Ready Player One

IN a world where people put on virtual reality headsets to escape reality, we are introduced to Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) who is looking to change his life.

The wonders of technology allows him to be Parzival in the Oasis, an endless virtual reality landscape created by James Halliday (Mark Rylance). If Wade wins a treasure hunting contest set up by James, he gets to take home cash and become the new owner of the Oasis. Ready Player One relies heavily on the sense of nostalgia and those who care about pop culture to get the story going. As the Oasis lets people take on different virtual personas, you can expect to see various characters like Batman, King Kong and The Iron Giant running about in the movie. Nothing is off-limits here as long as the copyright law allows it.

Along the way, Wade discovers that there is more to the contest than the prize. He meets new friends, understands what it means to lose someone and realises that there is a world beyond his headset. Ready Player One lets viewers explore a fantastical imaginary world, yet reminds them to never lose track of what really matters.

What makes Ready Player One stand out is how it strives to tell a message about reality.

The chances you don’t take in the real world and the people you let slip away are going to haunt you forever. Ready Player One wants you to pause the game sometimes and be there for those who need you. – Angelin Yeoh