TRON: Legacy (2010) Review

A surprisingly beautiful and layered movie that vastly improves upon the original film in every possible way. While the action is spectacular, the real story is both a social commentary and variation on the prodigal son. Filled with extraordinary imagery, kinetic action, and good acting, it may not have been the smash success Disney envisioned it succeeded in being thought provoking and very, very entertaining. UPDATED December 2011 for Blu-ray review and HD screen captures, January 2013 for technical details.

I’m old enough to have seen the original TRON in a movie theater and always had a soft spot in my heart for it.  Disney’s experiment wasn’t a great movie, but was a passable B movie with an A level budget.   Still, it was great fun and interesting to look at with an equally interesting soundtrack.  28 years later, the sequel arrived in 3D during a disappointing winter box office.  So did it live up to the hype?

TRON: Legacy starts with a lasers forming the outline of the Walt Disney Pictures Enchanted Castle which is a nice touch. This was in 3D at the theater; the screen captures in the review come from the Blu-ray so I may be a bit fuzzy about where 2D and 3D transitioned. Lines of blue light follow, tracing circuit patterns that become city streets while Jeff Bridges voice is heard talking about “The Grid.” It is a very pretty sequence indicative of things to come.

The year is 1989 and widower Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) is telling his seven year old son, Sam, about getting into The Grid in the first movie. TRON and CLU are mentioned as helping him build The Grid and a promise is made to take Sam there one day. But something big has happened, a “miracle” and for the moment the boy has to stay put. Another promise is made and Flynn leaves to work on his project.

One of the more ballyhooed aspects of the movie was the CGI process that allowed Jeff Bridges to play his twenty year younger self. This scene introduces that technology and it works, for the most part. It almost conquers the uncanny valley, but isn’t quite there yet. Fortunately, it isn’t distracting.

The boy’s bedroom is a complete flashback to the 80’s for me. Keep an eye open for the original movie’s poster and one for The Black Hole another of Disney’s science fiction films of the era. I remember having that issue of Marvel Comics Secret Wars 2 on his shelf. Oh and it should be noted that all of the “real world” scenes were in 2D in the theater. But I digress.

Flynn is never seen again and a creative montage of competing televisions convey the pertinent facts about the corporate power struggle at ENCOM that follows his disappearance. We also get a glimpse at a digitally rejuvenated Bruce Boxleitner reprising Alan Bradley from the first film. Here we are shown what a showman and dreamer that Kevin Flynn was as he sought out the “digital frontier.” An angry Sam sets off on his bicycle…

Twenty years later, we see someone on a motorcycle racing through night time traffic. It is a moody and atmospheric sequence perfectly cut with the music provided by Daft Punk; almost a Michael Mann piece of work from the 1980’s. It is an older Sam Flynn (Garret Hedlund), on his way to breaking into ENCOM’s headquarters during a crucial rollout of their next operating system.

Listen for a familiar line from TRON when he opens the massive security door. It’s one of many little tributes to the first film.

While this break in is a lot of adventurous fun, it’s also a big knock on Steve Jobs, the then head of Apple, who always made a big show of every product rollout by that company. Alan Bradley is the voice of the past, wondering what justification there is in rolling out OS12. He’s shot down by a younger man with a connection to the villain of the first movie in a very well played cameo by Cillian Murphy. The idealism of the past has lost out to the profit motive. But the rollout doesn’t go as planned since Sam has hacked the servers.

After having his fun, Sam makes a dramatic exit from the ENCOM Tower and finds himself in the spotlight. Of a police helicopter. Needless to say, the authorities are not amused. Once released, we get a view of his unusual dwelling place which is made out of a shipping container. An interesting place to live, but there is a hollowness to his abode that appears to carry over to his life. Alan shows up to let him know that he’s received a page from Kevin’s old arcade – from a number that hasn’t been used in twenty years. He also is there to guilt trip Sam about not being involved with the company he is majority stockholder of.

