A sci-fi action film directed by Steven Spielberg, who has worked on many masterpieces. Based on the best-selling science fiction novel “Game Wars,” the film has a love for video games and 80s culture, and this subplot can be felt throughout the film.

I want to enter the world of games and play as I wish. If you like games, you must have thought of such a fantasy at least once. Ready Player 1 takes you to the world where VR equipment realizes this fantasy in just 10 minutes.

The VR world was appealing and fascinating with its carefully crafted images and fast-paced direction. The gap between the exciting feeling of diving into a dream world different from the real world just by putting on the goggles and the real world, where you feel a sense of entrapment, is also a good contrast.

This kind of VR world is a mixture of various other works, such as Star Wars-like Master, King Kong, Mechagodzilla, Gundam, etc. (What about the copyrights? (I was worried about the copyrights.) I was very impressed with Gundam. The author feels that the Gundam was very well done and was made by fans.

A simple storyline makes the work accessible to all.

The story is straightforward: James Halliday, the founder of Oasis, a VR world, said in his will that the player who wins an “Easter egg” hidden in the game will receive ownership of Oasis and $500 billion. The main focus is the battle between the protagonists, players called “gunters” in search of such a prize, the egg, and the large corporation “IOI Inc.

The conflict structure between the protagonists and the adversaries is easy to understand. The movie moves along at a good tempo, allowing the audience to enjoy it without stress. Although the running time is relatively long, at 2 hours and 20 minutes, it passes in a flash. The film is an entertainment work that can be enjoyed by everyone, even those who are not familiar with games or movies. Of course, knowing the game and the film is more enjoyable.

A live-action version of a game lover’s dream for the whole world.

As the film opens, the main character, Wade, looking like a dull geek, slips through a deserted residential neighborhood shortly, activates his battery, dons gloves, puts on goggles, and activates the Oasis. The film then switches from the dreary real world to the beautiful game world, where the protagonist transforms from his dull appearance into an avatar, making us long for a future like this to come soon.

In addition, the film is littered with homages to various movies and animated films.

Minecraft appears at the film’s beginning, and the car Wade rides in the race scene is a DeLorean from “Back to the Future. The heroine, Artemis, also appears on Kaneda’s motorcycle from “Akira!

And the final battle, Mechagodzilla vs. Gundam, is so impressive that I was surprised they even went this far. I’m going with the Gundam!” I’m going with the Gundam!” I’m sure many of you were moved by this line.

The high degree of freedom and the fact that you can even become the character of your dreams makes you want to exclaim, “This is the best game ever! I want to exclaim, “This is the best game ever! The number of hidden gimmicks is enormous, with IGN, the world’s largest gaming and entertainment media outlet, reporting that there were 138.

Dedicated visual expression and Spielberg’s composition

Spielberg said in an interview, “It was like shooting four different movies at the same time,” indicating that it was challenging.

To create an attractive space, we created an avatar of the director and put on actual goggles. We worked out the detailed modeling while experiencing the space and shooting with a VR camera.

Tye Sheridan, who plays Wade, was asked in an interview, “What was the hardest part of filming?” He said that he rehearsed for two weeks before going into production. The scenes in the real world were shot on film to create a contrast with the VR world, which is entirely made of computer graphics.

Make the mistake of using CG with too much attention to detail. You can end up with an image with too much information, which is excellent. Still, you need help understanding what is happening in the film. Spielberg’s specialty is to place the main characters in the center and convey information to the viewer by skillfully guiding the viewer’s gaze. This technique, which he has cultivated over the years, invites us into the fascinating world of the Oasis.

Only the last is disappointing.

It would be a spoiler, but let me mention the last scene.

I have no complaints about the royal development and the powerful visuals of the protagonists, who were losers at the end, triumphing over the big company.

However, after getting to the Oasis, Wade narrates, “I took Tuesdays and Thursdays off from the Oasis,” and the end rolls with a kiss from Samantha. The final scene reminded me of my boyhood when I was told to “stop playing games all the time,” as if I had been doused with cold water. It would have been better to end with a scene of friends having fun playing together or a dinner scene. The message may be that because there is reality, we can enjoy games, but as an audience member, I would have liked the film to linger a little longer.

Although I felt the story and characters were opportunistic, the film is a highly satisfying and exhilarating work of entertainment, so I recommend it to game and animation lovers.

In addition, plans have been announced to launch “The Readyverse,” a metaverse where you can enjoy the world of Oasis on January 5, 2024, and the day may soon come when you can wear goggles and enjoy Oasis as if it were a movie.

Readyverse Studios

A dynamic, interactive platform of interconnected digital experiences. Multi-world, multi-IP, interoperable open metaverse. Coming 2024.

There are many opportunistic points, such as the main characters’ ability to quickly meet each other even though the game is supposed to be played worldwide and the specialized team of a large corporation’s inability to solve the mystery even after several years of work.

However, you should be OK with such details and enjoy this movie with an empty head, knowing that you are watching a movie to enjoy the powerful images and the excitement of the VR world.