Ready Player One


Ready Player One, there was a lot of excitement surrounding this movie! It is based on a book of the same name. I did not have the chance to see it until recently because I was reading the book and wanted to finish that first. As I finished the book, I became very eager to see how the movie would turn out. I heard overall good reviews for it, despite the fact that it was a book to movie adaptation. After watching it, I will say, the book is vastly more in-depth than the movie, but that is always expected. I highly recommend reading the book if you enjoyed the movie. The movie takes the essential plot points and details from the book and shapes them into a very entertaining film.

Ready Player One's story takes place in a near future society where everyone is obsessed with a virtual reality video game called the OASIS. The game is so much a part of society that children go to school through it, and adults go to work through it. Life has become so dreary that the average person spends the majority of their time in the OASIS. Suddenly though, when the creator of the OASIS (James Halliday) dies, everything changes. He leaves a challenge for all OASIS users. He hid an easter egg somewhere in the game, with clues to find it. Whoever solves the challenge and discovers the egg, gains Halliday's fortune and control over the OASIS. And so the hunt begins!

The movie was overall well reviewed by critics and audiences, receiving a 73% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 7.6 on IMDb. Everyone I asked about it said that it was a really fun movie oozing with pop-culture references and adventures galore.

Personally, I really enjoyed the movie! I was nervous at first because right away the story was different from the book. As I saw how they had tweaked the story as it continued to play out though, I liked how they adapted it. I absolutely recommend that if you liked the movie to read the book. I did my best not to compare the movie to the book for my rating of it. Looking at the film independently, I would give it a 7 out of 10. It was very entertaining, the special effects were pretty good, but the plot did feel a little rushed and brushed over at times. That may have been because, in the book, the story took place over a couple years rather than the much shorter time in the movie. If you're into movies, video games or pop culture, you'll definitely enjoy this movie!

There was one strong theme throughout the movie that I really liked. It came from a quote from James Halliday. He says: "I created the OASIS because I never felt at home in the real world. I just didn't know how to connect with people there. I was afraid for all my life, right up until the day I knew my life was ending. And that was when I realized that... as terrifying and painful as reality can be, it's also... the only place that... you can get a decent meal. Because reality... is real."

I love this quote because even though he is talking about a video game, he is totally right. Like those in the movie, we use different forms of entertainment as an escape from reality. And yes, reality can be scary and painful, but it is real. Life on earth is a gift from God, and though it is a world full of sin, even Christ has overcome it. John 16:33 reminds us "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." Not only has Christ overcome the world for us, Psalm 37:23-24 tells us "The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in Him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with His hand."

Life may be a trial at times, but God is by our side. He brings others into our lives to go through the journey with us. Ready Player One does a great job reminding us that what's real is what matters, no matter how painful and scary it may be. I recommend the movie to anyone who loves pop culture, enjoys a fun adventure, and a really neat and applicable message behind the story. If that's you, definitely check out Ready Player One! 

God bless! 😃
Austin

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