Sonic the Hedgehog 2 Movie Review: Furry, Fast and Fun

Written by Pony Princess. 

Sonic The Hedgehog 2 is released in Malaysian cinemas nationwide on the 21st of April 2022.

Growing up in the 90s, Sonic was my childhood. I became a devoted Sega fan ever since I was awestruck by the anthropomorphic blue speedy hedgehog who burst onto screen in full 16-bit pixel back in 1991. Sonic's immediate appeal compelled me to repeatedly play the game for countless hours.  Like any fan, I faithfully followed the blue blur as he continued to evolved into a modern look and hop to different gaming and media platforms and finally to the cinematic universe. 

Sonic 2's officially release date in North America was scheduled on the 2nd of April while the Malaysian release was about 2 weeks later. So I literally had to dodge spoilers that flooded social media and Sonic fan groups. Finally,  on 21st April 2022, Sonic 2  arrived in Malaysian cinemas with the famous duo to greet us on premiere day.

Sonic (and Tails now shown) are visiting GSC & TGV Cinemas this month. Check with local cinemas for schedule.

Sonic 2 the movie takes off after the first one where Sonic (Ben Schwartz) is now happily living under the same roof with Tom and Maddie Wachowski. (James Marsden and Tika Sumpter) He has become a sort of surrogate son to them, living a carefree life while secretly aspiring to emulate his heroes from comic books. However, his arch enemy Dr Robotnik (Jim Carrey) long thought to be banished in the mushroom planet has escaped and allied with another imposing alien creature in the form of Knuckles the Echidna.(Idris Elba) The evil doctor is now not only determined to get even with our blue friend but learned about the existence of a mysterious gem called the Chaos Emerald that is capable of infinite power. Coming to warn Sonic of the impending danger is another new yet familiar character to the Sonic universe in the form of an alien fox with twin tails called Miles Tails Prower. (Colleen O' Shaughnessy) Tails first made his appearance much to fan's delight during the previous movie's end credits. Together the duo with the help of their human friends must work together to put a stop to Dr. Robotnik's nefarious plans of taking over the world.   

An alternative poster of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 pays homage to the classic SEGAGenesis/Megadrive console Sonic game cover art (1992)

Directed by Jeff Fowler, Sonic 2 is even bigger, grander and just as cool as the first. The movie runs for two hours and two minutes (that makes it 2.2). 

The cast includes the wise cracking Ben Schwartz reprising his role as the movie's titular protagonist, Sonic the Hedgehog. From the get-go, Ben has injected his personality into the blue blur which brings greater character depth to Sonic who was previously a mascot gimmick designed to sell 16-bit game consoles to teenage kids. 

Ben Schwartz is the voice of Sonic the Hedgehog. His favourite Sonic game is the classic Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992)

Paramount's adaptation on Sonic has not only the hedgehog's cool attitude intact but enhanced with Ben's witty humour with comebacks dotted with pop culture references to keep both adults and children entertained. 

Children will find Sonic's impressionable, fun-loving and child-like nature particularly relatable. Fans of the game who are now all grown up or in their teens (depending on which generation of Sonic games they grew up with) will find the smirking hedgehog adorable with the familiar cool due with the attitude.

The biggest win to Sonic fans is of course the inclusion of Colleen O' Shaughnessy who reprised her role as Sonic's sidekick and BFF Miles Tails Prower. Since 2014, Colleen is THE original voice for the twin tailed fox from the Sonic games and animated series. Fans are ecstatic that they get to enjoy Colleen's performance on the big screen with the same kind of personality consistent with the original material. Colleen's debut is also a huge step forward for voice actors in general since it is rare for a voice actor involved with the original source material to get cast in a big-budget Hollywood film based on it. (Source: https://www.thegamer.com/sonic-movie-tails-cast-colleen-oshaughnessey/) 

Colleen O Shaughnessy is the only voice actor from the video game to reprise her role in the live action movie. She and Ben Schwartz coincidentally shares the same birthday too.

As they say, a good hero is only as good as its villain. Jim Carrey,  is back and is bigger with badder Robotnik antics and now spots the iconic bushy moustache from the games. While in the first movie, Carrey steals the spotlight with his larger than life, Jim Carrey-ness, this time he feels less dominating as if the directors are consciously making room for the new characters to shine in the movie universe. 

With Paramount confirming the upcoming sequel Sonic 3, fans are left pondering about Jim's involvement in the future since his announcement about retiring. 

His uncanny pairing with Knuckles the Echidna who is Sonic's arch nemesis from the game is not only a force to reckon with  but also opens up an avenue for more laughs as the tough but literal minded Knuckles adapts awkwardly to society and Earth's customs. Knuckles's adaptation to film is probably one of the best seen in the Sonic universe. No one in the Sonic fandom could predict that a celebrity like Idris Elba to become the voice of Knuckles. In the Sonic universe, Knuckles's image is not the most inconsistent to a point of being reduced to a buff jock archetype in a particular recent Sonic animated series. (Fans will know what I am talking about.)  

A tv-series spin off for Knuckles is in the works. 

