Tron: Legacy Review

December 17, 2010 By Ryan Fleming

Review: Tron: Legacy is a good movie that has amazing moments and is beautiful to see, but it falls short of being a great film.

I have to admit, that I am a Tron nerd. I mention that to explain the fact that I went into Tron: Legacy with pre-conceived notions and high expectations. I loved the original as a kid, and it is one of those movies that just stuck with me. I remember the crap video games, and there might still be an old lightcycle buried in a box somewhere in an attic filled with other pieces of my childhood. I may or may not even have had Tron bed sheets at some point in my life. So needless to say I have been waiting for Tron: Legacy for quite awhile. 28 years, in fact.

Tron: Legacy is a good movie, but not a great one. It will entertain, but it is not what most people will expect. To summarize it quickly, the visuals are stunning, but the plot is weak. That will likely ring a few bells with people after last December’s big 3D experience, Avatar. Both films even opened on the same weekend. Like Avatar, Tron: Legacy will split people between those that can accept the plot and buy into the total experience of the film, and those that can’t. But even at its best, Tron: Legacy is not the film that Avatar was. There is just something missing. Perhaps it is the sacrifice of fun in the name of cool, or maybe it is the visually awesome setting, filled with a handful of interesting characters who are surrounded by a stagnant world. If you can get past all that, you will be left with a decent blockbuster movie that is begging to be part of a new franchise.

Tron 2: Tron Harder

Tron: Legacy is the story of Sam Flynn (Garrett Hudlund), the orphaned son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), a computer visionary and CEO that disappeared 20 years earlier after claiming to have witnessed a miracle that would change the world. Over the years everyone, including Sam, begins to suspect that his father simply ran away. Carrying that bitterness, Sam continues to dodge his responsibilities as the primary shareholder of the global corporation Encom, and spends his time rebelling against his heritage.

Kevin’s old friend, and Sam’s sometimes surrogate father Alan (Bruce Boxleitner, who played the role of Alan/Tron in the original film) tells Sam that he received a page from Kevin’s old arcade, which featured prominently in the first film, even though the place had been abandoned years earlier. Despite his skepticism, Sam goes to the arcade and discovers a secret room, housing a computer– and unbeknownst to him– a laser capable of turning the flesh digital and transporting him into a new reality.

Sam suddenly finds himself in a computerized world called the Grid, where he is quickly captured and assumed to be a rogue program. As events unfold, Sam is revealed to be a user rather than a program, and is brought before the leader of the Grid who looks like his father (thanks to some CGI trickery that makes Bridges appear 20 years younger). Sam quickly realizes that it is not his dad, but Clu 2, a program designed by Kevin Flynn to help create the perfect system, but who soon warped that idea. Clu has plans of his own, and they involve the death of both Sam and his father as a means to something much bigger and darker.

Sam is rescued by the beautiful and mysterious Quorra (Olivia Wilde), who takes him to see his real father, who explains the history of the world he created. Following the reunion Sam and Kevin discuss escaping, but the threat from Clu turns out to be greater than anyone initially thought, and the fate of the real world hangs in the balance as father and son attempt to escape Clu’s grasp and return home.

The plot is the weakest part of Tron: Legacy by far. If the paper thin story behind Avatar was enough to sour your experience of the film, then Tron: Legacy is not the movie for you. There are not so much plot holes, as moments when the film just doesn’t seem to bother with explanations at all. Without giving too much away, a good deal of the story revolves around Kevin’s discovery inside the Grid of a new life form known as isomorphic algorithms (ISOs), who Kevin continues to say will totally change the world in every field of science and technology. It is just a given that they will, and he gives absolutely no indication of how they might go about it. You can guess and make your own assumptions, but it is odd and steals some of the thunder from the events of the movie. Instead of being shocked and amazed by the discovery, you might wonder if you missed something.

There are a handful of these moments where the script can best be described as being vague at best, and lazy at worst. There are several times that the movie just seems to expect you to follow along, even though the rules in the essentially alien world are totally different from anything we could possibly guess. But that doesn’t mean they don’t explain things, quite the opposite.

The film is broken up into three distinct scenes that rotate through the film as needed. The first is the buildup to something that is going to inevitably happen. The second are the action scenes which are highlights of the film. The third is exposition–and there is a lot of that. Big chunks of the film are spent as characters explain to Sam what is going on, and what has happened up to that point. Not all of these explanations make total sense, and those that do—while perhaps somewhat necessary—slow the film down. Ironically, for a movie with a fairly shallow plot, there is a lot of time spent explaining it. It is an odd contradiction.

You won’t be won’t over by the plot, so you simply need to accept it if you are going to enjoy the film.

The film is blindingly beautiful, but the tone is exceedingly dark

One of the things that caught me off guard was the tone of this film, which is brought to life by the look and themes of the story. You might expect this sort of movie to be heavy on action, with good natured jokes spread out along the way—the first film was that way for the most part, with the concept of wonder and awe around every corner. Tron had its dark moments, but it also had plenty of humor too. But Tron: Legacy is a dark film in every sense of the word. While the lighting in Tron: Legacy plays a big part in showing off the digital world, it do so by using a bleak and dark backdrop as contrast. Colors play a big part in the plot, but the majority of the world carries a monotone quality that is intentional, but can be somewhat depressing at times.

The world of the Grid is a place of oppression and total control, and that is evident in the look of the one primary city, and adding to that darkness are the themes of the film. There is the story of reunion between father and son, but for the most part the plot is highlighted by tension, fear, and despair. The Grid is a melancholy place, and its creator, Kevin Flynn, is struggling with guilt over his role in it, while Clu is filled with a sense of betrayal from his creator.

Tron: Legacy is not a “fun” film in the traditional sense. That isn’t a judgment on the movie, it is simply an observation of the tone. If anything, Tron: Legacy is more of a drama that has a few action moments worked into it than anything. This dramatic feeling runs from the first few moments until the very end of the film. If you are expecting a silly and lighthearted time, you are in for a surprise.

Tron is pretty

The Grid is a jaw-droppingly awesome place to behold, and the 3D is well incorporated without ever becoming gimmicky. This film is made to be seen on a big screen in 3D, and people waiting for it to be released on DVD or blu-ray are missing out on a remarkable visual experience.

First time director Joseph Kosinski may be responsible for a few of the issues that plague this movie, but he should also be praised for the look, both in terms of the visuals, and the way the scenes are filmed– especially the action which typically takes place in alien settings, yet remain easy to follow. While the plot is weak, like Avatar, this film’s primary focus is on the visual aspects, and in that Tron: Legacy succeeds beautifully. The CGI is amazing, and the look of the city in the Grid is nothing short of stunning. Darkness dominates this film, partly from the tone, and partly because that is the established look of life inside the digital world. It can be somewhat bleak, but it is also original and beautiful.

When the original Tron came out, it was a first of its kind, both cutting edge in terms of technology and imagination. Tron: Legacy seems to have recognized that and gone out of its way to live up to the challenge of its predecessor, despite a nearly three decade gap. In terms of CGI, especially in a live action setting, nothing even comes close to Tron: Legacy. It is an amazing sight.

There is perhaps one noticeable exception to this that you must accept and overlook. While the CGI effects used to make Bridges look 20 years younger for the role of Clu are extraordinary, they are also a bit difficult to accept, especially when he is talking or smiling. There is just something unnatural in the way his lips move, and in some scenes it looks like it is just very good CGI from an animated Pixar movie. That could be explained away within the plot as just being the nature of the program character coming out, but there are enough flashback scenes with Bridges as Kevin Flynn that make it obvious that the technology, while impressive, is somewhat flawed. Like the plot, this is something that you will just have to overlook.

Daft Punk returns

Perhaps just as anticipated as the movie itself is the soundtrack from the electronic duo Daft Punk, who have not released a full album since 2005. The music in the film is all from Daft Punk, and it works on several levels. Besides being just a good soundtrack and one that fans of Daft Punk will happily, and justifiably go buy as a long awaited new album, it adds to the world and the tone of the film. The electronic score is dark, but alway fitting, and it feels like nothing else out there.

Seldom does the music achieve a level where it almost become a character itself in a movie, but it does so in Tron: Legacy. Daft Punk themselves also make a quick cameo, and provide one of the funnier moments of the movie.

Behind the makeup

The buzz behind the two lead actors who star alongside Jeff Bridges has been getting louder, and both Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde are destined for stardom. Both turn in satisfying and solid performances, and each have the charisma to help carry the franchise on if Disney decides to make another Tron film. Hedlund has two major films coming after Tron: Legacy, including Country Strong with Gwyneth Paltrow, and a role that will no doubt receive intense scrutiny, that of Dean Moriarty in the adaptation of Jack Keouac’s On the Road–which could just as easily alienate people as it could endear them to the actor. Hedlund is being positioned as the star of what Disney hopes will be the Tron franchise, and if that happens, he is more than capable of taking on the pressure of the role. In Tron: Legacy he manages to remain interesting and compelling, even though his character is more a slave to the events than a catalyst for them, and the CGI is the true star of the film. But he turns in a likeable and interesting performance with what he is given.

The beautiful Olivia Wilde also dominates the screen as Quorra, a program that sees Kevin Flynn as a father figure. But rather than approach the character as a tough-as-nails warrior as has become something of the norm these days, Quorra retains an innocence and naivety that makes her endearing. That is down to Wilde, who is also a rising star in Hollywood and is booked for the next two years solid.

Together Hedlund and Wilde seem to have an easy chemistry together that is quickly established and believable. There is also a romantic and flirtatious vibe between them that you accept, but when you start to think about the fact that one is a human and the other is a program, the mind boggles at the weirdness of it. The movie seems to want to skip over this aspect, so it is easy to ignore, and it might be something that is destined to be explored in a potential sequel.

Bridges also turns in a solid performance as both Clu and Kevin Flynn. Of the two, despite the facial limitations of the CGI, Bridges’ Clu is arguably the stronger performances of the two. The plot is a little thin around Clu’s villainous plans, but Bridges manages to convey the program’s sense of betrayal stemming from his and Kevin’s earlier falling out. Clu is still a fairly stereotypical villain, but he is an interesting one. The role of Kevin Flynn is also handled adeptly, but Bridges and the script attempt to continually remind us that Kevin has been out of touch with the world since 1989, so some of his vernacular is from the 80s. That wouldn’t be a huge issue, but when he wears an outfit that is marital arts inspired (in other words mostly robes and a gi), plus he has a bushy beard, it is hard not to see him as the “Dude” from The Big Lebowski– especially when he says things like “radical”, and “hey dude”.

Michael Sheen (The Special Relationship, Frost/Nixon) also appears as the program Castor, proprietor of the “End of the Line Club”. Castor is energetic to the point of insane, and yet Sheen manages to stop just short of being annoying. The role is brief, but critical, and Sheen makes him memorable. Unfortunately that highlights one of the bigger problems of the film. The world of the Grid is dark and oppressive, but it is filled with programs– thousands of them. But by the end of the movie it will be remarkable if you can remember what more than a handful of them looked like. Part of that is due to the plot, but there is a sense of isolation inherent in the movie. The Grid is supposed to be teaming with life, but in the end it feels bleak and desolate. The audience is expected to have some investment in the surroundings, but the characters are already programs– which devalues them automatically because they are by nature, not supposed to be too much like humans. With a little more personality from the city and the few random characters that pop up, that could be forgotten, and the audience would be willing to at least fake an emotional investment with the digital reality, but it is so empty and bleak that you forget all about the fact that it is supposed to be an entire world. The story is specifically about Sam, Quorra, Kevin and Clu, so you can overlook it on paper, but it makes the movie feel a bit lifeless at times.

