Tron: Ares

I really enjoyed Tron: Ares, despite the mixed reviews. Experiencing it in IMAX definitely enhanced the film - the visuals and soundtrack were truly impressive. The CGI and overall visual design were stunning, and the music perfectly complemented the atmosphere. Without the IMAX experience, I can see how some might rate it lower, but you can't deny the film's visual beauty and strong audio presentation.

In anticipation of Tron: Ares, I rewatched the original Tron (it definitely shows its age, but still earns a solid 8/10 from me for the impact it had on the genre) and Tron: Legacy (still my favorite of the three). Naturally, my expectations for Ares were high.

When I heard Jared Leto had been cast as one of the leads, I was disappointed-he's never really delivered for me, with his Joker performance being the low point. Surprisingly, though, he impressed this time. He was convincing, grounded, and even held his own in scenes with Jeff Bridges.

What Tron: Ares ultimately lacks, however, is soul. Unlike the previous films, I couldn't connect or empathize with any of the characters. What's left is a dazzling visual experience-absolutely worth seeing in IMAX 3D-with a pulsing, energetic soundtrack.

But once the credits roll and you step out of the theater, it's completely forgettable.

'Tron: Ares' is the third film in the video-game/pre-'Matrix' series that revolves around "the Grid" (effectively cyberspace) and the competing companies controlling it, Encom and Dillinger (effectively Microsoft & Google) and their CEOs trying to take the next leap forward in AI - Eve Kim (Lee) and Julian Dillinger (Peters). I assume you don't need to have seen the 1982 original or 2010's 'Tron: Legacy', but there's plenty of throwbacks and linkages, even if this isn't a direct sequel.

So many cameos/supporting cast that all add something, but don't get heaps of time = Julian's mum, Elisabeth (Anderson), Eve's CTO Ajay (Minhaj) & COO Seth (Castro), and obviously Kevin Flynn (Bridges), which is handled quite well. The main plot revolves around a security program, Ares (Leto) that tries to obtain "permanence" in the real-world, and his other Dillinger program Athena (Turner-Smith). Leto is actually not bad, with his still-somehow-youthful face perfect for an AI, and he has a few lines that get a few chuckles.

While there's plenty of similarities to 'Blade Runner 2049' and 'Ready Player One', and arguably not as good, 'Tron: Ares' does deliver some very impressive CGI, with vivid colour, fast-paced action - especially on the motorbikes and jetski - and some engaging fight scenes. The final act set piece is pretty epic, especially when paired with the strong Reznor/Ross score. All wrapped-up in under 2 hours.

Greetings User! Tron is a... unique IP, to say the least. When it released in 1982 there was nothing like it. Rotoscoping, green screen, hand drawn backgrounds and CGI mixed in with live action footage? It hadn't been done, not on that level, and it released to... middling reviews. Many praised its visuals and soundtrack whilst others complained that the narrative was flawed; some said it was too complex, others claimed it was too shallow. Whatever the case, the movie has since garnered a pretty significant cult following and is considered a classic in its own right. Then... it happened again. Tron: Legacy. Visually stunning, excellent soundtrack (many consider it to be the GOAT) but again it was found lacking in its script and was met with middling reviews and has since grown exponentially in popularity, many remembering it as on par or even better than the 82' original. Jump forward another fifteen years or so and here we are, with another gorgeous neon bathed movie with an excellent soundtrack that people can't seem to be able to make their minds up on how they feel about the contents of its script. It almost seems a right of passage at this point, but I imagine Tron: Ares like its predecessors will enjoy its fare share of devotees. The movie features a whole bunch of nods to 82' and Legacy, some of these are more welcome than others and I feel like it can sometimes feel a bit caught up in the past but it's clear at least that these people respect the series and that's more than can be said for a lot of blockbuster sequels released by major corporations in recent years. As I said, the visuals and soundtrack are sublime and though I didn't really connect with any of the users and programs in Ares the way I did with Kevin, Sam, Tron, etc. Nobody was egregious enough to stop me enjoying this movie. If you enjoy Tron as a franchise there will be things for you to enjoy here. I'm giving Tron: Ares a strong 6 to a light 7/10.

Hope you enjoyed reading this review, I'm hoping to do a deep dive of reviews for entire franchise (games and shows included) so if you're interested in those, check them out. End of Line.

The visuals in Tron: Ares are absolutely stunning - every frame feels like a piece of digital art. But sadly, the writing doesn't live up to the visuals. The story feels rushed and underdeveloped, like the project was pushed out too soon. Despite the massive budget and strong cast, weak writing drags everything down - even great actors can't shine when the script lacks depth.