The thriller and fantasy film “Ready Player One,” released last Thursday, has been anticipated for months by video game fans from both the ‘80s and today. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the film leaves its audiences in awe.

The story is set in 2045, in a dystopia where a virtual reality game, called the OASIS, is used by people worldwide as an escape from the harsh realities of real life. When the well-known game’s creator James Halliday dies, he announces that he will give the ownership of the game to the first person who finds the hidden easter egg.

This is where protagonist Wade Watts, played by Tye Sheridan, comes in, searching for the fortune to relieve his family from financial struggles. But when a dangerous corporation starts to get involved in the hunt, Wade finds himself alongside a rebellion of experienced gamers in a battle for freedom both within the game and in real life.

“Ready Player One” was a jaw-dropping film that effectively wowed its audiences. Using motion capture animation techniques to bring these video game characters to life, this film was able to impress audiences in both worlds of reality and animation. With its action-packed moments and skilled actors, the film also successfully delivers a message about the overwhelming technology today.

Taking place just a few decades from now, this film depicts the near future as a dystopia where technology is used to distract society from reality. Though it was not the main focus of the film, this movie took an interesting stance on how swept up everyone seemed to be on technology.

However, there were some elements of this movie that brought down its overall experience. There was a plot hole in the government’s involvement throughout the movie. There was no sign of government or police until the very end of the movie where the antagonist was arrested. Before that, he and his company had already blown up homes and kidnapped people.

Not to mention its cheesy layout of the story, which had a disappointing and very predictable ending. There’s nothing surprising about the underdog protagonist winning over the desirable heroine after overcoming all odds with his team of loyal side characters. The story had the potential for an exciting ending, but instead chose the easy way out.

Looking past these flaws, however, “Ready Player One” was an exceptionally enjoyable film. It succeeded in presenting an exciting adventure for old and young audiences alike.