Whatever it is, this echidna is in dire need of restoration. The film actually delivers this by solidiying original Knuckles tough nut personality, restoring the beloved character's canon status with Idris Elba delivering his role with finesse (albeit minus the sexiness) Knuckles is the yin to Sonic's yang so first time viewers with no context to Sonic from games will likely find a favourite in one or the other.

The settings and graphics in this movie is rich and varied. Sonic's adventure takes you from the city to tropical island of Hawaii to ancient ruins and snowy ice cap mountain peaks which creates a sense of an adventure of epic proportions. In that respect, it feels  like a strong nod to the Sonic games where the player guides Sonic across different exotic locations in pursuit of Dr. Robotnik. The movie's interpretation of technology with Dr. Robotnik's drones, gadgets and other high tech machinery adds a nice touch of sophistication and maturity to a franchise that is originally aimed at younger audiences. Dr Robotnik's slower, sleek and metal machinery contrasts nicely against the bright colour fur balls zipping across the screen. In the final showdown, the final boss in the form of Dr Robotnik's giant robot is a direct reference to the game from Sonic the Hedgehog 2. The interpretation on the silver screen is executed brilliantly, not looking like a jarring piece of cheesy mecha right off the games but a genuinely imposing and believable threat. 

You don't want to mess around with Doc.

One of the main highlights of the film are the characters whose  personalities are as bright as their alien fur. The relationship between best buddies Sonic and Tails are nothing short of endearing. While it was never explained how Tails met Sonic the games, the movie gives us an original spin on their meeting and took its time to introduce and build the growing friendship and bond. The youngest of the two, Tails comes across as uncertain and looks up to Sonic as big brother sort of figure. Sonic's gradual transitioning from an impulsive kid to a protective and caring brother figure just seems natural. There is definitely one scene or two that will leaves you feeling warm, fuzzy and frantically searching for fan art or fiction.  

Sonic and Tails sibling like relationship is heartwarming.

The introduction of Knuckles too was exceptionally well executed. Although admittedly my first impressions on Idris Elba was mixed. It was hard picturing the man known for commanding roles as the voice behind a furry echidna. Yet, it turns out that no nonsense, authoritative charisma synonymous with Idris Elba worked astonishingly well for Knuckles. The movie took its time to create a solid and believable relationship with Sonic which started off antagonistic and transitions into an empathic, genuine connection united by a common cause.

Pick your favourite. Sonic or Knuckles.

Putting the trio together creates a great balance of personalities and all the more engaging to follow. Sonic fans and gamers will no doubt be struck by the nostalgic rush when the three iconic characters fighting together side by side, a scene which reminiscent that of the 2008 game Sonic Heroes. 

A great balance of personalities in the hero shot. 

Unfortunately, the movie is not without its flaws. While the animated characters shine brightly, not much can be said about the human characters. Now the humans feels out-of-place as if they are squeezed into the story as a temporary respite or comic relief from the CGI characters. For one, Agent Stone (Lee Majdoup) may seem entertaining to some as Dr Robotnik's devoted lackey but personally, it did nothing for me. It feels like the director is still struggling to find a balance between the main characters and human companions. When it comes to the human side of the story, the movie just loses its momentum with mediocre characters. Aside from Tom and Maddie who is directly related to Sonic and the G.U.N. personnel that will be tied to Dr Robotnik and possibly in future sequel (hint, hint no spoilers), the rest falls flat. Considering the story direction, we will probably be seeing more human characters in the upcoming movie and hopefully by then, the writers are able to mesh them better into the story. The scene in Hawaii is supposedly meant to highlight some major events in the plot which is more light hearted in tone compared to the rest of the scenes. But its messy inclusion felt unnecessary long.  

We are just as confuse to why are you here in the story.

Overall, the whole premise of Sonic 2 the movie centers on the theme of what it means to be a hero, the importance of friends, family and team work.  Here the movie thoroughly  explores Sonic's vulnerabilities where he can get hurt, gets his face shoved into sand and is willing to accept help from his friends.

Audiences get to see Sonic growing as a character from the impulsive adrenaline hero wannabe to a thoughtful, caring figure with a strong desire to protect his friends and family. The film is able to deliver what the games could not by giving added depth to Sonic's purpose.

So is this movie cool enough to watch?

Sonic 2 the movie is hugely entertaining and fun to watch especially if you have a family with young kids. Its action packed, comedic content blend with heartwarming scenes and lovable characters with leave you with impressions that you can remember from the film long after you have watched it. The only downer are the people scenes that feels a bit long and stretches the film much more than necessary. 

The story has a solid plot to boot and with the trio strongly established, the story has potential expand beyond is original game source. Having said that, the movie already feels like its ready to launch away from the games and evolve into something far more original befitting the cinematic universe. A third sequel or Sonic 3 is confirmed to be in the works and fans can do what they know best and speculate. However, as Jeff Fowler is known to listen to fans and delivers what he promises, whatever creative direction he wish to take with Sonic, fans are definitely there to support.

Its a film that definitely delivers and lives up to fan expectations and more. For those who grew up with the game with plenty of easter eggs that will make you rewatch it just to spot them all. 

My only qualms about Sonic 2 the movie is not related to the film per say.  I observed that  this franchise despite its success in the box office worldwide is sorely lacking in merchandises that one can take home as a memorabilia long after the movie ended. For a newcomer movie franchise, there's understandably very little of on ground promotional activities, at least in Malaysia. 

To date, Sonic 2 the movie has made 246.8 million USD (over RM1 billion) worldwide and becoming a hit for Paramount. With this kind of success and with the numbers to boot, I hope in the upcoming movie, fans of Sonic or not we get to see the kind of hype and promotion that's often geared towards established existing super mega franchises. 

Sonic the Hedgehog 2 is now showing in Malaysian cinemas nationwide.

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog is copyright by SEGA and the movie rights with Paramount Pictures. Materials used in this article are for fan engagement only.

Sonic The Hedgehog Races into Cinemas & Your Hearts this Valentines Day

Written by Hayashiforest.

Back in the nineties... 

I was seven years old and shopping with my parents, when I found myself drawn to a television screen in a toy shop, like a moth to light. I was hypnotized by a speedy blue ball that jumps, dodges and whizzes around the screen with incredible speed. I barely blinked when the screen suddenly faded black and the words, SEGA emblazoned across the screen. An emblem titled, SONIC appeared together with a catchy jingle and a blue character popped up. It turned to look at me with a smirk and cheekily beckoned me to press Start. I was sold. I must get a Megadrive NOW! Daaaad!!! (For the record, my parents did not get me a Megadrive until I was older 3 years later.)

It was fate.

Like many fans who grew up with Sonic, he is more than just a childhood hero but a historical turning point that transitioned me from regular kid to geek. When fans learned that Sonic will be getting his own movie, reactions were mixed, to say the least. Video games that turned into movies never had a good rep in the box office. So stakes are definitely riding high especially when its Sonic that we are talking about. 

My humble Sonic collection

When the first Sonic the Hedgehog teaser trailer was released in 2019, things looked pretty rocky, if not already confirming the worst nightmares of the most ardent Sonic fans. However, more about that in a minute. The movie is now 100% complete and showing in cinemas this week.

If you are not already Sonic fan, here is a guide on the little blue hedgehog, before you speed off to the nearest cinemas. 

 Sonic the Hedgehog

Who is Sonic?

Sonic the Hedgehog is a video game franchise, pop culture icon and the official mascot of Sega Games Co Limited. He is the brainchild of three Japanese men who formed the Sonic Team in 1991. They are Yuji Naka the team leader and programmer, Naoto Ohshima the character designer and Hirokazu Yasuhara, the game level designer.

(L - R above) Yuji Naka, Hirokazu Yasuhara, Naoto Oshima and Takashii Iizuka.

(Below) The first Sonic the Hedgehog game released in 1991 for the Sega Genesis and Megadrive. The game successfully sold 15 million copies. 

Sonic was created for the sole purpose of competing with Nintendo's juggernaut, Super Mario. He made his debut in American shores as a cool character with spunk, attitude and speed. There was simply no comparison that Sonic was the cool kid that every young and impressionable gamer wanted to hang out with.  So, combining the brilliant design and Sega's aggressive marketing Sonic won the hearts of American gamers and set to established SEGA as a household brand. Sonic's career now boasts of more than sixty different games across platforms and is featured in comic books, cartoons, anime series, apparel, shoes, toys and food. 

Sonic the Hedgehog comics published by Archie Comics since 1992,
became the longest-running comic series based on a video game.
(2008, Guinness World Records)

Sonic had at least one animated movie released in 1996 as a two-episode OVA anime.
It was produced Studio Pierrot and directed by Kazutaka Ikegami.

Sonic first appeared in Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in 1993.
He is the first video game character to have a balloon in the parade,
trailblazing for other game characters in the future.

The Plot

The main story of Sonic the Hedgehog revolves around Sonic fighting against the mad evil scientist Dr. Ivo Robotnik who threatens to dominate the world using his robotic inventions.  In the Sonic games, Sonic will race through the levels in pursuit of Dr. Robotnik while avoiding obstacles or minion enemies (known as badniks) that lie in his way to stop him. The game culminates at the final boss level with Dr. Robotnik suited up in one of his mega deadly inventions, only to be defeated by the hedgehog, should the player win the game. 

There are many iterations to the story but anchors on Sonic who uses his incredible speed to fight for freedom against Dr. Robotnik. In some versions, the fight is seen as a metaphor of nature defending itself against the threat of industrialization.  

Sonic versus Dr. Ivo Robotnik (otherwise known as Dr. Eggman in Japan) 

Now that you know our hedgehog a little better, it's movie time! Here is everything about the movie that you need to know:

Quick Movie Facts

Sonic Movie Release Date (Malaysia): 13 February 2020

Directed by: Jeff Fowler

Cast: Ben Schwartz, Jim Carrey, James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Adam Pally, Neal McDonough

Writers: Patrick Casey, Josh Miller, Oren Uziel

And there were speedbumps...

When the very first Sonic movie trailer was first released on May the 1st last year, it caused a major ruckus for Sonic fans. He looks nothing like the Sonic we grew up with and was disturbing with the realistic rendition that includes a set of creepy human teeth. It was just a sad, sad day for the fans.

Left - Sonic from the first trailer.
Right - The improved design. 

Although now the past is behind us, you can still watch the old trailer below and judge it for yourself.

Thankfully, the rallying distressed cries were taken seriously by movie director Jeff Fowler who responded in a Tweet stating that they are fully committed to making the changes necessary to make Sonic look his best.

The result is a new trailer featuring a better looking Sonic that is more cartoonish and closer to the the "modern Sonic" design that fans are familiar with. Jeff delivered what he promised by engaging Sonic's redesigning efforts to Tyson Hesse, who was the artist behind the Archie Comics Sonic and introduction opening scene of the recent 2017 Sonic Mania game.

Check out Tyson Hesse's craft below:

The decision for Sonic's redesign took many by surprise and is well received given that the movie industry is dominated by conglomerate overlords who will simply overrule any form of fan community feedback.  The results truly speak for itself with the new trailer below.

Ben Schwartz as Sonic the Hedgehog

Playing the voice of our hero hedgehog is Ben Schwarzt who has done voice acting roles before including a voice consultant on Star Wars: The Force Awaken for BB-8. Better yet, Ben's a child of the 80s so he'd grew up playing the classic Sonic games citing Sonic the Hedgehog 2 as his favourite.

Jim Carrey as the mad, evil scientist Dr Ivo Robotnik

Jim Carrey will be playing Sonic's arch-enemy and villain Dr. Ivo Robotnik. A legendary comedic star of the nineties known for his major role as Stanley Ipkiss in The Mask (1994).  Expect Carrey's classic gags and stunts making us wonder what sort of Dr. Robotnik he will pull. Watch this featurette on him becoming Robotnik.

James Marsden as Tom Wachowski.

James Marsden (Cyclops from the original X-Men trilogy!) is Tom Wachowski, the town's sheriff who will also play a major role in the movie alongside our hedgehog friend. Other side casts include  Tika Sumpter, playing Wachowski's wife, Annie. Tom's friend Billy is played by Adam Pally and Neal McDonough (Arrow's Damien Darhk) is Major Bennington.

Official Synopsis

Based on the global blockbuster videogame franchise from SEGA, Sonic the hedgehog tells the story of the world's speediest hedgehog as he embraces his new home on Earth. In this live-action adventure comedy, Sonic and his new friend Tom (James Marsden) team up to defend the planet from the evil genius Dr Robotnik (Jim Carrey) and his plans for world domination.

The music of Sonic

Addictive and catchy music is the heart of all Sonic games. On YouTube, there are literally hundreds of remixes made by fans for every possible Sonic game out there. Paramount's Sonic the Hedgehog movie has made a tribute to that with an official Sonic tie-in song called Speed Me Up, by Wiz Khalifa, Ty Dolla $ign, Lil Yachty and Sueco the Child. 

Sonic the Hedgehog Promotional Goodies

There are some of Sonic movie goodies and freebies for grabs from our local cinemas. The movie officially screens from 13 February but there are still competitions open for those who don't want to feel left out.

TGV Cinemas - Family Friendly Special Screening.
For the Family.

TGV Cinemas has put together a special Family Friendly Special Screening with Sonic, complete with fun activities and goodie bags for the little ones. MovieClub Members are entitled to RM5 off for tickets!  So mark your calendars  this weekend 15& 16 February 2020 and bring your little ones along. Get more information and tickets to TGV's special Family Friendly Screening here. TGV MovieClub members also stand a chance to win official Sonic the Hedgehog movie merchandise through their Facebook Page contest (ending 20 February).

Exclusive Sonic the Hedgehog Movie Merchandises up for grabs!

UIP Malaysia & LFS Cinemas are offering some exclusive Sonic the Hedgehog movie merchandise that only a fan can drool at. Competition goes on until the 19 February. So try your luck by checking out the LFS Facebook page.

Sonic Merchandises Galore
If you want a piece of Sonic to bring home with you, drop by H&M for some cool Sonic designed shirts!

Cool and trendy designs!

H&M has some of the best designs I've ever seen especially the black Sonic shirt with the pixel sprite Sonic running on the sleeves. While the male side has more variety, ladies need not be disappointed. For the girls, there's a white hoodie featuring the original pairing, Sonic and Tails, and bonus! There's Amy Rose the Hedgehog! Classic Sonic fans will recognise this design of Amy from the Sonic CD game where she made her debut in 1993.

A Sonic CD classic!

Win a H&M Gift Card worth 500 and MORE Sonic merchandises

If that's not enough to whet your appetites, H&M also has a contest for the hardcore fans. Just purchase any Sonic item from the store, scan the QR code, and tell them why you want to win. It's that easy! Find out how at H&M here Facebook page.

Non-Spoiler Movie Review

I attended the Movie Premiere at TGV 1 Utama all dressed up like a Sonic Super Fan (wig, ears, gloves, the works) and was genuinely excited.  I chucked all my Sonic baggage out of the door and was anticipating a good ride. Fair to say that I was pleasantly entertained and had my moments of fan glee whenever a cleverly inserted Sonic easter egg pop up in the movie. It's a feel-good movie where both non-fans and fans alike can enjoy. 

Well for fans, it really depends on how anal you are as a Sonic fan. But for me, taking the movie as it is, I find it unexpectedly delightful and charming. I particularly enjoyed the new Sonic design and his mix of attitude and screen personality truly shine. I am somewhat uncertain with Dr. Ivo Robotnik and Jim Carrey's interpretation of the evil scientist. In classic Jim Carrey style, he's put an original twist on the villain in ways I could not possibly imagine as a Sonic fan which is not necessarily a bad thing. James Marsden as Tom the sheriff is likeable throughout and the chemistry between him and the hedgehog adorable.

I will recommend anyone to watch Sonic if you are in for something lighthearted, heartwarming and not too heavy in plot or action. It is a character-driven movie that focuses on establishing Sonic as a solid and relatable character that is not all about attitude but heart as well. The writers definitely know their direction with the hedgehog and his potential to push boundaries beyond the point of no return.

A quick reminder, to stay during the movie credits!

Check out other reviews by The Verge, and IGN. Sonic The Hedgehog is now showing in Malaysian cinemas nationwide.

Sonic's gonna keep on running!
Art by: Rei Hayashi

Disclaimer: Sonic the Hedgehog and associated trademarks are copyright to Sega, referenced here for fan service purposes only without intent to infringe.

Players get ready to enter The Oasis – watcha need to know about READY PLAYER ONE

The ultimate video game inspired movie of the year is about to be uploaded into cinemas worldwide this week. From filmmaker Steven Spielberg comes the action adventure READY PLAYER ONE based on Ernest Cline’s bestseller of the same name, which has become a worldwide phenomenon.

Movie Synopsis:

In the year 2045, the real world is a harsh place.  The only time Wade Watts truly feels alive is when he escapes to the OASIS, an immersive virtual universe where most of humanity spends their days.  In the OASIS, you can go anywhere, do anything, be anyone—the only limits are your own imagination.  The OASIS was created by the brilliant and eccentric James Halliday, who left his immense fortune and total control of the Oasis to the winner of a three-part contest he designed to find a worthy heir.  When Wade conquers the first challenge of the reality-bending treasure hunt, he and his friends—aka the High Five—are hurled into a fantastical universe of discovery and danger to save the OASIS.

Tye Sheridan (X-Men: Apocalypse) as Wade Watts. Copyright: 2017 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Three-time Oscar winner Spielberg (Schindler’s List [director & picture], and Saving Private Ryan [director]) directed the film from a screenplay by Zak Penn and Ernest Cline, based on the novel by Cline, which has spent more than 100 weeks on the The New York Times Best Sellers list and recently shot to #1.  READY PLAYER ONE stars Tye Sheridan (X-Men: Apocalypse) as lead protagonist Wade Watts with Olivia Cooke as Art3mis, Ben Mendelsohn (Rogue One – A Star Wars Story) as main antagonist Sorrento, T.J. Miller (Deadpool) as I-R0k, Simon Pegg (Star Trek,  Mission: Impossible) as Ogden Morrow and Oscar winner Mark Rylance (Dunkirk) as James Halliday.

Wade Watts alter-ego Parzival in The OASIS. Copyright: 2017 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Hear from Steven Spielberg himself and the cast of READY PLAYER ONE in this behind-the-scenes IMAX featurette:

It is certainly no secret that geek pop culture references are aplenty in this movie, drawn from classic video games over the last 30 years like Streetfighter and Overwatch as well as cult movies of like Back to the Future and The Shining. In the movie this is explained as OASIS creator's James Halliday's fascination with the 1980's when video games were born and conception of the internet. Find out more about Halliday and the dystopian future of READY PLAYER ONE at www.jointhequest.io as well as play some retro video games via the web.

Yes, that's the DeLorean time-machine from Back To The Future serving as Parzival's ride in The OASIS. Copyright: 2017 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Outpost Productions managed to catch an early screening of READY PLAYER ONE in Malaysia. Here are reactions immediately after the movie:

READY PLAYER ONE opens nationwide at Malaysian cinemas on 29 March with advance screenings starting the night before. Follow the official Facebook Page Ready Player One Movie for latest updates as well as locally on Warner Bros. Pictures Malaysia.

Also thanks to the nice folks at Warner Bros. Pictures Malaysia, we are giving away Preview Tickets for Ready Player One screening at GSC Mid Valley on Tuesday 27 March, 8.45pm. Check at the bottom of this post for instructions on how to win a pair of tickets.

For the first time ever, Outpost Productions is posting here trilingual movie reviews thanks to contributing writers Carolyn Hai (English), Ezli Qamari (Malay) and Micho Teh (Chinese):

MOVIE REVIEW by Carolyn Hai ( StarFyr3z )

Are you a fan of hunting for easter eggs in movies? Not literally the chocolate ones, the Easter egg in this context can be an intentional inside joke, hidden message or image, or secret feature of a movie or video game. Whether or not you are a fan of easter egg hunting, READY PLAYER ONE is the movie for you!

Anorak's Quest for all players to find the ultimate prize: an Easter Egg that would bequeath the winner control of the OASIS and immense wealth.

Wade Watts (Gamer Tag, Parzival) is one of many Gunters, gamer slang for egg hunters, caught in an extremely dangerous adventure, one that might even cost him his life in the real world when competing against the “evil” mega-corporation Innovative Online Industries, or IOI of short (not to be confused with Malaysia's IOI Corporation).

That's NOT a Xenomorph egg in the background! it's the ultimate Easter Egg.

I went in without expectations much from the movie. I wasn’t attracted the trailer, the poster (above) gave me the impression that I wouldn’t like the movie and the name wasn’t even catchy. So when I got the opportunity to watch READY PLAYER ONE, I was treated to an endless stream of adventure through the various virtual realms and enjoyed nearly every moment of it (except for the slightly horror part lah, since I am terrified of anything to do with horror in general). The poster (especially) didn’t do much justice for the movie at all!

The moment they introduced us to the OASIS, I was quickly enchanted by the beauty and the endless possibilities of that virtual reality universe, something I wish that we will definitely be getting by the time we reach 2045. The Possibilities. Are. Endless. From fully customized avatars to traveling through different worlds of various themes, I really felt like I belonged there. The contrast between reality and virtual was very clearly distinguished, and it made a lot of sense why the people in the movie would treat the OASIS as a sanctuary from reality.

Ben Mendelsohn swaps his Imperial uniform for a corporate suit as Nolan Sorrento, CEO of Innovation Online Industries. Copyright: 2017 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

The cast were also fantastic, especially the main antagonist Nolan Sorrento, CEO of IOI. To simply put it without spoiling anything, every action and every decision made by the characters felt like they have been carefully analyzed, all the way up to the flaws of being human.

If you have not watched the movies or played the games featured in this movie, like me, fear not! You will still be able to follow the main story line as they made sure to include helpful scenes, conversations and characters to help you stay on track.

The movie also subtly highlighted the dos and don’ts of dealing with people in virtual reality, sending a very strong message across to create awareness to the audience about the dangers of virtual reality. As a casual gamer, I could relate to some of the things mentioned, having experienced it first hand before (and guilty for some).

The Iron Giant stomps into action in The OASIS battlegrounds. Copyright: 2017 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

For a movie focusing on a global scale easter egg hunt, they included many characters and references from games and movies for your hunting pleasure, especially if you are a hardcore gamer or movie enthusiast.  According to an interview, the production team spent three years getting all the legal rights for all the characters featured so I am pretty sure you will at least find some that you know in here. Amongst some that were spotted were Tracer from Overwatch, Lara Croft from Tomb Raider (ED: catch her prequel movie still in showing in cinemas), Chun Li & Ryu from Street Fighter, King Kong and the T-rex of Jurassic Park. I swear that there was a laugh that came from Plant vs Zombies in the last leg of the film. Maybe you could help me confirm that easter egg when you check it out in cinemas ;)

Happy Easter egg hunting and may the force be with you *wink*

== / ==

ULASAN FILEM oleh Ezli Qamari

Sinopsis:

Pada tahun 2045, akibat kesempitan hidup ramai yang memilih hidup dalam dunia virtual dari dunia sebenar. OASIS adalah tempat untuk melarikan diri dari realiti yang dicipta oleh James Halliday (Mark Rylance). Setelah kematiannya, Halliday meninggalkan seluruh harta melalui pertandingan dunia virtual untuk mencari 'Easter Egg'. Apabila Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) menjadi juara pada pertandingan pertama, dia diburu Nolan Sorrento yang tamak mahu menjadi juara dan merampas harta Halliday.

Berapa kali kita keluar pawagam selepas menonton filem berdasarkan game/komik/novel/sejarah dan mendengar hujah “Kau kena baca/main dulu baru faham cerita ni”. Persoalan timbul, kenapa perlu reference tambahan untuk menguatkan cerita sedia ada? Kenapa filem itu tidak boleh berdiri dengan sendiri?

Persoalan itu dijawab dengan baik oleh Steven Spielberg dalam satu babak dalam filem, watak Aech (Lena Waithe) memasuki dunia filem yang dia langsung tak tahu sebelum ini tetapi apa yang  dihadapi, walaupun pengalamannya menakutkan, dia menempuhinya dan membantu rakannya mencari klu penting. Anda tak perlu jadi ulat buku, kaki game atau pakar sejarah untuk menghargai READY PLAYER ONE.

Spielberg kembali kepada root asal dalam pengarahan seperti filem-filemnya awalnya seperti Jaws, Indiana Jones dan Back To The Future. Bukan mengarah untuk memenangi Oscar, bukan untuk pecah kutipan Box-office, tetapi mengarah sekadar menjadi penglipulara menghiburkan penonton sambil berseronok dalam proses pembikinannya. Secara bijaknya dalam filem ini Spielberg berjaya membahagi masa secara seimbang dunia virtual dan dunia realiti supaya penonton tidak rasa bosan.

Penulis novel asal Ernest Cline bertugas sebagai Penulis Layar untuk filem.

Satu lagi aspek penting kejayaan filem ini ialah penglibatan penulis novel asalnya, Ernest Cline bersama Zak Penn sebagai Penulis Layar. Jika mahu dibandingkan dengan novel, banyak elemen berat yang susah difahami oleh penonton 30 tahun ke bawah seperti lagu Discovery (1976) oleh kumpulan Rush atau pun reference filem Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975). Ia telah diganti dengan reference baru dan lebih dikenali ramai sebagai contoh karakter dari game Overwatch.