If you can identify with Sam and Kevin–the only two humans in the Grid– then the rest is incidental, but sometimes the movie feels like a crystal egg– beautiful, but hollow.

Conclusion

Tron: Legacy is a film that has grown on me after leaving the screening. It is not what you might expect, and it really is its own movie despite being a sequel. Having seen the original helps, especially with one big surprise that comes towards the end (but is easy to guess) regarding a loose end from the first film. The plot is weak and sometimes feels like it just forgets to explain what appears to be vital information. It also seems to either raise several questions accidentally that it never intends to answer, or is setting itself up for a sequel which will be dependent on the box office results of the first. The ending of the film resolves the main storyline, but it also leaves itself open for a continuation. Another indicator of this is the brief, blink-and-you’ll-miss-him inclusion of Cillian Murphy (Batman Begins, Inception) in an uncredited role as Edward Dillinger Jr., son of the main antagonists from the first film, Ed Dillinger/Sark/the voice of the Master Control Program (David Warner). Murphy is too big of a star, and the role is too interesting to not have any plans to take it further.

Tron: Legacy is going to be savagely ripped by many who feel that the plot is just something to string together the visuals, just as many criticized the story of Avatar. It is a fair criticism, and for those that focus on plot, Tron: Legacy will feel hollow and lifeless. If you can overlook it, and if you can shake the preconceived notions that may have formed after 28 years of waiting for a sequel, then the movie is an entertaining and visual stunning, albeit not spectacular film.

Pros

Tron: Legacy is the next stage in the future of visual effects that began with Avatar, and is easily one of the best looking movies ever made. Solid performances by the principles. Daft Punk kills it.

Cons

A thin plot that has gaping holes. The CGI to make Bridges look younger is weird. The world around the characters feels empty.

Showing 55 comments

bobbyboucher at 1:52am 27th October 2011 Great review. Honestly I can't say I've read a better review about a movie before. Either that makes you really good, or me really naive. Let's go with the first!
Phil at 5:15am 17th January 2011 (....cont) Possibly the Zuse / Quorra relationship is another possible hook for a future movie. Nothing said that Zuse was destroyed . . . Also from another perspective, perhaps Zuse was being watched by CLU and not summoned as is 'assumed' (or maybe watched by an even greater program/entity we know nothing about yet) and was forced to act like he did to preserve himself or even Sam and Flynn. That's pretty far-fetched, but it has been done before. Just because you do not see an immediate explanation for something, does not mean that a meaning does not exist, nor does it mean that its inclusion is an irrelevant part of the tapestry. It could also mean nothing, just a flight of fancy to lighten or distract. I personally thought that the light-cycles were a good upgrade, introducing a 3rd dimension without removing the limits of the two-dimension original, for the most part. As far as the battle being different, I didn't see it that way. What I saw were a group of programs that really weren't thinking of teaming up, until the last one at the end. In the original movie there were already bonds formed in the team, but these were total strangers. And I saw cycles being destroyed by being cut off, if not as two-dimensionally as before . . . What I saw in CLU was the desire for perfection become absolute. He was designed to want and make perfection, but his idea of perfection could not evolve and he was unable to even conceive of acting any other way. In effect, he went (at least) slightly mad, as his creator ordered one thing, then totally went against that (and him) when the ISOs appeared (from CLU's perspective). Similar to HAL (2001 A Space Odyssey) if you think about it. His issues were likely also exacerbated by the length of time he had to think about it, and what he likely thought of as his 'cage' by the end, that being the Grid itself. There's a Matrix concept for you, as I'm sure you remember Mr Smith wanting 'out'. In some ways, Flynn is CLU's own MCP holding him from freedom. I think both films are about oppression (from two different causes, greed and absolutism, possibly a third if you look at it from CLU's side), the fight against it, and how the characters react to such a situation. And Flynn was right. ISOs would set the world on its head. All the programs you see, except the ISOs, are written by Flynn, or other users. The ISOs (presumably, if Flynn is right anyway) wrote themselves, even if they incorporated some of Flynn's code. Whether the ISOs made it to the outside world or not, that is a new form of life. In conclusion, I think this film may be a lot deeper than a lot of people are willing to credit. But then, that's just my opinion. :)
John at 8:15pm 11th January 2011 I watched Tron Legacy in 3D with my wife, 8 year old son and 80 year old mother-in-law. They all loved it. As for me - I REALLY LOVED IT! It has a feel like no other movie - completely the opposite of Avatar where every scene felt lifted from another movie. The music and visuals combined to create something truly memorable and truly moving. The plot was actually interesting, and once again not totally derivative of other movies. Can't wait to see it again.
visualbird at 8:06pm 9th January 2011 Overall, this movie was great for what it is. The visuals were stunning and Daft Punk did an amazing job on the soundtrack. Sam, Quorra, and Flynn were all very like-able characters that made me root for them throughout the movie. Yes, the plot did have some gaps in it. However, the film was set to be a little over 8 hours (until the portal closed). Realistically, I don't know how much plot you can squeeze into a movie that takes place within 8 hours, the condense it into a 2 hour movie. Any attempts explaining everything would have been sloppy and poorly done. All in all, this is my favorite movie of the year! I've gone back and seen it three times already :X
Darlene B at 2:27am 7th January 2011 The review was right on and basically well written. However, when you say "teaming with life", it actually should be "teeming with life".
unitron6991 at 10:41pm 5th January 2011 I have some things to say 1. CLU did NOT look creepy 2. The plot was great. No long monologues of technobabble. 3. The acting was awesome. 4. Wilde and Hedlund were both <insert positive adjective here> 5. Jeff Bridges is still awesome. nuff said.
1. Wiley at 11:25pm 5th January 2011 Yeah! Seen it four times now, can't stop thinking about it. Each time I notice something new and amazing.
  1. visualbird at 8:01pm 9th January 2011 Same here! It is such an amazing movie.
    CJM at 9:26pm 12th January 2011 I definitely want to see it again because i do feel as if i missed alot....Jeff Bridges is the man freal!!!!
    visualbird at 5:01pm 13th January 2011 Yeah, I recommend to see it again. I've seen in three times already and will be going back for my fourth. There's a lot more clarity that comes with seeing it multiple times. Jeff Bridges is The Dude!
Andos at 7:35pm 5th January 2011 It's called the "Uncanny Valley" and I thought it was used to great effect. The strange, creepiness of C.L.U.'s face seemed entirely intentional to me and I only really recognised what was weird about half-way through the movie. C.L.U. is supposed to be unnerving and uncomfortable. If they just wanted a younger looking Jeff Bridges, there would have been plenty of ways to achieve this without making him look creepy. All in all, I thought this was a great movie. Seen at IMAX, the 3D was understated and immersive, visuals were stunning and action scenes very enjoyable. I did leave feeling like they missed an opportunity to make a truly great movie, though, with some of the important plot devices (C.L.U. invades real life... really?) under-developed and the important philosophical ideas under-explored. 8.5/10
becka at 3:24pm 5th January 2011 I agree that the film was stunning, but the storyline was a massive issue for me. As a computer simulation user/analyst and one-time programmer I really struggled to accept the storyline and the misuse of some terminology. I feel it's a real shame, since the storyline could have been improved quite a bit with just a few minor tweaks.
Kururun. at 11:09am 5th January 2011 I went there because it was a Tron sequel. I stayed because of Daft Punk. My only problem was the lack of of, ehem, TRON! It's called Tron gosh darn it! I saw more Tron playing Kingdom Hearts 2! This movie needed more Tron, and a little less CGI Bridges. Because he was creepy. If you ignore the original, you can enjoy this.
Ross at 1:58pm 4th January 2011 Visuals were amazing, but I agree I wanted more from the story. Really the Father Flynn character was flat. If I were re-writing it, TRON would have played a much bigger role, as a good guy. Clu would have a different look, hard to see him as the arch enemy. More info on the ISO's and why they are such a game changer. And why so dark, the costumes that made the first movie were thrown out for all black, the sets all black, everything all black. Maybe this is a TRON fan that just had the bar set to high, but I really feel they left a lot of potential unrealized in this sequel.
Nick at 10:42am 4th January 2011 100% agree with this review. The CGI was amazing and if that's all you're looking for then this movie will blow you away but take away the 3D and Imax experience and I would have literally fallen asleep during this movie. As a matter of fact, I almost did anyways. It started off very promising with the tournament going on but then the next action scene didn't come up for about another hour, then one more at the end. So a total of 3 action scenes in the 2+ hour movie just wasn't cutting it for me. As for the plot, it's weird how they did so much talking but didn't explain much of anything. What disappointed me the most was there was not one single WOW moment. Nothing that put you on the edge of your seat or made you go "OH MY GOD!!!!, DID YOU SEE THAT?" Overall it sucked in my honest opinion. I could care less about visuals with CGI and 3D. I wish they'd go back to making movies about story lines instead of visuals. 3D is ruining movies!
Catherine at 5:28pm 3rd January 2011 Not my kind of film. Utterly boring.
Neo at 4:06pm 3rd January 2011 I have to agree with Guess, a few posts back. The movie has more depth, than the negative reviewers are allowing themselves to see. The plot is simple, but that is not a bad thing as it let's the story breath and bring home the main theme which is Flynn Sr. senior's discovery that he had been wrong. Until he was able to come to terms with his mistake, his ego, and reconcile with his opossite, Clu, he would remain trapped, and his son would not be able to carry on to surpass him. Beautiful story, deep, dark, about mans struggle to evolve to the higher. Killer soundtrack, reminds me of John Carpenter or Tangerine Dream on crack.
Wiley at 12:14pm 2nd January 2011 Greeting Programs! The world feels empty because it IS empty- Clu has appropriated many of the programs for his army! As for the Isos- would it really be better if they were completely specific about how they'd change the world? I think it's this case it's much more interesting to speculate about what exactly they are. I was completely satisfied with the given explanation. Remember, he even calls the Isos a miracle, isn't that explanation enough? The movie is set in a different world/reality, so it's wrong to try to make it fit ours. I see no problems with the script/plot at all, it's been a long time since a movie has captured my imagination like this one has.
Anne at 8:44am 2nd January 2011 I was wowed by this movie! Humanity has always evolved, is evolving and will evolve--most people in Columbus' day didn't have the vision to see the world that would evolve from his breakthrough exploration--today it seems we're doing it on a global scale collectively and visually through stunning films like this--My imagination went bonkers with possibilities for our future that I may never see-hmmmm. I had never thought of it before--but a motorcycle, out of all the forms of transportation we have, is the closest to motorizing our self-it's like the machine and driver are one---wow, to see the idea of transportation in all kinds of modes emerge right out of their own being and just take off---I loved it. This is just one teeny area that sparked me. Another was Quorra's arm being reconstituted. Scientific breakthroughs and man's spiritual nature were all linked and in the end it was not transcendence that mattered but flesh and blood relationships cherished and lived. It was powerful. I intend to see it again and maybe again and again. I feel sure like another commenter stated, I would "see" lots more. It sparked my imagination with possibility--I loved that the ISO Quorra had the wonder and awe of a little child at the beauty of our home planet as she was seeing the sun for the first time. She's not burdened by the problems that beset our world and she's here with a new set of eyes --kind of like Einstein--you can't solve the problem from within the problem--- possibilities! Cool! Plus I loved the acting, Daft punk, the visual effects, although I don't have as keen an eye as many of the previous commenters display. Thank you, Mr. Fleming for such a great review, to say nothing of the great comments it sparked and that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Timmy P at 9:33pm 1st January 2011 I disagree with your cons. the plot has never seemed weak to me, what seems weak is the problems people have with the plot. it explained a lot more of what was going on and how it was going on than the original did. I never at any point wondered "how" the ISO's would change everything, I think the fact that they randomly came into being is scientifically baffling enough, I think Flynn's point was "who knows what else they're genetically capable of when put into human form in the 'real' world." Whenever I try to explain the plot of EITHER the original or Legacy to anyone who doesn't care to see it but wants to know what it's about, there's so much to it (plus the technological concepts many people aren't familiar with) that people get really easily lost. I don't see how anything complicated can be "weak", maybe you didn't pay enough attention or just don't have any imagination anymore...but I do want to give props for thoroughly explaining yourself, the review was very well thought out, even if I completely and utterly disagree with your cons (other than young kevin flynn/clu's face being downright creepy). kevin flynn is still cool as hell, olivia wilde made quorra perfect, and garrett hedlund is always b.a. and honestly made sam perfect. many people have a problem with castor, but michael sheen played him perfectly. nobody else could do that, I'm sorry, I just don't know of any actors that have his quality. finally, Daft Punk, even with the praise they've been given, still have not been given enough. icing on the cake. you can't have a computer world without techno music that gives off the same quality. the sinister theme they made for Rinzler perfectly set the tone for how dangerous he is. everything they did with the End of Line club both entering and fighting ("End of Line" and "Derezzed" on the soundtrack) made the whole atmosphere of the situation/scenes perfect. if I said "perfect" a lot it wasn't poor writing, it's just that I really honestly think everything was perfect. 2 things, I must admit, were not. young kevin flynn/clu's face was creepy, and without giving spoilers, a certain scene at the end involving Rinzler literally made no sense and came out of nowhere, but it certainly doesn't ruin the movie by any stretch of the imagination.
sean at 12:30am 30th December 2010 i loved the film . and i couldnt agree more with this review , its not just some guy thats watched a trailer read a plot and reviewed it . comments where " the film has a dark aspect to it" and the surrounding outside land feels empty" nail on the head as the guy before me said .. 3 things made this film . the visual, acting but most importantly the choice to allow daft punk to do all the music. kept it with the dark feeling and other worldly i will be going cinema again to watch this
AntAgoniZer at 4:30pm 29th December 2010 I'd just like to draw attention to the fact that the original Tron, as fun as it was, had HUGE plot holes coupled with bad acting and the king of all 'rushed' endings. Legacy had to build on some pretty scarce bones and not only did it surpass the original in terms of depth and acting, it infused the old Tron into the new story perfectly. Examples: the use of the Tron movie poster in Sam's room? The comment about the 'really big door that was also in the original? How about the former antagonists son being on the board? Alan returning as himself and also voice acting Tron? Flynn's arcade and apartment being mirror images of the original movie set (including the use of era specific music like Journey)? The returning grid elements from Tron above and beyond light cycles and identity discs? The fact that Flynn uses language that was specific to his character from the time of the previous movie (since he was missing since then) and his asking about things like what wifi is? How about the metaphor of Clu? You'll notice he didn't wear good guy blue or brainwashed bad guy dark orange. He wore gold. Why? He isn't brainwashed. If you think about it, Clu uses the Master Control Program's original method of controlling the grid. Clu is Flynn corrupted by the pursuit of perfection becoming the very thing Flynn fought to destroy: The MCP. The story is a complete 'full circle' plot with Sam entering as his father did to overthrow the new MCP that is made in his father's image. The end chase between the transport and the destroyer finishes the full circle analogy with Old Flynn explaining that its his fault Clu became a tyrant: he could only give him the ambition he had then, not the wisdom he has now.... and the negation of old Flynn / Clu it leaves Sam in the exact same spot his father was in at the end of the original Tron: incharge of Encomm with the freedom to create a new world on the Grid with Corra by his side and as the only human to have ever actually been there. Was the score epic? Yes. Visuals stunning? Yes. Plot as stretch? Sure but it was built on an 80's movie plot (remember The Never Ending Story or Labyrinth? lol). Was it a good movie? Hell yes. Was it better than original Tron? Absolutely. Did it showcase visual effects that are as impressive now as those in Tron were then? Sure did. Did it compliment Tron and interwind the original plot? With out a doubt. What the hell else do you want from a sequel? Its not a stand alone film. Its bound by the originals' framework. I thought it rocked, especially considering the 28 year lapse between films.
Paul at 3:25pm 29th December 2010 I went to Tron Legacy, admittedly as a Tron junkie, but without the expectations most state here. I just wanted entertainment. As everyone else states, the visuals are jaw dropping. The film manages to please completely devoid of sex and including only one explitive (almost unheard of today). But for me, it was the relationship between father and son that I clued in on. It was the parting forever at the end that made the story strong. It was the sacrifice father made for son. And I'd love to be in on the next script writing where Corra gets introduced as the legacy that Kevin Flynn brought forth to the world (healing, teleportation, quantum physics). With Tron still alive, and Ed still lurking on the board, it provides interesting material for the next movie (one can only hope). I'd still give it a ten. I understand most deviate from that perspective, but that is my judgement. It rocked in visuals, brought the right emotional triggers in, provided plenty of openings for sequels, and used enough real science to help it through the stretched parts.
Seg at 12:16am 29th December 2010 I'm 48, saw this film in 3D, in a cinema with a great sound system, with my 11 yr old son and 16 yr old daughter. I'm totally amazed by all the awfull reviews of this film, its obviously a love/hate film, but we all gave it 9/10 and were totally blown away, amazing sound track, amazing special effects, fantastic landscapes, cool action....stunning...ummm women.....a blown away, stunning film.. BTW you'll hear loads of criticism of the CGI effects used to make Jeff Bridges 20 years younger ( as his clone Clu ) , as they are not lifelike and a bit strange...?, welllll obviously he wont look lifelike, its a bl**dy digital copy, so therefore virtual, WTF!! Yeah, I loved it, as did my kids, lots of people wont get to see it because of the reviews, but never mind its definitely going to be a cult classic, I JUST KNOW IT.........
Taz at 2:16pm 28th December 2010 Great review! It seems like so many other reviewers got sucked into the flash and effects they completely missed the fact that this is a story about a father and son as much as anything else. I liked that the romantic undertone was just that - an undertone. No kissing or sex that seems so forced in other movies.
Adam at 2:45am 22nd December 2010 As a big Disney geek, I've been waiting for Tron: Legacy to come out for a while. Daft Punk's soundtrack and the spectacle didn't disappoint, but I thought some of the performances and elements of the story were lackluster. Check out my full review here! http://appraisalsbyadam.wordpress.com/2010/12/22/...
someguy02 at 6:10pm 21st December 2010 There is no plot hole, just that the movie avoided explaining too much. Isomorphic algorithms in this movie resemble "genetic algorithms" which is a field of computer science (and also mentioned in the movie). The belief within this field is that software powered by these algorithms could someday help finding solution to mankind's hardest problems, namely medicine, food, environment, etc. The ISOs were made with these algorithms, therefore being able to help us solving these issues. Believe me, I studied this for my thesis and took years to understand part of it, doubt they were going explain that in a couple of minutes.
eraser at 1:14pm 21st December 2010 erase the spaces and enjoy bit . ly / myowncollection
matthew at 8:46pm 20th December 2010 ilove tron i wii see it on 12 21 2010 at 11 00am in keller texas
HotMama at 3:03pm 20th December 2010 I liked it. It was entertaining. Yes the plot was weak. But we are willing to overlook such things for the sheer thrill of the ride. My 10 and 13 year olds loved it but even they realized the plot was weak.
MCP at 1:10am 20th December 2010 I must admit, the over all plot of the story is strung together, but it is great symbolism. I thought more of the movie after I left the theatre than I did while watching it. (Partly because I was blown away by the cgi) The obvious and overused character set up used go much deeper than any other movie I've seen. It begs some of the philosophical questions about society in general. I might be over analyzing, but that's just what I do. Overall, I believe there was the potential for a "Star Trek" or "Avatar" level movie, but using this fresh of a Director hindered the movie. In any case the actor for Sam was gorgeous.
Guest at 11:49pm 19th December 2010 Sorry I noticed some typos I made on my last comment
Guess at 11:42pm 19th December 2010 I agree also everthing that the reviewer said and here is the twist, I disagree with both of us? Ok I will explain. I seen the movie yesterday, and though I like it, it felt hollow, I wanted so much more and I felt this was a missed opertunity when I left the theater, the next day some friends of mine want to see it and I did not hate it so sure I will see it again, so thinking seeing it twice would be fun but not really intresting... I WRONG!!! See it twice, I seen a deeper plot, more layers that I missed the first time, even the special effects I just noticed much more then I did then the first time. Some things I noticed was, after his father rid the grid of the MCP he wanted to make it a new paradise his vision of perfection but even with his good intention he made it a prision instead, and his prision keeper was not alien but his own self what he thought was the right the perfect side of his god complex!!! the movies tries hard to have you understand that 20 years that he was traped himself and it took him 20 years to realalize he the creator is not perfect that's why the grid is so hollow! Who he was from the first movie 20 years ago he now he see himself through his son and his son releases him from his prision not from the grid but from himself by confronting himself as clu. Well I hope I explained this well enough, because this was not easy to do so for me. But that is just one of the things I did not understand the first time seeing it! I belive the big prolem of the movie is it's not a let me explain everything movie it's more of a movie that you are discovering at the same time and level as the main chacters are knowing no more then them and no more then you put the time to understand to difference between what a human is like compared to a humanoid program. END OF LINE.
1. Turbo at 10:16am 6th January 2011 You are quite illiterate, my friend.
2. guest at 7:41pm 11th January 2011 I understood not a word of that.
pcfan at 1:40am 19th December 2010 A real waste of Olivia Wilde and Garrett Hedlund seemed stiff, lost and confused. He was more real outside the grid. Not a great hero to save the day. I love Jeff Bridges but who thought it would be a movie about him. The movie was not great because of any actor but the concept of the original of the inner workings of computer, missed that. The original was the template to follow, who needed a creative twist?
pcfan at 1:33am 19th December 2010 Good review ! Disappointed in the movie. So so story, awkard between father and son. Dark, dark, dark, the grid is DARK. Plus those 3D glasses make it DARKER. It did not need to be 3D, not a fan of it, makes me sleepy. Just a decent story and some special effects are fine with me. Star Wars, Terminator did fine without them. It led up to a sequel and that would have to be better than this. Right now I am willing to put Tron to rest. They had 28 years to work on it and I would rather remember the original as brilliant as it was to begin with and not make further junk going forward.
froosh at 7:33pm 18th December 2010 I just watched this movie and I really agree with this review. It was stunning visually like he said but the plot was plain dumb in most parts. I didn't even watch the 1982 Tron so I was very lost and confused, and no, the characters's explanations of their pasts or whatever or flashbacks totally didn't help. And the ending? Let's just say that it could have been soo much better if they made it a happier ending. I mean, it's like they emphasized the father-son relationship only to snatch it from under your butt. I dunno, they probably wanted to make us cry, but it just made me annoyed. And the romance? It doesn't make sense... like what? but then again I am the kind of person to overthink things so I will stop bitching. Overall it was a very amazing movie for the eyes and ears!! I love Daft Punk so much.
David S at 10:21am 18th December 2010 Saw it yesterday and have to admit it was a pretty terrible movie. I mean I feel like these days Hollywood has to prove itself too much on the visual effects that are too much in your face that it leave the actual story weak and if left more simplistic like the first one would have been better appreciated. An example is of the test trailer they used for this movie... I remember watching it and they played it so many times and I have to admit it was sooooo awesome when I saw it. The audience reception was great so why did they not keep this part, tweek it a little but leave that scene in the movie. It felt better and a little mnore simplistec and honestly it seemed like a better light cycle race moment for me that the actual one you se in the movie.. I saw this movie in 2D and it was already too much in yor face. Glad I did not watch it in 3D otherwise I probably would have thrown up :) Look, I am all about being open about movies, trying to be a kid and just appreciate it for what it is and not taking it too seriously...but it still just could not cut it for me, sorry.
Matt at 11:54pm 17th December 2010 First of all, there is never going to be a sequel to Tron that will blow the first one out of the water. The first one holds its own as one of the greatest movies ever made, if not the greatest. When Tron came out, there were terms that many had never heard of, such as bit, micro cycles, and many others that left the audience hanging, wondering what they meant. The directors of this movie had the same intention, to raise the bar beyond what we now know. So these areas in Tron Legacy where we don't quite follow the plot are due to the fact that we haven't heard these terms before. The music I think is fitting for this movie. I have heard that some people are disappointed that it did not contain a soundtrack with electronic disco music like the original. Really? This is the year 2010, not the eighties. To put that in this movie would not hold true to the time frame. This is not a remake of the original, this is a sequel 28 years later. Times have changed in both the real world and the world presented in Tron Legacy.
Tim at 9:27pm 17th December 2010 I agree with the review. As to the soundtrack, nothinig agsinst Daft Punk, but I was hoping for Wendy Carlos. The music for the orginal TRON was more memorable.
1. David at 1:31am 29th December 2010 You're on crack. The soundtrack in this movie was remarkable and stunning, that's what I thought helped make the film as great as I thought it was. Take The Last Samurai for example. I've never seen a film with such a perfect soundtrack as that one. Beautiful movie. Makes me cry every time :) "Tell me how he died" "I'll tell you... how he lived" ;)
  1. Colin John at 10:20pm 12th January 2011 Totally agree with your comment on both levels, i absolutely love The Last Samurai, so badass just wish it had even more action...Tron legacy soundtrack was sick i love daft punk, they really captured the vibe of the grid...I did enjoy the movie but was slightly disappointed because i did have huge expectations and feel like it should have had a deeper more rich plot and be Rated R because lets face it, there was alot of crazy shit going on. I also think there should have been more of the actually Tron involved because he was bad ass and alan is cool as shit.
MCP at 9:12pm 17th December 2010 classic, he was 'the dude' i was expecting him to make a white russian at any moment; it wouldn't have been out of place. loved the music, just perfect. loved the idea of the iso's, they could have made a lot more of them and should have done. loved number 13 as the love interest. loved the 'dude where's my car' hot chicks who dressed sam in his gaming gear, for an allegedly perfect system you have to wonder why it takes 4 women to dress one bloke, not that i'm complaining obviously. michael sheen seemed to be channelling david frost at times but he was fun, shame he had to die...or did he? all in all an excellent film, although it did seem like they tagged on the 3d as a gimmic as it didn't really seem that they used the 3d technology to its best extent, or maybe it was so immersive because of it that they actually did and I just didn't realize it. also interesting the references to god, the son, old gods, zeus and prideful rebellion, clu, very paradise lost.
1. David at 1:28am 29th December 2010 In a perfect world, why would you only want 1 woman dressing you? I would love to have a good amount like 4, but that's just me... along with 99.99% of the male population lol.
Daniel at 8:02pm 17th December 2010 ok, granted this is a good review, but at times he seems to want this movie to not be a sequel at all. He complains of its emptiness like a 'hollow egg' and the vacancy of the city, but if you remember from the first Tron, it was a controlled desolate place too. Programs (people) are there, but in fear and isolated conversation. And other than the motivations of the characters, which seemed a little simple, the plot wasn't bad in my opinion. What plot would this reviewer rather have seen? something as twisted and complicated as inception? I don't think movies should be required to have crazy plot-lines to work well. You complain about it not explaining enough & yet you say there's a lot of exposition where "characters explain to Sam what's going on". I agree they could have played down young flashback bridges more because he did look odd- but only when he was supposed to be human, not as clu. Stunning performances, beautiful cgi, awesome soundtrack. Not a complicated plot, but it works well in the environment. This reviewer sounds like the moviegoers today that I despise- either the movie was the best and most spectacular thing ever, or it was a huge disappointment.
1. guest at 2:02pm 27th December 2010 daniel, f***ing thank you. thats the best comment ive seen on here.
2. David at 1:26am 29th December 2010 I totally agree with you man. This movie stunned me. I went into Tron with not very high expectations but got blown away. Great visuals, awesome soundtrack, and a not so bad plot. I actually liked it. I was glad that I saw that instead of True Grit lol... now that movie sucks haha.
