On rewatch, I have expounded thoughts on why I think this will be reevaluated from those who initially dismissed it. Truth be told, some of it gets pretty messy in its execution of narrative especially in the third act. But I think the heart of this movie is about being tethered to nostalgia to provide comfort in a cold, post capital hellscape. So much so that VR gaming is basically the only enterprise left.

I could get into some of the eye roll worthy inclusions this decided to roll with, but those elements have been talked to death already (the instant encyclopedic knowledge, goofy romance set up, limited world building, etc.) Spielberg has always been a significant image maker and he immediately zeroes in on Columbus, Ohio containing gray, urban towers of homes stacked on top of each other. The film's spirit might not be crushing, but seeing these people all live vicariously through their gaming systems because the real world sucks too much feels even more prescient at the moment. Something else that struck me was the commodification of entertainment as means of industry survival, how corporations have streamlined art as content as a means to an end.

Now of course, this being a movie designed to appeal to all ages, Spielberg doesn't go too dark. But you can see it always lying at the fringes of this adventure romp and the fact that he doesn't further explore it to its fullest extent is both fascinating and sometimes disappointing. Even consider James Halliday, his own stand in as someone whose contribution to pop culture is so invaluable that it's basically the only existing form of it left, just getting used again and again with no original IP being created anymore. Halliday is also the film's melancholic, nearly Christ like figure who is worshipped by users of The Oasis, revealed early on to be a reclusive, socially stunted man that had only his things to keep company instead of people that mattered to him. And that's a tale older than time, one that can  be investigated here just enough to spark some discussion in relation to the way we live right now instead of Cinema-Sins level gripes that, while sometimes fair, discount the immersion and ride of it all. Also, this is a fun popcorn trip even with its extra levels of corny- this is from the guy whose sentiment runs deep through his veins. Will be curious to see people come around again to this once he's gone someday.