Steven Spielberg's festival of 80s nostalgia may be better than Twitter expected.

Ready Player One premiered at the 2018 South by Southwest Film Festival to many praisals. Adapted by the legendary Spielberg from Ernest Cline's novel of the same name, this action flick follows Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) in a dystopian 2045 and his quest for the Easter Eggs left behind by geek-slash-inventor James Donovan Halliday (Mark Rylance), who created the virtual worlds of OASIS. Themes of bildungsroman and the freedom of expression against tyrannical corporations are prominent.

While riding on the recent trend of nostalgia evocation, Ready Player One was under scrutiny by skeptics due to its assumed gimmick and underwhelming promotional campaign. The screenings at SXSW Festival broke the ice and provided some signals of positivity.

Director Aaron Morgan assures Ready Player One has what we need from it:

READY PLAYER ONE is a big Trapper-Keeper stuffed full of smiles, Adventure, and heart.

I adore it.#sxsw

— Aaron Morgan (@Aaron_Morgan) March 12, 2018

Nick Johnston likes the movie more than the novel:

It’s the best Spielberg action since TINTIN, that’s for sure. Cast is good, the motivations are there beyond “I wanna get rich,” and the score is dope. See this early on in a packed house: it’s guaranteed to get a decent pop.

— Nick Johnston (@onlysaysficus) March 12, 2018

Fandago's Erik Davis can't compliment the movie enough:

#ReadyPlayerOne is classic Steven Spielberg. It’s got the references, the ferocious effects and the great ‘80s soundtrack, sure, but also the charm, the heart, the humor and a fantastic Alan Silvestri score. I loved it & so did this #SXSW crowd. Be excited for it! pic.twitter.com/xwPOGwXDxd

— ErikDavis (@ErikDavis) March 12, 2018

IndieWire's Eric Kohn praises Spielberg's visual scheme, comparing the movie to Luc Besson's recent sci-fi attempts like Valerian & the City of A Thousand Planets and The Extraordinary Adventures of Adèle Blanc-Sec

READY PLAYER ONE feels like Spielberg watched a ton of Luc Besson movies and decided to outdo them. In terms of pure spectacle, it’s the most astonishing thing he’s done. Never underestimate Steve. #SXSW

— erickohn (@erickohn) March 12, 2018

So yeah, I LOVED Ready Player One. It’s perhaps the geekiest movie ever made. So so so happy right now!

— Eric Vespe (@EricVespe) March 12, 2018

#ReadyPlayerOne is the most purely entertaining movie Spielberg has done in a long time, possibly since 'Minority Report.' #SXSW

— Ramin Setoodeh (@RaminSetoodeh) March 12, 2018

Well everyone relax, Ready Player One will indeed be the biggest thing in the world

— Emily Yoshida (@emilyyoshida) March 12, 2018

However, there are still opposite opinions:

#ReadyPlayerOne posits a corporate big wig who exploits fan culture for profit as its villain. The irony of that is giving me a headache. This is no love letter to pop culture. It’s a crass play to nostalgia; it offers nothing new or exciting.

— Kristy Puchko ➡️ SXSW (@KristyPuchko) March 12, 2018

It's good to hear that Ready Player One will see Spielberg return to form as the director of spectacular fun after a handful of serious drama films like Lincoln, Bridge of Spies, and The Post. This positive buzz is priming the movie for better opening result amid the hype and doubt for the 80s trend.

Source: as linked