Didn't know it was adapted from a novel. Should've known... Movies are rarely as good as the novel. Did Spielberg even read the book? Did someone read it to him? Maybe Tom Hanks skype/read to him at bedtime? Ridley Scott should direct everything.

A very fun and exciting film to watch, the opening sequence and the first major challenge that the characters face (a race) is quite probably the best part of the film, roughly the first hour. The music and sound effects are extraordinary, as are the special effects, indeed most of the film is in the form of special effects, including the characters. The opening monologue gives a lot of important information, and the and the film tends to be strongly plot driven. Even the broader philosophical issue of gaming and VR versus real reality and it social consequences is very interesting.

Visually, it's just stunning. Truly an "High Tech" movie, not only in content, but in execution. You have to see it to believe it, and even then, you may not believe what you see. The process from creative concepts-to-digital creation is fabulous.

What's also stunning is that it's based on a first novel by Ernest Cline. Bidding war! Rights sold to Warner Bros! Producer/Director says, "write the screenplay!" So he does. Paperback goes into 17 printings. Then Cline writes his second novel. Universal Pictures buys the rights. His take: "It's surreal." You said it. The man's a multi-millionaire.

Most stunning of all--because without him, we wouldn't have this movie, or, if we did, it wouldn't nearly be this spectacular--the producer/Director is no whiz-kid Millennial. He's an "old man" in his 70s--Steven Spielberg. He's been dropping jaws since his first feature, Duel, back in 1971. He was still doing it, when he made Ready Player One, 47 years (!) later.

Downside: it's based on a fad-and-fashion premise--everything 80s", from Goonies and Chucky to Duran Duran apparel styles. Which means that, as time goes on (hey, maybe even today!) a lot of younger viewers won't "get" the in-jokes. But, maybe it won't matter...

This is the blu ray to get--don't skip the bonus materials. See how Spielberg and team did both sight and sound. And be amazed.

Pure perfection. Sigh on current video games hobbled by technology & imagination.
Yes, it differed from the book by quest being more general for general public than obscure for the geeks.

I love science fiction movies. I thought it was as enjoyable as the Star War movies when they came out. I am not a video game player.

Fantastic movie, I love the fact that they push the idea of disconnecting from the game to remember to live life outside of the world of fantasy.

The visual effects is rather unpleasant, especially the racing part, not pretty, not enjoyable, it is way too fast, too much light, it can cause headache. The plot isn’t great as well, as it is all over the place.

This is one of two movies I can think of which are better than their corresponding book (the other example is "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children"), and it's for the same reason in both cases - one of the best filmmakers in Hollywood history, adapting the promising-but-flawed first novel of a brand-new author. The radical degree to which the story is changed for cinematic purposes makes it barely recognizable, but if taken on its own merits, it is fairly excellent, with most of its mild failings coming from the same Easter-egg overload that makes it awesome the rest of the time. Eager to see it again.

None of that old Spielberg magic.

This movie was a pleasant surprise - (**I have not read the book so don't know how it compares!) Even for a non-gamer like myself I found it quite entertaining. It is an interesting story centering around virtual reality in the future (that I really hope the world is not like that 30 years from now!) with lots of throw-backs (music / movies etc) that the non-millennials will get. Recommended for 12 and up.