Ready Player One : In a futuristic world where reality blurs with virtual realms, "Ready Player One" explores the essence of human connection and the significance of embracing reality amidst the allure of escapism.
1. Introduction
2. Synopsis
3. Memorable Scene
4. Review
5. Conclusion
Introduction
In the near future, where a virtual reality world becomes reality upon logging in, this blockbuster film is set in a world built on the concept of the Metaverse, the first to delve into the virtual reality realm. Unlike the gloomy real world depicted in the film, in the virtual reality, anyone can become any character and go anywhere, do anything, and everything imaginable is possible. It's a place where anything you imagine can come true, and it's called the 'OASIS.' This virtual reality platform is the future created by genius computer developer James Halliday. People around the world live their lives doing everything in the immensely popular OASIS. They dress up their game characters, participate in competitions within the game, visit libraries or cinemas to enjoy them as if they were real, and even meet various famous characters from movies, games, and comics in front of their eyes. Here, they can also meet friends, collect virtual currencies through mission completions in competitions, and sometimes even have items obtained in the game delivered to reality.
The buzzwords of the Fourth Industrial Revolution and the Metaverse have disappeared like fads. Now, what will the future world we will experience in the near future look like? While watching this movie, I was able to experience a world that I had vaguely imagined more concretely. Whether the world depicted in the film will be the same as reality or not, I believe it certainly provides a lot of inspiration for us living in the present.
Plot Summary
In the year 2045, humanity lives in a grim reality marked by economic collapse due to climate change, food shortages, and other crises. To find solace, people escape to the virtual reality world of the OASIS, where anything is possible. The protagonist, Wade, a teenager who idolizes 1980s pop culture and the OASIS' creator, Halliday, spends most of his time in the OASIS using his avatar Parzival.
One day, Halliday dies, leaving behind a will stating that whoever completes three challenges and collects three keys hidden within the OASIS will inherit its ownership and Halliday's fortune. This prompts people to flock to the OASIS in search of Halliday's hidden missions and keys. The IOI, a giant corporation that manufactures OASIS access gear, also mobilizes, aiming to seize control of Halliday's estate and the OASIS.
Wade discovers the hidden meaning behind Halliday's life philosophy and solves the first mission, uncovering clues unseen by others. As IOI becomes desperate to stop him and expose his identity, Wade, under his real name, becomes a target. He meets Samantha in the OASIS, and they discuss the second mission, but Wade's real-life identity is exposed, and he becomes a target of IOI. IOI destroys Wade's trailer home, and he is eventually kidnapped by a villain. Fortunately, the kidnappers turn out to be rebels led by Samantha.
Wade meets friends he enjoyed playing games with in the OASIS, such as H, Aech, and Shoto, in the real world, and together they solve the second mission. However, Samantha gets captured by IOI in the process.
With only the final mission remaining, IOI discovers hints of the mission first and deploys a force field on the planet Doom, making a full effort to obtain the final key. Wade and his friends rescue Samantha from IOI's captivity and successfully destroy the force field. They then engage in a final showdown with IOI on the planet Doom, alongside all OASIS users.
Ultimately, Wade completes the third mission and passes Halliday's final test, inheriting the OASIS and Halliday's legacy. He decides to manage the OASIS with his friends. Nolan Sorrento, who relentlessly pursued Wade, is arrested, and the movie ends with Wade and Samantha happily spending time together.
Memorable Scenes
As a science fiction film dealing with virtual reality, Ready Player One offers plenty of visually stunning scenes. One of the most memorable scenes for me is when the protagonist first logs into the virtual reality and explains to us viewers about the immersive world of the OASIS. The dazzling computer graphics portraying the virtual reality left me feeling enchanted, and I found myself imagining what it would be like to experience such a world in real life.
Another exhilarating scene is the epic battle towards the end of the movie, where various heroes rush into the battlefield to engage in an intense combat. Seeing beloved characters from games, movies, and comics fighting side by side on the same screen was thrilling, and I couldn't help but cheer inwardly whenever one of my favorite characters appeared. It's undoubtedly a visually spectacular movie that offers plenty of eye candy.
However, the scene I highly recommend is the very last scene of the movie. As Halliday hands over the final treasure to Wade, his restrained emotions and the villain's reaction to Wade's tears, transitioning from arrogance to realization as he gets arrested, were portrayed perfectly. It made me contemplate the idea that people aren't inherently evil, but circumstances often lead them down that path. The ending of the movie resonates with this sentiment.
