very odd mix

Rating: 2/10 (15 May 2018)

If I didn't know who the director was here, I would have guessed it was someone who was really influenced by Spielberg, but trying really hard to make sense of the current technological world we live in. However, knowing it IS Spielberg, it seems that he's trying depserately to reclaim his 80s glory here by shoving every possible pop culture reference in to this completely silly film. It seems that he's lost his touch and is out of touch with the world as it is today.
One wonders who the audience was intended to be with this film? 98% of the pop culture references are from the 70s/80s/90s, so I can't imagine anyone under 20 enjoying this film or even knowing what is being discussed half the time. I know that my 16 year old son could care less about 80s pop culture (outside of a few films he's seen, he surely didn't know what the hell went on in this film!). So, was Spielberg aiming at his own generation? Himself?
Then there is the plot.. if you cal lit that. It's another simplistic "find some treasure and save the world along the way" deal that you would expect from Spielberg. But, watered down a lot. One can really see potential here; say, if Cronenberg directed, or someone younger. Plenty of commentary and opportunity to try to set people on the right track. Instead, Spielberg glosses over the commentary stuff and never really digs too deep. A lot of "Black Mirror"-like moments are played for light laughs rather than the grim horror they really are.
Yet, even as a "light" entertainment piece, it's scattered everywhere. Again, the audience won't "get" many of the references and only then be looking for real drama or action to grip onto. Instead, we get faux video game action that is about as exciting as watching Spielberg dressed up as a teen trying to fit in by playing XBOX: you are passive and wish to be interactive, or at least passively watching something you can care about.