SYNOPSIS: Kevin Flynn tells his son
about the great things he is doing in the Grid before he disappears one night to never return. It is 20 years later,
and his son, Sam Flynn, is grown up with no interest in running ENCOM (the company that his father built). Sam plays
the yearly prank on the company when his father's business partner Alan tells him about being paged by Kevin from the Flynns
arcade (and the phone line has been disconnected for 20 years). Sam goes to Flynns to investigate and he gets transported
into the cyberspace world of the Grid run by his father's digital self, Clu. Sam finds out Clu has taken over the Grid
and is planning to invade the real world from the digital world. He reunites with his father with the help of a warrior
named Quorra (she dreams of seeing the real world). Can they work together to stop Clu?
ANALYSIS: TRON LEGACY is a fitting
sequel that respects the original film while improving on it in parts. It is a visual spectacle with a cool electronic
score by DAFT Punk. The story is about fathers and sons. It is also about finding direction and facing
the legacies you create. It also paints Kevin Flynn as a changed man who is more powerful than he was in the
first TRON. Jeff Bridges has his work cut out in a dual role as Flynn and his digital creation Clu. Bridges
brings more acting ability to the film and wisdom to the character of an older Kevin Flynn. Olivia Wilde nails it as
the child-like warrior who will protect while wanting to see the outside world. She is hungry to see Sam and Kevin's
world while Clu wants to control it.
The action is incredible and I wonder
how they will do a sequel to this one because they want to do a trilogy. