Disney / Buena Vista | 2010 | 127 mins. | PG
Back in 1982, Tron was a film ahead of its time. However, when it was announced nearly thirty years later that a sequel was on the way, I wondered whether the whole thing would seem foolishly outdated. The original was somewhat confusing but had some amazing ideas. In 1982, Tron was visually stunning, while the story had some undeniable holes. In the end, I embraced the idea of a sequel in the hopes that it would fill in some of the original’s holes. Thankfully, while Tron: Legacy isn’t a great film, it does add some interesting points to the story.
In 1989, Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) disappeared, leaving behind a growing company, a family and a promising future. He left no note or reason for leaving. Twenty years later, his rebellious adult son Sam (Garrett Hedulnd) isn’t concerned about profits as much as he is excitement and his own personal ideals. For much of his life, Sam has given up his father for dead, despite assertions from longtime family friend Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner) that all may not be as it seems. One day, Sam learns his father didn’t simply walk out on him. Flynn became trapped in a sprawling world of his own creation; a virtual realm ruled with an iron fist by his fallen angel avatar, Clu (also Bridges, albeit with a CG face-lift). Transported into his father’s digital world, Sam is forced to compete in a series of gladiator Grid games to the delight of a bloodthirsty crowd of Programs who believe their creators, the Users, are nothing more than absentee slavers. Clu’s only opponents are Flynn and his protégé, Quorra (Olivia Wilde). Sam joins forces with his father to find the way home and prevent Clu from crossing to the real world.
Since the Tron universe takes place entirely within chips, it’s best to leave logical explanation at the door. Don’t concern yourself with where the physical body of Kevin Flynn has been for the past twenty years. Director Joseph Kosinski’ nimbly avoids such obstacles with Tron: Legacy, and hits the ground running. First and foremost, Legacy is a sound-and light show that plays to the eyes and ears more than the mind.
Not surprisingly, the look of cyberspace has changed dramatically since the original Tron. There are various homage’s to the original, including cars zipping around tracks leaving trails behind them and discs that can be thrown at opponents to de-res them. The graphical improvements evident in Tron: Legacy make it seem more like a distant cousin to the original Tron than a direct descendant. Still, even though it’s not as cutting edge as its predecessor, Tron: Legacy is cool to look at.
Fresh off his Oscar win, Jeff Bridges does a fine job both as Flynn and a youngish Clu. The computer de-aging process that shaves 20 years off Bridges’ features also leaves him looking a little waxy and unreal, which is perfect for Clu. Bruce Boxleitner also receives dual treatment, although Tron isn’t on screen for as long as I would have liked. Garrett Hedlund is somewhat abrasive and unable to effectively convey some of the emotional punch expected. Olivia Wilde brings a mixture of innocence and sexiness to her role as a daughter of cyberspace, although avenues that might have been explored in an R-rated script are left untouched.
Tron: Legacy is a better than average motion picture. Ground in the present, with little concern for what is to come, this is great eye candy. If you’re in to this kind of film, pop some popcorn, and settle in for a journey into a virtual world. You’ll enjoy it.
Tron: Legacy looks absolutely fabulous on Blu-ray. Colors are vibrant and lush, black levels are inky without resorting to crush. Image detail is stunning and contrast is handled brilliantly. There is no compression artifacting or edge enhancement to mention. Reference quality.
Tron: Legacy gets a DTS-HD 7.1 Master Audio sound mix, and the results are remarkable. Immersive and clean, this track is an extraordinary achievement: It’s enough to make you feel like you’re being sucked into ‘The Grid’ yourself. Dialogue is clear. Atmospherics, effects and music are the MVPs here, and every one of them impresses.
We get the following special features:
- The Next Day: Flynn Lives Revealed (HD): “Be the first to discover what happens after the movie ends.” “The Next Day” is an entertaining interactive suite that features segments from an in-universe mockumentary, messages from the underground “Flynn Lives” movement, news clips centered around Alan Bradley and Sam Flynn’s company takeover, and scenes from an Encom expose. The experience is peppered with appearances from key members of the cast as well, and will please Tron fans.
- First Look at Tron: Uprising (HD, 2 minutes): A sneak peek at the upcoming Disney XD computer animated television series.
- Launching the Legacy (HD, 10 minutes): Producer Steven Lisberger introduces the test trailer he and his fellow filmmakers created to sell the viability of a Tron sequel to the studio, some two-and-a-half decades after the debut of the original film. From there the filmmakers quickly dissect the new story, touch on the science behind their vision, and offer their thoughts on the final film.
- Visualizing Tron (HD, 12 minutes): This excellent FX featurette is more extensive, digging into Legacy‘s use of light and color, the various ties between the original film and the sequel, the creation of a young Jeff Bridges avatar, the development of the new Tron Verse, and the design of its architecture, fashion, vehicles and weaponry.
- Installing the Cast (HD, 12 minutes): Meet the cast of Legacy and hear them gush over one another’s performances.
- Disc Roars (HD, 3 minutes): An eager San Diego Comic Con Q&A crowd gets the unique opportunity to voice a chanting crowd in the final film’s Tron arena.
- Music Video (HD, 3 minutes): “Derezzed” — written, produced and performed by Daft Punk.
- Disney Second Screen (HD): Users can sync their laptops or iPads with Disney’s latest Blu-ray release to unearth even more content.
- BD-Live
- DVD Copy