Wow, the same arcade used in original movie – nicely done. Turning on the power to the abandoned arcade reveals a time capsule of arcade games and music on the jukebox. Journey’s Separate Ways and Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams add to the nostalgic atmosphere as Sam searches the arcade for signs of his father. Being a teenager back then, the sounds of the games brought back those whiled away hours feeding quarters (or tokens) into arcade games. Nostalgia is a horrific thing at times.

A promise remembered leads to the discovery of a secret lab where a super computer of the era is still running. Too much of a hacker like his father, Sam has to mess with what’s running and a familiar sight from the first movie activates.

And away we go!

The movie shifts to 3D in the theater and to a different aspect ratio on the BD which is due to sections of the movie being in IMAX format. Just as suddenly Sam finds himself on The Grid. He’s in the spotlight of the local authorities again, but it isn’t a helicopter above him. It is a Recognizer. They are flying vehicles from the first movie, but are looking much spiffier these days. The scene is meant to be a “WOW!” moment and it delivers that in spades. The look of fear on our main heroes face as he realizes what he’s gotten himself into is good character moment. Bitterness and bravado only get you so far in life, kiddo.

Arriving at the arena, the prisoners on the Recognizer are sorted out into two categories: rectify and games. It is kind of obvious where Sam will end up even if he’s bewildered by what’s going on. That would be an armory where four comely lasses (who are more than a little creepy) strip him and outfit him with body armor. The scene was going for sexy and alien, I think. One program directs the others and gives him a parting word of advice.

Now the action that was so highlighted in the trailers and commercials begins. It is the classic Disc Wars from the first film updated for a more advanced era. Sam quickly learns just how serious it is when he sees a program derezzed, or killed. It was nice change to see a hero come in and not know what he was doing.  In this case, his skills are not up to snuff, so he uses his brain and willingness to break the rules to survive. But his luck runs out…

A fearsome opponent makes a dramatic appearance in the form of the feral Rinzler. Always helmeted, the insect-like warrior outclasses young Flynn utterly. It isn’t so much a fight as a brutal drubbing. It is a fantastic fight sequence and really does convey what being in a modern video game would feel like. Also conveyed is that sickening feeling when you first go up against an opponent and realize you don’t stand a chance. But hey, I like my heroes mortal.

Speaking of helmeted, the apparent rule of The Grid has been watching the games just like a proper Roman emperor would. Served by an officious toady, he takes particular interest in Sam’s actions. Manipulating the two glowing balls while Rinzler fights made me wonder if he was remotely controlling him. Perhaps I’ve missed an homage or literary reference in the imagery. Once Sam identifies himself to the jeering crowd, he’s hauled up to meet the head man who retracts the helmet.

Time for father issues to come out. Well, sort of. It isn’t long before Sam figures out he’s talking to CLU, not his dad. It looks like CLU has even bigger daddy issues than Sam does with Flynn. He oozes bitter hatred and a smarmy confidence born of absolute power, so it is no surprise he wants to take on the younger man in battle. It is all set up like grand theater, complete with making the newcomer look like an idiot to the audience. Though I will admit Sam helped them out with that.

So begins the reprise of what everyone remembers the most about TRON.  What an upgrade to the concept, though. The shimmering translucent light trails left by the light cycles are gorgeous and the playing field is truly three dimensional instead of flat. Here the 3D effects really stood out and made things more immersive.  I applaud the director and SFX artists for making the effects organic feeling rather than “in your face” like so many do in current 3D films. So does the sequence live up to its promise? Oh yeah – and then some.

A timely rescue by a mysterious helmeted warrior (seem to be a lot of them running around) gets Sam out of the battle and out into the rugged desert outlands. Once the helmet is retracted, we get the lovely face of Quorra (Olivia Wilde) presented for the first time. She is very striking and all eyes in more than one way. The soundtrack is particularly good during this scene, but it is one of the few times I felt they overdid the visual effects. Nothing jarring, but it felt like they tried too hard to be cool. Once in the hidden lair in a cliff side, Quorra leads Sam to meet someone very important.

Flynn and Sam are finally reunited after twenty years and both actors give the moment the respect it needed. The emotions fighting to break through their manly reserves is just perfect. The actors taking this movie seriously and committing fully to their characters is something that raises TRON: Legacy above most action films.

