Frequency's concept was mildly intriguing in theaters, and it's mildly intriguing now, even with an extra layer or two of mushy TV - style goop on top of the story's
basic hokeyness.
There's the
occasional hokeyness; I could have done without the early scene of Max acting out a fantasy scenario where Spider - Man brings him a birthday cake, and the villainous Dr. Kafka was more than a little over-the-top for my taste.
Ready Player One is pure Spielberg: fun and slick and perfectly constructed, filled with melodrama, spiced with a bit of self -
aware hokeyness, and striving for relevance beyond mere entertainment.
But it takes shortcuts, indulging in a kind of
sepia hokeyness at times and at others in a darkness that is too schematic and easy, that relies on a villainy that's not quite believable.
Some hokeyness, but overall it's a fun ride to the end.
John Boyega and Daisy Ridley have a little bit of
the hokeyness of Luke Skywalker in the original, with their line delivery.