I know. Every movie does not tell the full story of a book.
But when I watched the trailers, I already saw that the movie was far, faaaaar away from the book.
Now I watched the movie and my worst fears became reality.
What is left over from the book:
The title
Names of the characters (except for Shoto)
That it is about an Easter egg hunt in the OASIS.
More or less the concept of the OASIS.
The colors of the keys and gates incl. the points you get for the gates.
That Aech is driving a truck.
Wade has his rig (but not the one from the movie) in a scrapyard truck.
IOI is evil.
Everyone else is good.
What was left out:
About everything what you liked from the book, like Wargames, Dungeons and Dragons, Rush, Joust, in fact every arcade game, Pac Man, ...
What is different from the book:
Everything!
This movie is created for an audience younger than 20 years, who has no idea about the 80s or would understand any references from that time.
To be clear, the whole OASIS is not only 80s, but the Easter egg hunt is.
Also the deaths that happen in the book were removed to have the young audience not to be confronted with the harsh methods from IOI.
All characters are and behave totally differently.
Aech is in the book a badass who knows his stuff, not that whiney character in the movie.
Wade is a kid who has no money, IRL and in the OASIS, so no DeLorean from the start.
He starts the hunt with a level 1 sword, shield and leather body armor.
Art3mis is a chubby girl (would have been great to see that in the movie). So why is Spielberg putting his money on a skinny girl? Great move to give the one chance away to put some self-esteem in non-perfect people.
I-R0k is a stupid looser in the book, not that super strong headhunter.
Really? IOI employees applaud when Wade opens the final gate?!
The 80s references used in the movie have nothing in common with the ones from the book.
But not always the obvious 80s references are the best ones, there are many hidden treasures in the book.
Mr. Spielberg, learn something from Marvel, they used "Lake Shore Drive" in the soundtrack... think about it.
A great movie might have really started an 80s nostalgia boost. But you killed it.
What was stolen from other movies:
The OASIS simulation inside the OASIS simulation, from Inception.
The place around the castle with the lava and high voltage bursts, from Star Wars III.
Rig suits, strongly inspired by Tron Legacy.
I-R0k made like a very cheap Boba-Fett-headhunter-copy, again Star Wars.
Iron Giant raising the thumb while melting in the lava, from Terminator II - Judgement day (when was that? right 1991).
In conclusion:
Mr. Spielberg, you are old enough, you have enough money. Please retire. You lost it long ago.
Maybe you can write a children's book, and watch it getting ripped to pieces by some amateur director, who makes a movie from your book.
For the viewers:
If you loved the book. Stay far away from that movie. Never ever watch it.
You will only scream in frustration, like I did.
If you have not read the book and you have 2.5 hrs and the money to spare, you can watch it. Maybe you will enjoy it.
But as many others wrote, it is a straight forward plot, cheesy scenes, mediocre story, lame jokes.
I don't know how they kept Ernest Cline quiet. It must have either involved a lot of money or threatening him to sue. How else would you silently watch how your hard work gets so destroyed.
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