Quorra is not ignored during these scenes either. We get to know her better as she shows Sam around the hideaway and reveals herself to be a sweetly innocent young woman. An awkward dinner follows, the kind that only family can have. Flynn tries to hide his disappointment in Sam’s apathetic life and Sam is still dealing with abandonment issues. Meanwhile, Quorra doesn’t fully understand what is being said which adds to the awkwardness. Her not being quite human is well executed here, treading a fine line of while still showing her potential to become more human.

Tragedy from twenty years ago is revealed in a flashback with an interesting choice in filters that make the scenes look like something from a lower resolution time. With the new crisis at hand, an argument over what to do next follows. It is a classic clash of father and son, with a jaded and weary Flynn wanting to avoid action. Sam is aggressive and determined to push forward as is his nature. Trapped between is Quorra and her decision eventually leads to things spinning out of control.

A rollercoaster of intrigue, betrayal, and desperate gambits follow as Sam tries to return to the real world. A bittersweet ending to the Greek tragedy underlying the events of the film make TRON: Legacy much more than the special effects driven action film most people think it is.

Thoughts

First off, I admit I loved the movie; more so upon thinking about it days after I’d seen it.   There is a lot going on below the surface of the film and it appears most critics missed some of the themes.  I’d already fallen for the excellent soundtrack by Daft Punk and had purchased it on iTunes along with the Amazon bonus track “Sea of Simulation.”  The soundtrack deserves its own review and I may do that later on.

For a movie showcasing visual effects there is a considerable amount of attention paid to the characters and to human flaws. Both a meditation on failed dreams and father and son issues, it isn’t a cold movie by any measure. In fact, it’s quite emotional in places.

There is a film noir feel to the visual aspects of the movie which adds to the brooding atmosphere. Up to the very end, the entire film takes place at night including the flashbacks. Hmm, come to think of it, there is an exception: Flynn’s memories of Sam as a child. The story can obviously be considered a journey through darkness into the light.

An interesting and very frustrating thing happened when we saw TRON: Legacy in 3D at the theater – it froze repeatedly during the disc wars and light cycle parts.  It froze in glorious HD, but it repeated at an exact interval.  While the local theater people didn’t know why it was doing it, my best guess is gotten glitches in the hard disc. The theater is owned by the local small town co-op.

Even with that going on, nobody asked for a refund or left the theater. They just voiced frustration and were enough into the movie not to leave. With the head scratching over what they thought about the movie after it ended, I thought it was a testament to the quality of the story that they stuck it through.

German silent films are an influence on the character designs and also much of the look of the film. I was able to see bits of Metropolis and Nosferatu  among others in the production. If you are a true film buff or merely curious, the old silent films contain some amazing design and camera work. So go watch them and be amazed how they are still being borrowed from. Oh and lest I forget, there is a blatant nod to Charlie Chaplin in the film near the end.

Since the director, Joseph Kosinski is a trained architect, his emphasis on design shouldn’t be a surprise. Architecture is all about interesting shapes that are still practical in use, hence all the different shaped skyscrapers in major cities. Thanks to his vision, the movie isn’t just pretty special effects, it is pretty sets and settings.

Parents should be aware that the PG rating is warranted thanks to a lot of violence. Gladiatorial combat is only the beginning of many deaths ameliorated by the fact that the programs shatter into cubes before fading away. That said, there is a scene of a limb being cut off and one case of human blood. Otherwise, there is little in the way of objectionable material and most kids will be able to handle it.

I highly recommend the film to anyone willing to give it a chance. Don’t be turned away by the fantastic setting, for there are many layers to the story and the characters are very likeable. Science fiction fans, computer geeks, video gamers, and action fans will definitely enjoy the film.

Technical

Video on the DVD and Blu-ray is presented in anamorphic 2.35:1 widescreen with some sequences in 1.77:1 IMAX ratio. The transfer is vivid with excellent contrast as befits the film’s visuals.

Audio options on the Blu-ray are: English 7.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio, English 2.0 stereo Dolby Digital, English 2.0 Dolby Digital Descriptive Service for the blind, French 5.1 Dolby Digital surround, and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital surround. At first I thought the track for the blind and visually impaired was a strange thing for this kind of movie, then I realized that between the excellent dialogue and amazing score it might just work.

Sound and video are top notch on the DVD, though it strangely defaults to Dolby Digital 2.0. Disney has a strangely defensive note about it, so be aware that you have to choose Dolby 5.1 manually.

There are a couple of moments from the flashback to CLU’s coup that looked like glitches when I first watched it, but turned out to be deliberate by the director. So don’t be alarmed by them, they are a clever gimmick to indicate how memories can get corrupted over the years.

I wish I had a Blu-ray drive for my PC, since I purchased the 4 disc version of the movie that has DVD/Blu-ray/Blu-ray 3D/Digital versions. When I walked out the the theater, I said it would be the first movie I’d buy on Blu-ray. Promise kept, but I don’t have anything to play it on.

The slip cover for the case features a 3D lentic front that’s very striking.

UPDATED December 2011: Now that I have a Blu-ray drive in the PC, I can safely say this movie is spectacular in the format. The little details really stand out, especially the particle effects around the jet exhausts. Now I can read all the book titles in Flynn’s hideaway too. Everything looks so much better that I cannot begin to describe it all.

The sound on the Blu-ray version is vastly better and that was a big surprise to me. While I knew it was supposed to be superior, hearing it is believing it. It truly does the Daft Punk soundtrack justice while enhancing every other sound in the film.

So far, I’ve been unsuccessful at getting the Digital version to install on any of my PC’s and had hoped to review that. Apparently my security settings are too high and I’m not about to change them. I’m curious to see what quality it would be.

Having seen the Blu-ray 3D version at a friends, I can report it faithfully reproduces the theater experience. I still prefer the 2D due to loss of detail in backgrounds.

Bonus features aren’t as extensive as I’d hoped, but more than the usual movie release. All are in 1080p HD on the Blu-ray and I’ll note which ones are also on the DVD:

The Next Day: Flynn Lives Revealed – A ten minute short that can be expanded to over half an hour if you input the right codes, it reveals an underground movement harassing ENCOM for two decades. Run by a familiar face (though much older) from the first film, it is a great excuse to collate all the viral promotional material that was done along with some of the news reports seen in first part of the feature film.

Fun for the fans and it adds a little missing history to the fictional universe of TRON.

Play Movie with Disney Second Screen – This is extra content that can be accessed online and synched while watching the movie if you have an iPad or PC. I didn’t check this out.

First Look at TRON: Uprising The Disney XD Animated Series – At just over a minute long, this teaser for the all CG cartoon series is visually spectacular. While I’ve not seen the series, the soundtrack is something I purchased and is a must for fans of the movie soundtrack. Also on the DVD.

Launching the Legacy – The first of three ten minute shorts that I believe were on the website, it covers how the sequel was finally commissioned after twenty years of efforts by Steve Lisberger, director and creator of the original TRON. On board as a producer, his long held dream was finally realized, but it wasn’t easy even with a new creative crew behind it.

In order to get funding for the movie from Disney, a test reel had to be shot in a repeat of history, for this happened with TRON. That short little lightcycle chase and appearance of an older Flynn was taken to ComicCon 2008 to gauge interest as well as prove the effects. It’s shown in full complete with audience reaction and I remember freaking out over it when it leaked online. Great fun.

Visualizing TRON – A look at design and effects work, both CG and practical fills the second short. Storyboards, concept art, and interviews show how everything was envisioned along with the difficulties of turning it into reality. Also on the DVD.

Installing the Cast – The final short, it features interviews with the cast about the production and each other. It’s clear Bridges had a blast playing a younger version of himself in CLU and everyone else seemed to be having fun too. Interesting bits include the facts that Hedlund did a lot of stunts himself and Wilde did quite a bit of her fighting scenes. Also on the DVD.

