August Keller

@WritesAugust

A cool premise can only take a film so far. At first glance, Ready Player One has all the potential to be a franchise-starting movie with its large-scale world building and plethora of pop culture references. Unfortunately, Steven Spielberg’s newest work falls a bit flat due to a multitude of shortcomings in key aspects of the film. The most glaring issues are in a script, which feels like common fanfiction centered around a forgettable protagonist. Meanwhile, the direction, production design & editing of Ready Player One are all satisfactorily executed but with enough inattention that the experience sometimes feels like an afterthought.

The famous Spielberg touch does show up at the tail end of Ready Player One but, at that point, it feels almost jarring. This inconsistent vision is a huge detriment to a movie based around such a stylish premise. Ultimately, there are enough cool moments and adequate techniques that should have most viewers calling Ready Player One passable. However, its unfocused and generic vibe will leave many audience members feeling sneaking disappointment.

Writing: 5/10

Direction: 6/10

Cinematography: 7/10

Acting: 6/10

Editing: 6/10

Sound: 7/10

Score/Soundtrack: 8/10

Production Design: 6/10

Casting: 7/10

Effects: 8/10

Overall Score: 6.6/10