Strange that a man in his 70's chose to direct this adaptation, but I guess if one person could bring it to life and do it justice, it's the master of childhood magic such as Spielberg. So to his credit, it looks great. But the writing, specifically the teenage dialogue, is cringeworthy. And if that's how it was presented in the book, then I'm relieved I didn't bother picking it up when it was the flavor of the year.

I think at 40 I'm just too old for this type of virtual reality gaming stuff. This was basically Lord of the Rings in a twisted VR adventure. I was okay with most of the 'reality' bits, but bored with the avatar VR segments. 1 Star for Effects + 1 Star for Ben Mendelsohn, merely for being the only likeable face on my screen throughout the duration. And that's all the stars I have to spare for this 2-hour-something game quest.

P.S. The thing about growing up in the 80's, is not that I long for endless 80's references to put a smile on my face. All I need is that 80's aesthetic to take me back to nostalgia-land. But playing some Dura Duran and cruising in a Back 2 The Future Delorean doesn't quite make the cut.