This film is something special. I went into this film expecting some half-assed film about VRchat, but what I didn’t expect is it to change how I viewed human interactions and intimacy. Humans are social beings. We want to touch, be touched… we want to talk and be listened to. Sharing experiences and making memories with others is what gives our life meaning. It is something innate and beautiful, and this film showcases a part of it beautifully.
The film is completely filmed inside the game VRchat. For those who don’t know, VRchat is a PC game in which you chat and hang out with other people inside a virtual reality. You can create your own avatar (character) and even build different worlds and spaces to hang out with your friends. The game itself is free, but you need a VR headset to experience it. As a result, the film has a terrible frame rate and stuttering problem which isn’t a blame on the film, but instead the game, which heavily relies on ones internet, so you’ll see a lot, and I mean a lot of jankiness and stuttering. But in a way I’m happy the film shows that, because it’s a way of acknowledging the game isn’t perfect, and we aren’t ready to go completely “ready player one” yet.
The film follows a few different communities inside VRchat, showcasing their daily doings, this ranges from an ASL learning community to a full on belly dancing community in VR (crazy right). Additionally there are personal interviews with key figures in the community, which in my opinion is what brings life into the lifeless avatars. There is a couple who fell in love in VR during the covid isolation, there’s another who occupies VRchat to escape their suicidal thoughts and another who uses VRChat to cope with the loss of a loved one. This film isn’t about the game, it’s about people. People who use this medium to connect with other people to fill the gaps of loneliness in their life.
As I play a lot of games, I’m used to big tiddy anime girls, inanimate objects and other crazy things in the virtual space. So it wasn’t hard for me to relate to these characters, but I understand if that aspect takes you out of your immersion. Again the stuttering and frame rate can be nauseating to some, whereas the whole virtual setting can be unrealistic to others. But for me, this film was a good reminder on one of the key aspects of being human. The people we share our lives with.