3. Sans at 7:18pm 15th January 2011 The problem with the story is that it's arbitrary and effect-driven. Clu wants to get into the real world via the laser? Great, and then what? Would he retain his powers or how would he conquer our world? What about conservation of energy/mass if he transports himself or his army? (Tron is a science fiction movie, right?) And why is he interested in our world if his programming is creation of a perfect digital universe? Sam and Quorra have a relationship? Great. So, erm... how about sex? Is she a normal woman now? Or would she retain her powers? (See above.) See, I'm not saying that all these things need to be explained or are bad. But they happen out of convenience, to get the plot to the next stage, or provide some sort of character motivation. There is nothing behind it, though. Alan must be pretty daft. After all, he almost send Sam to his death when he believed the page came from Kevin, when it actually came from Clu. This almost ended up in our world being conquered. Wasn't Alan the least bit curious what Sam would find? And that's the guy who's being made CEO of the company in the end? What exactly is on Kevin's disc that it's the only way for Clu to use the portal? And what forces does Kevin as user have, ultimately? In the end, he's able to defeat Clu more or less single-handedly. Why didn't he do it earlier? Oh, and when Clu said that he's going to do to Sam what he did to his father... what did he do to Kevin? Nothing really, Kevin must have been in hiding all these years. Right? What's exactly the story about Zeus/Zuse or whatever he's spelled? Why is he in the movie at all? To show that Quorra knows so little that she sends Sam to somebody he can absolutely trust, just to be betrayed? Or to have a David Bowie clone in the movie? All these things happen arbitrarily. There is no universe behind it. No sense of wonder anymore. Just surprise here, distraction there. The visuals were absolutely stunning, I loved them. But still I was so disappointed by the lightcycle race. In the original Tron, the lightcycle race was a shout-out to the computer games of the time (Snakes, anyone?). The legacy race is, at best, a hommage to The Matrix. The action is so fast and so multidimensional that it's impossible to follow. Remember how in the original Tron, the opponents were systematically cut off? Nothing like that happens here. Oh, last but not least: The first Tron used the computer as a metaphor, e.g. centralized access (restrictively via MCP) vs. freedom (on a need-to-have basis via Tron). Legacy drops this completely. If Clu would try to conquer the world by spreading as a virus, ok... or if there was any connection to computers as they are today. But there is nothing.
  1. Phil at 5:14am 17th January 2011 hmmm, where to start . . . CLU wants to get into the real world, as was almost outright stated, to spread the "perfection" he was programmed to make of the Grid (possibly partially driven by the corruption that Flynn refers to). He may or may not retain his powers, but maybe he already knows the likely answer? Either way, not terribly relevant to THIS movie, but maybe its sequel. The transfer may have failed for all but CLU and a few of his soldiers. Nothing says that he is right in his assumptions of being able to mass transport his army successfully. There is very little sexual overtone in the Sam / Quorra relationship . . . they don't even kiss. Not really that surprising for Disney, but very surprising for Hollywood in general. Perhaps they regard each other as brother and sister (same father, hmmm?) I also really don't know where you get the idea of 'powers' from either. Aside from being code, the main thing the programs ever really display is extreme gladitorial skills. I'm not seeing anything particularly convenient here. Alan sending Sam to his death? We have no idea what Alan knows about Flynn's activities, or what passed between them in the intervening time between the movies. Likely Alan just thought that Flynn been away and had now come back, likely just wanting the son the chance to be the first to see his father again. Or like-wise he may have known the sorts of stuff Flynn was up to and knew roughly what had occurred, assumed that Flynn had escaped and was back. And before you ask 'why didn't he help then?', Alan obviously knew nothing of the hidden lab. In fact everyone seems to have overlooked one VERY big plot mechanic for a sequel. The page that starts it all turned up, yes, but all indications were that the Grid was totally isolated, making it extremely likely that a third party actually sent the page, possibly the younger Dillinger, in retaliation for his OS getting spammed to the net. Also (addressing your point further down, about the system seeming not quite up to speed with the world of today) if the grid is largely or totally isolated, and certainly the hardware had not been updated since Flynn's time, that would make the equipment and overall era of the world based on technology 20 years old at the time of the current film. As far as Alan being made CEO? Even if you don't think he is qualified, he was previously in that position (or equivalent) and was appointed there by Sam, which is presumably within the powers granted by being the majority shareholder. Kevin's disc appeared to hold the master control codes to the 'portal' without which, presumably, no-one who had not entered via the portal could exit it either, including Quorra. Why not face down CLU earlier? At the very least, survival instinct, wanting to protect Quorra (who knows what would happen once Flynn was gone?) and the very real possibility that something may have gone wrong, giving CLU the disc and letting him free from the system. Flynn said that taking no action was a kind of action, and in this he held CLU from the possibility of escaping the confines of the Grid at all. CLU saying to Sam that he was going to do the same thing as he did to his father? Make him run maybe? Or it could just have been something said to unnerve Sam. Zuse was there as a potential way to slip past CLU and get out. A light of hope, as it were, and obviously Quorra knowing him was a way to push Flynn out of his litterally thousands of years of 'doing nothing' (human time for flynn; remember he stated that seconds were hours in conversion; can't remember the exact ratio but it may have been 1ms=8 hours). (cont)
Wombat at 7:12pm 17th December 2010 Just got back from it with my 9 and 11 year old. We all loved it. If you have seen the original you will love this one even more. Great show!
Gerard W at 6:50pm 17th December 2010 I have been a fan of Tron my whole life. And Tron: Legacy is my new favorite movie. It's Awesome.
jon m at 5:12pm 17th December 2010 Well, as a fellow self-admitted "TRON" nerd (i would watch the movie, rewind,& watch it again--sometimes up to 3 times in a row as a kid & thus, my family HATED the original as much as i LOVED it) I have to admit that this review of "Legacy" nails it! I have looked forward to a sequel for 28 years myself & came out of the movie a bit on the disappointed side. That being said, it would be great to see a sequel to this sequel that actually has a stronger plot & maybe explain some of the issues that are left unsaid & unexplained. In a nutshell, you hit this review right smack-dab in the middle of on the head
1. mctron at 4:23pm 2nd January 2011 I agree and was disappointed with the film--the one thing that is truly missing in Tron Legacy?--is Tron. Somehow Tron is an incredibly minor character with an Bruce Lee martial arts character stunt double. I waited the whole movie to see Alan or the real Tron show up--and I'm still waiting-- 2 stars for me...
2. Tron at 5:50am 22nd February 2011 Im not a Tron nerd ( I had the TRON 2.0 video game.), but I have also been wating for the movie and I'm dissapointed in disney too.