Pemilihan pelakon terbahagi kepada 2 kategori: pelakon baru Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cooke, Lena Waithe, Philip Zhao dan Win Morisaki dan pelakon veteran Mark Rylance, Simon Pegg dan Ben Mendelsohn. Kemudian mereka perlu dibahagikan kepada 2 lagi kategori, sebagai watak dunia realiti dan watak dunia maya. Identiti seimbang dalam 2 dunia dibawa dengan baik oleh setiap karakter walaupun menggunakan motion capture sehinggakan watak yang mempunyai screentime sedikit seperti Shoto, Daito dan Aech sangat memorable. Hanya watak F'Nale lakonan Hannah John-Kamen saja yang agak mengecewakan.

Watak Art3mis (Olivia Cooke) dalam dunia virtual OASIS. Copyright: 2017 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc.

Akhir kata, READY PLAYER ONE adalah salah satu karya terbaik Spielberg setelah sekian lama yang bukan sahaja bersandar pada easter egg, reference dan nostalgia semata-mata tetapi mempunyai elemen perjuangan, kesaksaman, cinta, kekeluargaan dan persahabatan diselang-seli dengan visual dan muzik yang memukau.

Rating:

== / ==

《头号玩家》影评 (by Micho Teh 咪啾)

作为大导演史蒂文·斯皮尔伯格(Steven Spielberg)的粉丝，本来就会期待他的任何新作。更何况数月前《头号玩家》(READY PLAYER ONE)发表的预告片里我们看见男女主角穿梭在众多叫人怀念的电影及游戏名作的角色人海里，立刻让大家对这个充满彩蛋文化的虚拟世界设定眼前一亮。虽然我没看过小说原著，却不受控制地幻想其电影里无限的好玩和可能性：究竟还有什么不一样却叫人熟悉的经典角色会出现？电影原创和异空间的角色们又要如何在这个虚拟环境里共处并交流甚至比赛打斗？就这样抱着各种期待踏入了电影院想要理个清楚，观后果真没失望，整个人好想立刻抓着谁来讨论刚才看到的画面与其后的背景，内涵，情绪。

《头号玩家》讲述着未来世界里面临着温室效应，人口爆发等居多问题都没得到解决，导致现实社会世界都令人失望，而天才游戏创作人詹姆斯·哈利迪(James Halliday)所创造的“绿洲”(OASIS – Ontologically Anthropocentric Sensory Immersive Simulation 全沉浸式虚拟现实感官模拟游戏)允许众人以廉价的方式在虚幻的世界里以自己渴望的身份过上梦寐以求的好生活。男主角韦德·沃兹(Wade Watts)双亲在他年幼时就去世，他只好寄住姑姑和她暴力男友的屋檐下过着不堪的日子，和许多贫民区的住户一样，他每天的娱乐也就仅存于绿洲里所给予的“做美梦的自由”。当然“绿洲”里不全是玩乐的设定，当中也包含着会让任何玩家失去一切的危险游戏关卡，可不少勇士还是会想尽办法踏上战场想要赚些虚拟金币来升级，买装备等。

在“绿洲”创始人哈利迪临终前，他给全世界人宣布视频信息说明他在游戏里隐藏了三道彩蛋关卡，谁人能闯关成功获得隐藏钥匙就可以获取高额遗产和整个“绿洲”的掌控权。这样诱人的奖励不止让所有玩家踊跃挑战，更是造就了设法掌控“绿洲”及社会未来的大反派科技巨头 – IOI组织，当中的组织管理者诺兰更是阴险狡猾，不惜拿出各种卑鄙手段追求获胜。

在哈利迪去世五年后，一直无人破解第一关卡。然而机缘下，有着超强游戏天赋的韦德·沃兹利用自身游戏角色帕西瓦尔(Parzival)挑战第一关卡时靠着对哈利迪的深度了解和日复一日的研究，成功破解了了第一关卡的彩蛋谜题获得了第一把铜钥匙，这样的成就让他瞬间在虚拟世界里爆红成了个大名人荣登第一名排行榜。这样的轰动变化也给帕西瓦尔迎来了两世界里的杀身之祸，所幸他身边有着四位彩蛋猎人同志 – 让帕西瓦尔一见钟情的实力玩家和网络主播阿尔忒密斯(Art3mis)，“绿洲”最好的机械师好友艾奇(Aech)，“绿洲五强”(High Five)里的日本兄弟武士大东(Daito)和忍者修(Sho)及时出手相助。在彼此的扶持下，他们决定要破解哈利迪剩余的彩蛋关卡，并且阻止IOI组织终极垄断自由互联网权的阴谋。

《头号玩家》导演史蒂文·斯皮尔伯格一直以来就特别喜欢和擅长导演狗熊到英雄的演变故事，这次的电影也是打造在同样的情节概念上 – 电影里我们可以看见男主角韦德·沃兹在现社会里不过无存在感的宅男极客一名，有着悲惨过去，活在贫困的现在，放眼未来也只见不变的普通。但看似再平凡没用的人也会有能动摇世界的力量，极客韦德这个不合群特尴尬之弱点也意外成了他的优势，因为他比任何人更能理解“绿洲”创始人詹姆斯·哈利迪脑海里的思绪，毕竟两人都是在现实里找不到属于自己地位的大孩子。游戏玩家总会说：知己知彼百战百胜，摸清了也是游戏极客哈利迪的脑子后，韦德推断得出哈利迪会设下的彩蛋概念，和想要表达的心声，再透过同伴的帮忙，大家突破重重难关拿下了最后的胜利。

