TRON: Leagcy

[Moviemath]

TRON: Legacy

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, Michael Sheen, Cillian Murphy [uncredited]
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Written by: Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, Steven Lisberger
Rated: Rated PG for sequences of sci-fi action violence and brief mild language.
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
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Note: No spoilers in this review.

INTRO

In a computerized virtual reality... anything goes!
Welcome to the digital world of Tron Legacy.


SCENARIO

In the days before World Wide Web and Bill Gates there was Flynn's gaming parlor. Maverick software engineer and video game maker Kevin Flynn pushes boundaries between the possible and impossible and inadvertently finds himself physically ingested into his own computer system where he is forced to battle against other digital 'binary' programs to survive. He returns to our world victorious and becomes CEO of Encom one of the world's leading computer companies.

Push ahead to 2010, we learn Kevin Flynn mysteriously disappeared without a trace twenty years prior leaving behind a son, Sam, who now grown to adulthood seeks to discover answers surrounding his father's misadventure. Filial curiosity sees Sam ingested into the same virtual world his father experienced all those years ago and thus we have the beginnings of a perilous journey of survival and discovery for junior Flynn.

Bring it on!


THE GOOD STUFF

The entire virtual world of Tron Legacy, the gadgets and vehicles inside of it are a blast. For what it's worth the movie is reasonably well paced. My expectations going in were lowered on account of generally poor reviews the film has received to date, but I would say the movie has succeeded in entertaining the demographic for which it was intended. And while the original Tron explored interesting religious parallels there was no such pretense with Legacy [except.. maybe the fall from Heaven of the great angel Lucifer and the lower angels that followed him]. No platitude toppings here sorry.


The NOT-SO-GOOD STUFF

An underwhelming storyline and characterizations. Or is that stating the obvious. Heh! Garrett Hedlund is a little 'wooden' for my liking. Cillian Murphy's role was underplayed and underwritten. Here was an opportunity for the show makers to devise a formidable villain. FX-wise possibly an over emphasis on linear design and visual symmetry. The film is not a character piece and the spectacle is intended to carry it - read no Oscar nominations for acting or screenwriting with this one only visual effects and production design. Oh yeah, this movie is unashamedly boys' own.


WRAP UP

Considering all the hype leading up to Tron Legacy I would think there would be more than a few disappointed fans out there, but for me - I had fun.

At two hours and seven minutes Tron Legacy may exact some discomfort in the butt department but hey things could be a lot worse couldn't they?
Go along for the Sci-Fi ride and state-of-the-art CGI. If you want a character piece - this isn't it. Ha ha.


Rating: 6.5/10


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[Rekka]

Just saw it yesterday. I thought it looked and sounded great, but the story was a bit lacking. It would have been cool to have seen at least a little first person shots to give the audience the feel that we're inside the computer.

Also, as a User, I thought Sam would have had more unique abilities than he displayed.

I liked the idea of the ISOs but their story was snuffed out even before it began. It would have been more interesting to focus on them and why/how they came into being rather than focusing on Clu trying to break out into our world. That theme has been done too many times.

Loved the music by Daft Punk. I'm so going to have to find this soundtrack.

I give this movie a 3/5. It was good but certainly could have been awesome given a couple tweaks.

[NdieZ]

I watched this movie 3 days ago. I enjoyed the effect, I really did.
But the story was just okay. I mean what's so special about a kid trying to help his father out from the world he has created and finally he has to be killed in order to destroy the grid?
I could even think about how the story ends before I finish watching it.
I like the soundtracks as well. The really did a great job in the matter of sound and animation effect.

[chs]

I agree about the lack of storyline (had just posted on the thread about the last movie I watched saying that too before I saw this thread). The special effects were good but recently some film makers do seem to think it is Ok to rely just on sfx. It is possible to have both good effects and a good story.