

By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb