Tron: Legacy – A Walt Disney Pictures’ Release
Release Date: December 17th
Rated PG for violence
Running time: 127 minutes
Joseph Kosinski (dir.)
Edward Kitsis (screenplay)
Adam Horowitz (screenplay)
Edward Kitsis (story)
Adam Horowitz (story)
Brian Klugman (story)
Lee Sternthal (story)
Based on characters created by Steven Lisberger & Bonnie MacBird
Daft Punk (music)
Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn / Clu
Garrett Hedlund as Sam Flynn
Olivia Wilde as Quorra
Bruce Boxleitner as Alan Bradley / Tron
James Frain as Jarvis
Beau Garrett as Gem
Michael Sheen as Castor
Anis Cheurfa as Rinzler
©Disney Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Garret Hedlund rides his Light Cycle through the grid in Tron: Legacy
Our reviews below:
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Tron: Legacy Review By John C.
***1/2 (out of 4)
In 1982, audiences were first introduced to the world of Tron. The film is largely considered a groundbreaker, and has lived on as a cult classic, but it was also a critical and commercial failure at it’s time of release. Now 28 years later, we’ve gotten a sequel. Tron: Legacy plays as equal parts flash back, throw back and stand alone visionary adventure, and it’s wildly succesful as all three.
Kevin Flynn (a very Dude-like Jeff Bridges) has spent the last 20 years trapped in the video game world he created. When his son, Sam (Garret Hedlund), gets a page from his father’s office at Flynn’s old arcade, he is transported inside the machine, only to find Tron a darker place than his father had originally imagined. While on the grid, Sam meets Quorra (Olivia Wilde) a mysterious young woman who has lived her entire life in the program. The digital landscape has been taken over by Clu (a mo-cap version of Jeff Bridges), who was created by Kevin Flynn to help in bettering this “perfect” world.
Clu is a reminder that, no matter how advanced technology may be, it is not possible for a computer to develop the same maturity and wisdom that humans gain as they grow older. The dangerous reality is that from the second he was created, Clu has remained a younger part of Flynn that continues to haunt him. This could be seen as symbolism for the vast amounts of personal information that we freely share on social networking sites, unaware of the future consequences.
The visuals are outstanding and only enhanced by the surprisingly subtle use of 3D. The look of the film is dark and moody, with a sleek and distinctly modern feel to the world inside the computer. Some of the most stunning sequences are the ones driven by action, with the Light Cycle chases being a particular high point.
What we hear is equally important, and the multi-layered soundtrack is brilliant in every way. The sound effects are an integral part of this world, enhancing everything we see on-screen. The musical score by French duo Daft Punk is excellent, with synthesizers making up the majority of the themes.
But Tron: Legacy does a lot more than just look and sound cool. This is a big movie that’s unafraid of posing some very big questions. There is a lot of religious symbolism in the digital world, with themes asking both philosophical and technological questions about the definition of a created reality. The original Tron came at a time when computer technology was new. Legacy comes when we are right in the thick of the digital era, providing a terrifying vision as to what could happen if we get anymore connected. Further viewings will only enhance these themes.
Although it is possible to find imperfections in the script, this is a movie that literally has to be seen. Start your Light Cycles and get on the grid, because Tron: Legacy is awesome.
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Tron: Legacy Review By Erin V.
***1/2 (out of 4)
When Sam was a kid, his father Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) disappeared. Sam was then raised by his grandparents and his dad’s old friend Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner). Over 20 years later, after receiving a page from a disconnected line at Kevin’s old office, Alan convinces Sam (Garrett Hedlund) to go check things out. Once there, Sam starts up his father’s old computer, and soon finds himself transported to ‘the grid.’ The Grid is a digital universe, now far sleeker and more glasslike than it was in the 1982 film (appropriately much the way that computers are now, than they were back then). Here, Sam finds his father hidden away from Clu, his program that is now obsessed with perfection, and insists that all ‘users’ like Kevin Flynn must be destroyed. But there are even more secrets to this world, including a breakthrough that Kevin had discovered right before he disappeared…
There is no denying that Tron: Legacy is a visual masterpiece. The action sequences are stunning – lightcycle chases, disc battles, etc. And it is eerily amazing to see a young version of Jeff Bridges again, done through motion-capturing his old face onto his performance, both for the flashback sequences and the part of Clu. The 3D also works quite well, and doesn’t affect the light levels of the film since the whole ‘Tron’ world is like watching light-sticks glowing in a dark room. Everything is lit by the objects in it. The light from the suits by those who inhabit it, the vehicles, the floors, etc. And when it is very lit, like in Kevin Flynn’s sector, it is a cold white light, like LED’s can produce.
The script on the other hand is not by any means award worthy in my book, but it is serviceable and provides a well-enough written story to keep us going, coupled with the visuals. The acting is fine as well, if appropriately a little over the top at times. There’s a lot you can read into the story in terms of metaphors if you want, or you can just watch it as a sci-fi/action film, which makes it one that can be enjoyed on several different levels. I personally enjoy thinking further about multi-leveled stories.