打着科幻爆米花片的名头的《头号玩家》，里头的场景却让我们不觉得陌生遥远，可能是VR技术的画面确实在现实里慢慢普及化，加上现今社会里的人民时时流连于虚拟网站和真实的界限中，那种“无非逃避现实里的哀败，寻求虚拟的慰籍和发泄欲望”的概念容易让人产生无限联想。

虽然电影情节中规中矩，也没有震撼人心的结尾，却也实实在在，让观众可以更好地把注意力放在作者和导演想要传达的主要思想内涵：要反思现代科技网络所带给我们的不仅是方便美好，不要一味的逃避现况然后沉陷下去忘了现实才是人生的终点，再后悔没能及时活在当下和珍惜身边人。电影里可看见众人利用游戏世界里的资源打造出自己想要成为的“完美”，这不就和我们在社交网络上给自己空间里投资大量时间打卡发帖上“照骗”打造出自己的美好虚拟形象和世界，再期待可以借此活得更好和渴望被接纳崇拜的概念蛮相似吗？《头号玩家》里的人文关怀提醒着大众：“虽然现实如此可怕和叫人痛苦，但它也是唯一能找寻真正的快乐的地方。”我们终究是活在现实，勿忘时时提醒自己不要过分沉迷于虚拟世界，忽略了现实里也要“升级”自己并完成人生里的现实关卡和任务。

观赏《头号玩家》后心里只有满满的感动 – 许多人的电影游戏回忆以彩蛋方式重现荧幕，极客爱好被认真对待。《头号玩家》提供另一个角度去正面看待本来只属于小众人群的“极客文化”。在急速发展的科技社会里，它慢慢地演变成大众语言。曾经被看低的，现在可能不止被接纳了，甚至被崇拜着。毕竟电影里和现实里都让我们目睹不少羞涩古怪的宅宅极客可能就是改善和打造未来的人才，或许了解他们也能帮助大家更精准判断未来社会和主流文化的走向。

而我作为一个几乎沉迷游戏的极客宅女，在看见哈利迪对韦德说“谢谢你玩我的游戏”时，潸然泪下。在当下，我们理解的彩蛋是一个游戏制作者将自己灵魂，爱和谢意埋藏于作品里的一种形式，所以当玩家们特地研究破解出这些被隐藏起来的彩蛋和享受游戏全程，这就是给予游戏制作者最深刻的回应和致敬。原著作者恩斯特‧克萊恩(Ernest Cline)和导演史蒂文·斯皮尔伯格完美地记录了两方都是那么的需要和崇拜彼此的情景。或许这就是为什么我会特别有感触，毕竟我万万没想到会在虚构情节里，反映出我能理解的真实。

长话短说，对于《头号玩家》这电影，单刷是不够的。 至少对我们这批极客粉丝而言，起码要刷到能看清楚电影里头所有堆叠的彩蛋吧？哈哈，开玩笑的...吧？

== / ==

Here are a few more opinions about READY PLAYER ONE from gamers and geeks from the local ACG community and movie fans during a Special Screening with Outpost Productions thanks to Warner Bros. Pictures Malaysia:

Now for a chance to win a pair of tickets to our READY PLAYER ONE movie preview screening, just follow these steps:
1. SHARE our post for this blog article on our Facebook Page here.
2. COMMENT in the Facebook post why you want to watch READY PLAYER ONE.
3. TAG a Facebook friend in your comment and include the hashtags #ReadyPlayerOneMY and #OutpostGiveaway.
4. Fill-up the Google Form below with your contact details so we can quickly notify you upon selection of winners.

Contest closes on Monday 26 March 2018 at 3.00pm and subject to the Terms and Conditions below.



Terms and Conditions for Movie Preview Screening contest:

• Participation only for residents in Malaysia able to attend the Movie Preview Screening on Tuesday 27 March 2018, 8.45pm at GSC Mid Valley Megamall.
• Only 1 entry per person. Multiple entries after the first entry will be automatically rejected.
• Qualified entries must fulfill the participation requirements as indicated above.
• Selection of winners from qualified submissions will be solely at our discretion.
• Winners will be contacted by Monday 26 March, 11.59pm to RSVP attendance. It is the winners' own responsibility to respond accordingly to redemption instructions given.
• We reserve the right to revise these terms and conditions at any time without prior notice.

GUNDAM

TRACER

DELOREAN

KING KONG

THE IRON GIANT

SO many Geek-Gasm moments!

READY PLAYER ONE 

is in our 

Top Ten MUST-WATCH Geek Pop Culture movies 

for this year.

Enter the OASIS from 29 March 2018.

#ReadyPlayerOneMY

Disclaimer: READY PLAYER ONE and associated trademarks are copyright to Ernest Cline and/or Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., referenced here for fan service announcements only without intent to infringe.