As Wade Watts discovers the hidden treasure and receives it from Halliday, Halliday's poignant words accompanying the handover of the treasure leave a lasting impact.
"I realized then and there that reality is a scary and painful place, but at the same time, it's the only place where you can have a warm meal.
Because reality is real."
The quote by James Halliday, "I realized then and there that reality is a scary and painful place, but at the same time, it's the only place where you can have a warm meal. Because reality is real," lingered in my mind for a long time. It felt like a simple yet profound wisdom about life.
Review
My personal review after watching the movie is that it feels slightly cheesy, like a typical teenage drama, but it had enough entertainment value. With the advancement of virtual reality technology, in the "Oasis," you can do anything you want. Not only games, but you can also live your life however you wish. It's a world where you can dress up your avatar, eat, refuel your car, meet people, and even go on dates if you feel like it. How could you not be excited?
However, the story is very predictable and boring, filled with all sorts of clichés. The plot unfolds predictably, and there's nothing new in the development process. The protagonist's portrayal also follows the typical mold of a teenage hero. There's a lack of coherence in the story, and I couldn't empathize with many of the protagonist's emotional changes. Perhaps while making the movie, they focused too much on special effects and computer graphics, neglecting to solidify the story.
Nevertheless, I still think this movie is worth watching at least once. It's visually appealing. The movie features various pop culture characters with outstanding visual beauty and direction. Famous characters from movies, comics, and games make appearances. To name a few: Master Chief from Halo, Jim Raynor from StarCraft, Tracer from Overwatch, The Shining, the Back to the Future DeLorean, Akira, Batman, Iron Giant, Terminator, Chucky from Child's Play, Gundam, King Kong, Godzilla, T-Rex from Jurassic Park, Joker and Harley Quinn, Minecraft, Alien, and many more. Fans of these characters will cheer at their appearances throughout the movie.
On the other hand, this movie made me think about James Halliday, the founder of the platform that allows people to experience virtual reality. Halliday founded the company with his friend Morrow, but they eventually parted ways, leaving Halliday alone to run the company. Despite the tremendous growth of the Oasis, Halliday became even more lonely without anyone by his side. Halliday considered his decision to part ways with his friend as the biggest mistake of his life, and Wade, influenced by this, chooses to run Oasis jointly with his friends. Could even friends become enemies in fierce competition? Success is important, but if there's no one to share that success with, the joy won't last long, and emptiness will fill the void. It's a thought-provoking moment that makes you reconsider what true happiness really is.
And there's truly profound philosophy in this movie that's not just blockbuster-worthy.
"Reality is Real"
This line from Halliday in the latter part of the movie encapsulates the message of the film. It's not an exaggeration to say that this single line makes the movie a significant one in the history of cinema. In essence, it's about choosing reality over virtual reality. It's astonishing to find such heavy philosophical themes in a blockbuster, and it's even more remarkable how Spielberg handles this weighty topic with such finesse.
To be honest, my expectations and excitement were high, but I ended up feeling more disappointed than satisfied. Nevertheless, the visual delight and the seamless integration of numerous characters into the overarching narrative are a testament to Spielberg's directorial prowess. Could anyone else have achieved this feat besides Spielberg?
The ending of the movie may feel somewhat mundane and predictably moralistic, but it's a reminder that the movie was meant to be enjoyed. There was no need to expect plot twists or overwhelming emotions.
In the final scene, James Halliday in the Oasis says,
"Thank you for playing my game."
This line could very well be Spielberg's expression of gratitude to the countless audience members who cheered after watching his movies since E.T. It leaves me with a bittersweet feeling, different from being moved, as I reflect on the characters I grew up with, laughing and crying along with them. I'd like to express my gratitude to Spielberg for creating such a film, and I hope he continues to thrive and create more amazing works in the future.
Conclusion
Finishing the movie, I feel like I've watched a decent SF entertainment film. It definitely has its cheesy moments, reminiscent of a coming-of-age story for teenagers, and the predictable, implausible storyline is disappointing. However, it was still quite an impressive film, and I couldn't help but acknowledge Steven Spielberg's directorial prowess. As a commercial film for entertainment, it certainly has enough value to be worth watching. Moreover, for those who enjoy gaming in this era, I believe it would be even more immersive. Personally, as someone who doesn't particularly enjoy gaming, I couldn't relate to the scenes that elicited exclamations from others, but it was still quite captivating. Furthermore, pondering over the movie's underlying messages from time to time makes it even more enjoyable.
