Tron: Legacy

2010 - Walt Disney Pictures
Directed By Joseph Kozinski



SYNOPSIS


20 years after his software programming father's mysterious disappearance, Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) tracks a mysterious page from his long-abandoned workspace. Sam accidentally activates a laser which transports him inside his dad's computer. He finds an extraordinary virtual world where he is captured by the forces of the tyrannical CLU (Jeff Bridges.) After being forced to compete in several gladiatorial competitions, Sam is rescued by Quorra (Olivia Wilde.) She takes him to his father Kevin (Jeff Bridges) who's been trapped all these years. Now they must work to get home and stop CLU's plan to escape into the real world.

MY THOUGHTS

Tron: Legacy is a fun thrill ride.

It's one of the rare sequels that can exist completely on its own but the film is filled with many homages to the 1982 original that long-time fans will enjoy.

That original pioneered the use of CGI the same way Legacy pioneers 3-D. The 3-D is amazing. Never gimmicky, it actually enhances the story and heightens the action. Tron: Legacy is my first experience with real 3-D after seeing some up-converted films. I could get used to 3-D if it was done with this quality.

Also enhancing and heightening the film is Daft Punk's amazing score. Mixing a standard orchestral score with Daft Punk's usual electronica dance music creates one of the best soundtracks in years. It's rare that the soundtrack will actually make a film better (Star Wars comes to mind as another example.) I hope this is just the first of many times Daft Punk will score a film.

The action (though sparser than I expected) is great. The disc battle and lightcycle competition are loving nods to the original and kick those 1982 battles' asses. The concluding battle is more than reminiscent of the Millennium Falcon's fight following the escape from the Death Star in Star Wars. Unfortunately there's little action in the meantime, but the entrancing visuals of The Grid make up for it.

Set design, both virtual and practical, create an alien world that is somehow both familiar and unique. It looks very different from the original film but also complimentary.

The acting is solid. Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner reprise their roles from the original and they're on par with those performances. Garrett Hedlund shines in his first lead role, bringing an angsty badassed-ness to Sam. Olivia Wilde brings a unique naivety to Quorra that is as endearing as her figure in that tight black suit.

The film is not perfect however. The screenplay has too many confounding moments. Where does Kevin get a roasted pig in a virtual world... and if he and Sam are digital versions of themselves... why would they even need to eat said pig? If the feast is supposed to be symbolic of a traditional family meal in the real world... it is not expressed very well. This is one of many head scratching moments. Still, the script does have a few twists and turns that'll keep you guessing.


I liken Tron: Legacy to a roller coaster, if you go in expecting a life-changing experience, you're an idiot. Instead just turn your mind off and enjoy the wild ride. It's a blast.
If possible see it in IMAX 3-D while you still can.