Disc Roars – ComicCon audience members were recruited to record the arena crowd chants in an experiment by the director that turned out rather well. Here you get to see how it was done.

Music Video – “Derezzed” Written, Produced and Performed by Daft Punk – The full video of their lead single from the soundtrack, it features all original footage of a battle inside an arcade game. Both eras of TRON aesthetics are used for a memorable if short battle between two warriors on mechanical steeds complete with a twist ending.

BEWARE! SPOILERS BE AHEAD!!!

 

 

 

 

Little things I liked in the film include how Flynn’s very presence altered things. While he is the deposed creator of The Grid, he is also The Creator there. The atmosphere changing from losing the brawl to an easy win happened due to him exerting a supernatural influence. Likewise, he is able to affect devices and programs when he chooses to. The praying female program as he exited the club and the reaction of the rebels to him showed that religion had sprung up. Given Flynn’s comments, he is most likely an atheist, so that wasn’t his doing. It certainly wasn’t CLU’s as his hatred of Users bordered on the infinite.

That aura about Flynn also explains how Rinzler regained his identity of Tron when he neared the light jet in the battle. Proximity alone caused him to revert as there was no communication between the two. Nice nod to old fans to have Tron’s lights turn blue in the Sea of Tranquility.

Castor was a lot of fun as was everything in the End of Line club. Michael Sheen channeled Ziggy Stardust mixed with every scheming night club owner from a 1940’s detective movie for a very memorable character. His outright glee at the chaos and utterly cynical behavior made a nice contrast with all the idealists. It must be a successful night club, Castor was able to afford Daft Punk from the real world to be his DJ’s.

The main themes of the film have everything to do with what is going on in our current culture. The director is on record that it is about the failure of the Boomers and what they’ve left behind as a legacy to their children. Here the metaphors become schizophrenic as it lambastes the loss of idealism but also attacks utopianism. The danger of seeking perfection and order leads to the takeover of The Grid by CLU while the ISO’s rising spontaneously showed the limits of human understanding of the universe. Meaty philosophical stuff for an action flick.

It also about the relationships of fathers and sons. CLU is just as much a son to Flynn as Sam is and his bitterness is born of being the “good” son who did everything his father asked him too. Sam is the prodigal son who is instantly the father’s favorite upon showing up, adding to CLU’s anger. CLU is a deeply wounded and driven to conquer all by doing what he thinks is right. Being a copy of Flynn’s mind, he embodies just how dangerous idealists really are. They are always one step from fascism or communism.

The finale makes it abundantly clear that Flynn feels that he is at fault for all that has happened and also that he knows there is only one way he can atone for his sins. It is a highly emotional scene, filled with loss, regret, and hope as he sends his son and protégé to the real world while sacrificing his life.

Quite a few people were confused by how the ISO’s fit into the whole story or why Quorra being the last one was so important to the real world. Unfortunately, we live in an era where people expect to be spoon fed every last detail in a fictional universe without using their heads to figure things out. I thought the movie was very clear that the DNA and other code in the ISO’s was so advanced even Flynn couldn’t understand it. But it was clear the code might hold the keys to curing diseases, possibly reveal how life came to be, and maybe lead the way to the next step in human evolution. That’s valuable enough, eh? Even world changing. That made Quorra the single most important being in The Grid – not Flynn.

My favorite scene of the movie is subtle one. On the solar sailor, Sam is asked by Quorra to describe a sunrise. While she has been clearly interested in him the entire time, here is the first indication he is too. The way the word “beautiful” is delivered gives that all away. But the part that got to me was Flynn opening his eyes from “knocking on the sky” and watching the two talk. A small smile by a father seeing a glimpse into a hopeful future as the two are obviously a good match. Absolutely love that.

I wrote earlier that the entire film is set at night; in fact The Grid doesn’t have daylight at all. Everything is in darkness with rain as the only weather, which works great for the neon lighting of the clothing and architecture. But it also shows a world without hope and never knowing the light of a new day. So Quorra’s seeing her first sunrise in the real world is very symbolic of hope being born anew.