REVIEW: READY PLAYER ONE

3.5/5

Ready. Steady. GO See This Movie!

140 Mins. Starring: Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Ben Mendelsohn, T.J. Miller, Simon Pegg & Mark Rylance. Director: Steven Speilberg.

Player One ready? This is Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory for the gamer generation Charlie. Cracking open the ultimate egg this Easter, with even more hatching from something that is no hollow shell on the hunt for more pop culture references than you can shake a joystick at. And who better to turn Ernest Cline's groundbreaking, game changing novel idea from page to screen in earnest by the thrown away rule book than the most famous name on the back of all directors chairs, Steven Speilberg? The man who made classic cinema that changed and inspired the industry and the way we watch and make movies like 'Jaws', 'E.T.' and 'Jurassic Park' may make outstanding Oscar drama these days like 'Lincoln', 'Bridge Of Spies' and this years 'Post' with Meryl Streep and Tom Hanks, but the big kid in him can still get behind the camera for a 'Super 8' every now and then. And that's when the real timeless, magic happens on a nostalgic trip down memory lane from the celluoid to the game movies like this didn't just change...but made as original as they are out of this world. Let alone movie theatre. And out of all the Easter Eggs in all the films in this Marvel world you have to love the production crew of this movie trying to sneak in some Speilberg snippets from the ark of a nixed 'Schindlers List' book, to one that did make the cut as much as the not moviestar like modesty of Steven not wanting his own movies to take away from the popping cinematic culture bursting through this blockbuster. Like Batman, the Iron Giant or more we just don't want to spoil (is that the bike from 'Tron' in the greatest, Tokyo neon like cinematic canvas of 3D since Disney's 'Legacy'? No! It's the Japanese bike from cult, acclaimed anime, 'Akira') like when you have to fake your face in reaction to a secret spilled surprise party. So before you blow the candles out just make sure you know there's even bigger monsters from lost worlds scaling the Empire State Building and slapping away speed racers like biplanes on a "Great Scott", Delorean car chase for a key in New York City. From the checkered flag of the Brooklyn Bridge to the Central Park finish line. On your marks. Get set. Are you ready?

'Jaws' was a book. 'Jurassic Park' was a book. And now with 'Ready Player One' Steven Speilberg gives us his most amazing adaptation and dynamic direction of what makes movies movies since when dinosaurs ruled the earth. This Pacman guzzling blockbuster and beater is his new banner moment, top score, high five. Type his name back into the top rank. Because everything else looks like it was directed by noobs compared to this. The rest of cinema is camping out for the spare change spilled from all the gold coins shooting out of this amazing arcade as classic as Atari and as pop art history homaged as '2049''s blade running neon symbol spotlight commercial for geek culture. This movie has everything even a British butler escort to your favourite haunted hotel and room request...just ask Jeeves...and don't take the bloody elevator. This Easters treasure hunt for subtly layed eggs in the VR El Dorado of the OASIS is a wonderwall and wheel of 'Back To The Future' 80's culture, that doesn't take a day off like Ferris. Making even 'Stranger Things' look...well...ordinary. And speaking of those Goonies the hook of this cult picture has to start with a McFly kid pumping up his hoverboard floating vicarious courage like Reebok sneakers. And who better for to don the virtual reality goggles than X-Men's Cyclops himself Tye Sheridan as the Peter Parker name like Wade Watts? Plugged in and about to show real red eye vision in this (now next) years burning 'Dark Phoenix' rise. The young Sheridan has been growing on screen ever since he was a child actor in Terrence Malik and Jessica Chastain's breakout picture 'The Tree Of Life' as Brad Pitt's son. Aswell as the coming of age 'Joe' with Nicholas Cage and from the dirt 'Mud' moment with Matthew McConaughey. But now this is Tye's time even if most of the time he's more vocal in the form of his avatar that looks as video vivid as that blue planet of Cameron's creation, which is referenced here in an abyss of hidden gems before it's own trilogy of sequels. Sheridan is sheer youth in nostalgic revolt brilliance the moment he opens his apocalypse, dystopian favela stacked trailer doors as commanding as Michael B. Jordan's Killmonger on his breakout, breakthrough scene in 'Black Panther'. Another Marvel this super kid is a shy hero, hiding behind a screen like us all in this digital day and age, but still with first person control.

Shooting for the same stars in this multiplayer are even more avatars looking to one up. Just like 'Me, Earl and the Dying Girl' and 'Limehouse Golem' star Olivia Cooke who is a rising Lily Collins or James like actress of the future and here puts on a brilliant digital disguise like her characters birthmark that makes acting Cooke's childhood made birthright. And how about King George VI, 'Darkest Hour', 'Dark Knight' and 'The Place Beyond The Pines' star Ben Mendelsohn? The 'Rogue One' Aussie rules as the villains villain and the classic character actor of 'Star Wars', 'Killing Them Softly', 'Black Sea', 'Slow West' and 'Exodus: Gods and Kings' versatile veteran fame doesn't disappoint as a creepy, slimy suit, big bad who puts the "weed" in d###weed. And he has plenty of good guy gunning ammunition in his arms with the voice and avatar of 'Deadpool's best friend T.J. Miller by his henchman side. Complete with a skeletal frame that actually looks like he hasn't missed a meal...this hour. It's a good job there's more Speilberg vets in best supporting actor support, aswell as 'Shaun Of The Dead' and 'Star Trek' Scottie, Great Brit nerd hero Simon Pegg who seems to have taken a Hollywood 'Mission: Impossible' and pegged himself into every other movie franchise in the blockbuster industry. But appearing somewhere between a 'Big' 80's dressed, 'Space Invading' man-child and the lead singer of The Cure (soundtrack scores high too by the way, you kids are gonna love it!), an unrecognisable, but always reliable Mark Rylance is undeniable as the sweet, shy, 'Boys Don't Cry' master builder of this 8-bit block by block universe. The Oscar winning 'Bride Of Spies' actor who also took on the C.G.I. mantle of the 'BFG' in the wake of late legend Robin Williams' death reunites with Spielberg for a lucky third time. One that sees him take on a Gandalf 'guise once he's in the mainframe of his own reality and escape from the real world. And that's the type of computer game theme for the controller one generation that seeks solace and even online solidarity in the headsets and headspace of living through a CPU. Whatever gives you identity gives you life, but after awhile it's time to put down the stick and the V.R. schtick and see what you're really made of. After all the confidence and problem solving you've been given in those strategy games was in you all along and can be applied to the real world too. Just as long as the only thing that you beat 'em up are your problems and not the people that cause 'em. You always have another life. Time to make your own nostalgia kid. Ready? K.O. TIM DAVID HARVEY.

Further Filming: Every film you still love as much as you did growing up...