Tron Legacy

All right, first things first, if you don't like the original Tron at all, don't read this post, don't see this movie, and honestly, you might want to rethink your opinions on sci-fi film. If you do like the original Tron, than definitely continue reading this if you're unsure if you should see Tron Legacy. Right away I just want to say that I think this movie will eventually be considered a classic of films today, and show what you can do with our current special FX technologies, just like the original.

This movie received mixed reviews from critics and movie goers alike. It seemed to almost split people down the middle. I think this is partly due to the fact that a lot of the people who enjoyed the original Tron are at the youngest now almost in their 30s. This movie was not for the critics though, and was for the fans plain and simple. You can tell from the costumes to the FX to the script that the people who were involved in this film were making a labor of love, and not a film for everyone. I know that they would have liked the movie to have made a mint, but it wasn't ever going to in the theaters I don't believe. But enough about my opinions, on to the actual movie.

First of all the story. The movie has a pretty simple story, it starts out with Flynn, the same age as when the first movie ended, telling his son Sam a story about the grid, and giving him a brief summary of what we saw in the original movie. Than next we find out Flynn has disappeared, and Sam is left an orphan to be raised by his grandparents. We than go on to find out that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree and that Sam is just as smart as his dad and is just as mischievous. He plays a yearly prank on ENCOM, the company Flynn took over at the end of the first movie, and he is now in his early 20s. This years was to release their operation system, think Microsoft Windows, for free onto the internet. Than we go on to see that Sam ends up inside the grid, and that his father has been there for all this time. He was trapped by his own program that he has created to run things in his absence. Things go on and get more complicated. Weaving in and out of philosophy and science as we go deeper into the grid and see more about what has happened in the last 10 years or so. I don't want to give anything away, but the story does have a resolution, and a satisfactory ending. It is a Disney movie afterall.

Now the real star of the movie, the special effects. First of all, obviously if you are reading this you won't be seeing the movie in 3D, and you really did miss out. I saw it in 3D in the theater, and I hate 3D generally, but in the theater this made me a believer in what can be done in 3D now. The movies FX in the beginning of the movie are basic, nothing special really. But once Sam is on the grid we see what the designers, director, and cinematographers really did with this movie, and why it was worth waiting for. It is like going from radio to TV, from black and white to color, from standard definition to high definition 1080p. It is night and day. It even has an amazing and very theatrical entrance once we are viewing the grid. There are light bike battles, the tanks, flying vehicles, and disc battles. Not to mention just the standard costumes on everyone fit so well with the overall atmosphere.

This last part is a part I think is so over looked so often by people that it isn't even funny. So many movies these days ignore it, and it is criminal. The soundtrack to this movie is simply amazing. If you have ever seen Thief and heard the soundtrack by Tangerine Dream, you will be reminded of that simply because of how it so perfectly goes with every scene and every mood. This movies soundtrack is done entirely by a band called Daft Punk, and they deserve any sort of accolades they can get for this film. It adds so much to an already very atmospheric film. When we first see the grid with Sam, we feel like we are being pulled into a brand new world not just because of the visuals, but also because the music makes us feel as though something amazing is happening. When Sam has his first disc battles, we feel the tension in the air, and the fear he must be feeling because the music creates that feeling and atmosphere for us so well. Certainly a soundtrack not to be missed.

Finally, this film overall is simply something not to be missed. If you enjoyed the original film, than you will most likely enjoy this movie. If you have never seen the original, now is a perfect time to see it. Disney has released a DVD/Blu-Ray boxset of both movies now with a ton of extras on both movies. But if you just want to rent, Redbox, Netflix, and Blockbuster all have both movies to rent. Do your eyes, and ears a favor and see this movie. You will not be sorry, it even has enough substance to keep you interested when the shock and awe of the visuals and soundtrack have worn out. END OF LINE