All in all, Tron: Legacy is meant to be seen in theatres, and if you can, in 3D. It’s a fun ride, so this holiday season, I’d recommend going t0 see it.
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Tron: Legacy Review By Nicole
***1/2 (out of 4)
Disney’s long awaited sequel to the 1982 sci-fi film Tron is finally here. Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) has been missing for over twenty years. When his son, Sam (Garret Hedlund) seeks him out, he accidentally gets transported to the digital universe that his dad had created. His father is still there, as a sort of messianic creator of this digital world. Sam also meets a mysterious woman named Quorra (Olivia Wilde), who helps him learn the ways of the grid. Trouble is, the digital universe has been corrupted by Kevin’s adversary Clu. Together, Kevin, Sam and Quorra have to defeat Clu and free the digital world.
This is a fascinating movie on many levels. The visuals are beautiful, with costumes, roads, landscapes and buildings shining against a sleek black background. The disc battles and light cycle races are amazing to watch. The acting is good, and the electronic score by Daft Punk fits the movie perfectly. I also really liked the religious undertones of Tron: Legacy.
Fans of the original will be pleased with this movie, but I would still recommend it to those who haven’t seen the first film. Go see this one in IMAX 3D if possible, but even in 2D, Tron: Legacy is still awesome.
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Tron: Legacy Review By Maureen
***1/2 (out of 4)
Tron: Legacy picks up where the original Tron movie left off 28 years ago. Once again Jeff Bridges plays game creator Kevin Flynn. Only this time with the help of some CG magic, Bridges also plays his younger self and cyber alter-ego, Clu.
The movie opens in flashback with Kevin Flynn talking to his young son, Sam, and then mysteriously disappearing shortly afterwords. It then flashes forward to Sam (Garret Hedlund) as a young adult, breaking into Flynn’s company, Encom, for a bit of corporate mischief. Then Sam’s surrogate father, Allan (Bruce Boxleitner), tells him about a pager message he received from Flynn’s old arcade. When Sam goes off to investigate, the cyber-adventure begins.
The bulk of the movie takes place in the futuristic cyber game world that Kevin Flynn had created. Sam is met with individuals in futuristic body suits, flourescant flying discs, and amazing light cycle vehicles. The young male demographic are sure to appreciate the silvery-white suited Bond-type females that greet Sam. Essentially, the plot revolves around Sam finding his father and getting out of the game world that his father had created years ago. The plot also has some not so subtle religious overtones.
Overall, Tron: Legacy is a fascinating movie to watch. The sleek, dark tones on and off the game grid are really nice to look at. The action sequences involving light-trimmed costumes, discs and vehicles are amazing.
The acting is good all around, and Jeff Bridges is fun to watch as the elder barefooted guru-like Kevin Flynn. His performance is a little campy, but nowhere near as campy as Michael Sheen’s as the character of Castor. The whole movie is also supported by a really good soundtrack by Daft Punk that matches the fast-paced visuals perfectly.
Fans of the original movie will like what Disney has done with this special-effects heavy sequel. Tron: Legacy really is meant to be seen in theatres. Catch this one while you can.
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Tron: Legacy Review By Tony
*** (out of 4)
Tron: Legacy is the sequel to the 1982 Tron about a video game in which designer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) has been trapped for over 20 years. His son Sam (Garrett Hedlund) finds himself in the same place fighting for survival in a game taken over by Clu (Jeff Bridges avatar). Kevin Flynn is in hiding off the grid with his apprentice Quorra (Olivia Wilde), the last of her tribe massacred by Clu’s forces. He is biding his time, protecting his identity disc which Clu could use to take over the world. With Quorra’s help, Sam finds Kevin and they begin a race to reach the portal to the real world before Clu catches up with them and the portal closes.
In a world familiar with computer games, Tron: Legacy should enjoy a wider audience than its predecessor, which was beyond the comprehension of most of its viewers, but had a great influence on what followed. Despite updated graphics, dazzling especially in 3D, the new film is faithful to the general look of the old one. While the original avatar costumes resembled 40s serial heroes like Flash Gordon, the new ones are still slightly anachronistic, perhaps 60s Star Trek, with female avatars other than the dark-haired beauty Quorra looking like Barbie Dolls.
The underlying cautionary tale of runaway technology, etc. is interesting but the film’s appeal is overwhelmingly visual. The young leads are fine, and Jeff Bridges in his dual roles (both real and motion-captured) is perfect. Brief appearances by Bruce Boxleitner reprising his role as Alan and Michael Sheen as a flamboyant club owner are also welcome. The techno music score from French duo Daft Punk, appearing essentially as themselves in the film, nicely complements the visuals. The film is well-paced, feeling shorter than its running time of just over two hours.
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Consensus: With spectacular visuals and an excellent score by Daft Punk, Tron: Legacy is a film that should be seen in 3D and on the big screen. This sequel to the 1982 cult-classic is highly recommended for both fans and those unfamiliar with the original film. ***1/2 (Out of 4)
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