Like many videogame nerds, I had a VHS copy of TRON when I was a kid. It was a classic case of style over substance, hence why I tended to avoid watching it again and again. The art direction and special effects were groundbreaking at the time and so cool to behold but the story was a confusing bag of garbage. I do enjoy it a little more now even though the problems still reside within it. If only a sequel can do better justice.
Sadly, TRON: LEGACY is exactly like the original. Still great to look at but nothing in the plot. It is drowning with many talking scenes about creationism and genetic perfection instead of more light cycles and disc battles, which many older fans and new audiences want. The dialogue is clouded with exposition thuds and faux-deep lines that are simply stolen from other 1980's films such as WARGAMES. However, it does have entertaining thrills thanks to its cast, action sequences, and the musical score.
Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) still has a chip on his shoulder thanks to the sudden disappearance of his father Kevin (a returning Jeff Bridges) when he was a child. After a clue to his father's were-abouts from the now older Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner), Sam heads to the now desolated Flynn's Arcade. Instead of playing some Pac-Man and rocking out to Journey, he discovers a secret entrance to a lab with the patented digitizing laser. A couple key strokes later, Sam is in the world of "The Grid" and is caught up in a war against the newly turned evil emperor Clu (also played by Jeff Bridges with a digital makeover).
Now, making analogies and allusions to Nazism and having several debates about god and his/her creations can be very interesting for a film. However, TRON: LEGACY shoves this hard and down through your eyes and ears for far too long. The two hour plus running time is a slug with a lot of discussions between characters. The film teases you at the beginning with a corporation heist and gladiatorial video games before presenting their philosophical thesis. To make matters worst, the new look of "The Grid" consists of deep dark blacks and fluorescent blues. Nothing says the next big sci-fi franchise than depressing landscapes and numerous talks about existentialism. The rest of the script is disjointed thanks to plot holes and a lot of pointless backstories and sidestories about program purges and profits over product advancement.
The cast at least give the best they got from the crummy material. Hedlund plays Sam as a intelligent and brave hero; Instead of the characterization of being whiny and constantly in pain due to daddy issues that the script seems to give him, he makes the character charming and fearless. Jeff Bridges does well in his two roles by being half-serious, half-loony for both: Kevin Flynn retains his 80's lingo and phrases when he isn't being a battered Jesus-type character; Clu is either a smiling scumbag or an overblown Patton parody. The real spotlight, and the only things that actually bring some lightness to the dread, resides on Olivia Wilde and Michael Sheen. Wilde, who usually brings total boredom in her television work, is truly great as a spunky special computer program who turns into a total badass when the chips are down. She is fantastic with her facial reactions and does well in the martial-arts fights. Unfortunately, Joseph Kosinski's direction and the story often has her on the sidelines waiting for the boring talks to end. Kosinski doesn't however give restrictions to Michael Sheen, who just camps the hell of his glorified cameo as an eccentric club owner.
The special effects are very well done, especially since they are the main showcase of the film. The redesigned vehicles are made more to be seen as operable and sleek than the original blocky creations. The new costumes do away with the goofy but popular "outlet" design for fashionable tight jump suits and carefully placed neon outlines. The best design has to go to Clu's great emperor trenchcoat while his sucking-up adviser brings the worst with a very stupid hat-visor. The excellent score by Daft Punk punctuates the film with eerie techno beats and a true arcade video game vibe. Speaking of videogames, the great action sequences pay tribute to classic generic game pieces and implements, such as speed racing arrows and the flip-flopping planes of gravity.
I wouldn't say I was disappointed since I didn't have any high expectations for this film nor immense nostalgia for the original. It does work in some parts and can be a fun little diversion though the wannabe deep thinking sections are a total drag. Disney made a serious misjudgment by trying to appease the intellectual crowd instead of having more video game action and fan service. Most videogames today have far and away explored more interesting themes and user-program interactions than this 3-D film.
FINAL REVIEW: 3 / 5
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