Another expensive, noble misfire from the Beard, "Ready Player One" is a CG blitz of Easter Eggs fueled by an aggressive need to scratch every possible nostalgic itch you can possibly have instead of wanting to do so with characters or a story worth truly investing in.
The story itself is derivative, taking several chapters from "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" to unspool a messy, soulless film from the one filmmaker best known for giving his movies beating hearts. It feels like "anyone" could have directed this movie — "A Film By Competently-Executed Pre Viz" feels like a more apt credit. And no one should walk into a Spielberg effort feeling anyone could have been at the helm but him.
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