Original subtitles

The government's lame.

And my folks are insane, man.

Till they shut down your brain.

This life is all pain.

But you know what?

At least the stuff on the tube is emotional lube.

Yeah, but it brainwashes me to consume all I see.

Yeah.

Consume, losers!

Donny! Donny! Donny!

Donny! Donny! Donny!

Donny! Donny! Donny!

Wicked set, Donny.

Donny! Donny! Donny!

Donny, please give me your autograph.

You can sign me anywhere you want.

Killer show, Donny. You hear that crowd?

They love you. Here, sign these contracts.

The two label execs were literally fighting over

who got to sign you.

And that was before they heard your new disc went deca-plat.

Hi, Donny.

Huh?

What? No.

Rise and shine, Donny. Time to pay the Piper.

Please, put me back in. It hurts out here. Please!

Now, now. Love like that doesn't come cheap.

You want more, you know what you have to do.

Rough night?

Aren't they all?

Maybe you need someone out there with you.

You could do worse, you know.

Forget it.

Why should you have all the fun?

Max, it's not fun.

What? Flying, intrigue, power?

Yeah, you're right. It's a drag.

Couple of creds?

Spare some creds?

Get a 30's, Greg.

I tried asking nice!

I got a problem. It's with Max.

The girl? What?

Well, she wants to get more involved.

Over my dead body.

And if you think you're gonna overrule me on this...

Will you relax? I feel the same way you do, for once.

But she's been a big help to me. How do I tell her no?

You're asking me for advice on handling women?

Ah. I see your point. One sec.

I think that's Donny Grasso.

Who?

Kid from school, ran away last week.

Guess he didn't run far.

Give back the bag.

It doesn't go with your shoes.

Get away from me.

Wouldn't bother.

I'm stronger than I look.

What is he, nuts?

[yelpingl.

That's all I could do. Batman was after me.

Please, hook me up again, just... just for a little while.

I promise I'll get more later.

Yes, Donny, you will.

Now come, your fans are waiting.

I'm really glad you decided to ask me out, Wendell.

I didn't think managers could date employees.

We can't. I could lose my promotion for this.

But I couldn't help myself any longer, Jessie.

You're wonderful. The way you pour the freezie cones,

always with that beautiful smile.

Jessie...

Yes?

They're making me central manager for lower-mid-downtown.

Yes?

And I want you to marry me.

Oh, Wendell.

Wonderful.

On your feet.

I'll put you back in once you run some errands.

First, dump this mess across town.

Then find me some new recruits.

Most of them have turned up in hospitals

with overdose levels of serotonin in their brains.

They're comatose, but stable.

And they were all runaways?

That's why I thought of it when you mentioned your friend Donny.

Except he's not comatose.

Not yet, anyway.

Don't forget,

I'm only bringing you 'cause you said you know Donny's parents.

So don't get any ideas.

When you see how I handle this,

you're gonna be beggin' me to help you.

Hmm. The Grasses never were big on home security.

Mr. Grasso. Mrs. Grasso.

Looks like they're not big on cleaning, either.

Donny's world.

A used cred card.

What do you want?

Mrs. Grasso.

- Who are you? - I'm Max, Donny's friend.

- You remember me, don't you? - No.

Donny ain't here, so get out.

Wait.

Have you seen Donny?

Did he want something from his room?

Quiet, Elaine. We don't care.

Don, please.

Get back in the kitchen.

You know many times the cops brought him home

and told us we just had to show me some more TLC?

A lot they know!

We tried everything with that kid.

And now we're done trying.

If you do know where he is, tell him don't come back!

Nothing like a visit to Donny's

to make me appreciate my own mom and dad.

I know what you mean.

Now let's see where Donny was spending his creds.

Vroom?

VR Room.

It's an arcade downtown.

Donny was spending his creds escaping reality.

Can't imagine why.

- Hover VR? - Pretty schway. Huh?

Total freedom of movement, total sensory immersion.

Latest gen.

Think this is what's frying kids' brains?

Come on, Ter, if it was dangerous, you think they'd let kids do it?

Anyway, we're here to investigate, aren't we?

