Merry TRON-mas Pt. 1: Tron: Legacy

Yep, it's officially Christmas week (sorry readers of other faiths and denominations, I'm not certain enough about your holiday of choice to make a comment). Usually, that means peace on Earth, being caring and giving to your fellow human, lights everywhere, and of course tons of presents. This year, however, it also means resurrecting a 20+ year old cult classic for a 21st century make-over. It's Tron, and for those of you who aren't complete dorks, you're probably not too familiar with it outside of. Heck, it's something of a small miracle that it's getting all the attention it is being such a niche property. Toys, clothing lines, and of course, video games and the new movie. So is all the attention this neon-lighted bit of cinema merited?

Let's answer that by first taking a look at the new movie, Tron: Legacy.

SO WHAT'S THIS MOVIE ABOUT?

Seven years following the events of Tron, the CEO of Encom Software, Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), is delving deeper into the digital world of the Grid in an attempt to create "the perfect system". One faithful night, Kevin leaves his home and his son Sam to tie up some loose ends and is never seen again. Now in the present day, Sam (Garrett Hedlund) is a rebellious young man whose company has grown into a cold and calculating juggernaut without him. Following a yearly "prank" on the board of directors, his father's old friend Alan (Bruce Boxleitner) visits Sam with the news of a mysterious page sent from Kevin's old office and urges Sam to investigate. Investigate Sam does, only to find himself sucked into the virtual world of the Grid his father told him so much about as a boy. He soon finds himself fighting to survive the savage world run by a tyrannical system administrator named Clu (Jeff Bridges) and, aided only by a mysterious program named Quorra (Olivia Wilde), Sam must now find out what became of his father, what happened to throw the Grid into such chaos, and perhaps most importantly, how to escape the Grid alive.

SO WHAT'S GOOD ABOUT THIS MOVIE?

The most obvious and immediate thing that jumps out about Tron: Legacy is its visual style, and it is absolutely gorgeous. Watching the beautifully coordinated lights, sleekly designed world and vehicles, and meticulously detailed nooks and crannies of this virtual world is quite literally a spectacle. The sequence that easily stands above the rest occurs early in the movie as Sam is thrust into the gladiatorial competitions of the Game Grid, and while watching the viscerally choreographed battles of the Disc Arena to the mesmerizing pace of the Light Cycle battle, it truly puts you in another world. This is all only punctuated by a positively awesome soundtrack by Daft Punk. It manages to retain the power of a fully orchestrated score while injecting the movie with a frenetic energy that drives almost every scene.

Tron: Legacy isn't only smoke and mirrors, however. The movie is directed with aplomb by rookie director Joseph Kosinski, who seems to recognize how to dynamically portray almost any scene. There are also strong acting performances by Jeff Bridges in dual roles and Garrett Hedlund does an admirable job in a weighty role. They manage to drum up considerable chemistry, and this adds a much needed human element to the artificial world.

SO WHAT SUCKS ABOUT THIS MOVIE?

Following the introductory Game Grid action sequence, Tron: Legacy languishes in some questionable pacing. Don't get me wrong, things happen and the story develops, but much of the explanatory exposition just seems ponderous after such a ridiculous opening to the idea of this digital world. Also, despite these explanations, it's easy to find yourself lost in the intricacies of the world (especially if you're unfamiliar with the first movie), and too often do you find yourself just wrapping your head around an idea when it's rapidly discarded in favor of what the movie is really trying to focus on. It ultimately leads to a bit of a sloppy climax that, although exciting in its own right, leaves just a bit too many questions unanswered. Also, although Olivia Wilde's "Quorra" is likeable, plucky, and energetic, she's not given enough room to grow or enough character development to truly justify her importance. It's not Wilde's fault, but in some parts I found myself questioning (except for a late movie revelation) what her purpose was.

ANYTHING ELSE?

Michael Sheen has an absolutely ridiculous role in this movie as a club owner named Zuse. He's out of the movie as quickly as he appears, but every frame of film with him in it is just utter absurdity, and I think you're either going to love him or hate him. Also, for fans of the first Tron, you're really gonna dig a lot of the callbacks to the first movie. You'll see an old school Light Cycle, the original Identity Disc symbol, Bit, and more before the final credits roll.

SO WHAT'S THE FINAL VERDICT?

Tron: Legacy seems to legitimize fan's fascination with the first film. It takes the visual style of the first, and actually adds heart, excitement, and genuine "legacy" to it. Not everyone may appreciate its hefty exposition and the baggage that comes along with its world, but from a pure visual standpoint, this movie should not be missed. De-rezz your brain for a couple of hours and enjoy the ride.

Next up: My review of Tron: Evolution the video game.

Until next time, Programs...