I distinctly remember seeing Tron in the theater as a child. It blew my mind, like the first time you see Star Wars or Indiana Jones. Twenty eight years later, Disney releases Tron Legacy, a techno-fueled visual effects extravaganza that takes the 3D and IMAX formats to their highest levels yet. Unfortunately, the story, character development, and pacing were not given the same TLC afforded to the effects. I can’t say I’m disappointed because the film is very entertaining and incredible to watch. But I expected more, much more from the plot. I wanted to be grabbed and riveted to my seat like I was as a child. Maybe that’s an unfair expectation, but Tron Legacy is not quite the sequel I imagined.
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Garret Hedlund stars as Sam Flynn. Heir to the Encom empire, Sam was a mere boy when his father, the legendary Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) - founder of Encom and creator of Tron, vanished without a trace. Sam grows up as a rebel, living to thwart the corporate interests of the suits running the company. His world changes radically when a page to his father’s beeper summons him to a secret room in Flynn’s arcade. Sam is transported to the world of the grid, the electronic universe as imagined by his father. The grid is ruled by a ruthless Flynn avatar called Clu, who has enslaved the programs and trapped the real Flynn. Reunited with his father and a unique program, Quorra (Olivia Wilde), they discover Clu’s plot to leave the grid and enter the human world.
Tron Legacy’s biggest drawbacks should have been its greatest strengths. Sam and Flynn have not seen each other for twenty years. Their reunion lacks emotional depth and realism. This is a science fiction / fantasy film, so an abundance of drama is not expected; but this critical lynchpin of the story is glossed over. It also kills the pacing because it slows everything down so much. It’s the primary story arc with no teeth. Also, the electronic de-aging of Jeff Bridges to play the antagonist Clu is not believable. They give it the college try and do the best job possible, but Clu’s face looks like a CGI character in a video game. Maybe this was the goal, but Clu has an entire range of emotions as the villain that is not represented in his facial features. I hoped this would not bother me as much as the film went on, but it did, especially during the climactic scenes where Clu and Flynn are in the same frame.
Tron Legacy is flawless technically. The visual and aural elements are tremendous. The world of the grid is rippling with detail. The action scenes, particularly the light cycle races, are awesome. Factor in the 3D and IMAX aspect and you’re in for an event. First time director Joseph Kosinski comes out swinging in his debut. He wanted to extrapolate on the effects of the first film and succeeds grandly. I wish he would have concentrated more on the characters, but I can imagine the difficulty in shooting a film so visually complex.
The soundtrack and score by French electronica artists Daft Punk is good, not great. They flirt with greatness in some of the action scenes, but don’t do as well in the dialogue driven scenes. There was a lot of fanfare when it was announced they were scoring the film. They even have a bit of a cameo, robot helmets and all.
I’m keen to see the film again. There’s so much going on, it’s like a feast for the eyes and I’m ready to head back to the table. The special effects are intense, so anyone with light sensitivity should really avoid the IMAX version. I don’t believe Disney will have a 2D release, but the 3D haters should bite their tongues and check out this movie. A must see for any Tron fans, just lower your expectations.
Tron: Legacy is out December 15, 2010.