I'm here to investigate,

you had your chance with Donny's parents,

and you blew it.

Yeah, but I got us here, didn't I?

Tell you what, I'll do some background research.

On Doom Racer.

- Max? - Kip.

Haven't seen your face around.

It's been behind a pair of VR specs.

Here?

Not likely. There's this new VR.

Gives you the realest real ever.

It feels like love all over you.

- Yeah? - I could take you, if you want.

- Can I bring a friend? - The more, the merrier.

I think I got something.

There's this new kind of VR.

I made us an appointment.

Great. Except there's no us.

It's just me from here on, remember?

Oh, come on, Terry.

Do I detect reluctance?

I'm telling you, it's too dangerous.

Dangerous? It's just VR. How could it be dangerous?

Why don't you ask Donny?

Look, if you don't wanna come, just say so.

Max doesn't need a chaperone, do you?

Uh, no. I guess not.

Then it's settled.

Let's go.

Max, I don't think this is a good idea.

I'll call you later, Terry. I will.

Max!

You don't know what you're missing, McGinnis.

Yeah. Spellbinder hooks us up real good.

Spellbinder?

Hey!

Where did they go? Where?

Oh, you're home, Maxine.

How was your particle physics test today?

- Another 100. - That's our girl.

Fixed your cycle for you, sweetheart.

You shouldn't hear that rattle anymore.

Thanks, Dad.

Guys, there's gonna be this ceremony at school this weekend.

I'm being inducted into a national honor society.

I know it's tough, but it'd be great if you could all make it.

- Of course we'll be there. - That's great.

- Aren't you being silly? - We're all so proud of you.

To feel the love you never get in the real world.

It's no surprise that addiction follows so quickly.

Max, what are you doing?

Go away. You wouldn't understand.

I understand Spellbinder's got you hooked

- and you're stealing for him. - So what?

So keep at it, and you'll end up a veg.

Listen to me.

You don't have clue how good it feels, Terry.

Everybody wants you in there.

And the second you're back out here,

your whole body hurts for more.

I just wanna get back inside.

It's an addiction, Max.

He's messed up your brain chemistry.

Come on, let me help you.

If you wanna help me so much,

then leave me alone. Let go of me!

Ahh!

The couch will be fine, James.

Your whole family lives here?

Whole family is just me and my sister most of the time.

The folks split up when I was a kid.

And Mom's on the road a lot for work.

I guess you and I both have our secrets.

Except mine seems kind of pathetic right now.

Hey, at least you don't have to wear tights.

Speaking of secrets, I gotta call the guy.

Then you'll take me back to Spellbinder?

It's me. Yeah, she's fine.

I'm letting her rest a bit and then-

Terry!

Whoever you are, when he wakes up,

tell him I'm sorry.

Hey, easy on the car.

I can't believe I got her involved in this.

Now you sound like Batman.

- What? - I've been right Where you are,

more times than I care to count.

And like you said,

there's no way you could've stopped her.

There's Donny.

I'II feel better once I wring Spellbinder's location out of his face.

Or you could cool yourjets and just tail him.

Oh. I guess that's a good idea, too.

- What are you doing here? - It's gonna be okay.

Yeah, when you get out of my life!

This is what I wanna do. You have no right to stop me.

You can't just live in a fantasy world.

Why not? What's so great about reality?

People care about me in there.

Why can't you just let me have that?

You're smarter than this, Max.

And if you'd cut the lonely victim act for a second,

you'd see this is for your own good.

Why couldn't you listen to me?

Yeah, Batman. Why couldn't you listen?

Who made you the pleasure police?

Don't worry, dear. He won't interfere again.

Don't kill him, okay? He won't come back.

I'm sure of it.

This is none of your concern.

Go on. Your dream world awaits.

And now that doctors have studied Spellbinder's VR technology,

they're successfully treating

the psycho psychologist's remaining victims.

You can say it already, I almost got us both killed

'cause I wouldn't butt out.

It worked out okay.

I just wanted to be a part of something.

Well, congratulations, 'cause you're a part of it now.

But we'll take it a little slower from now on.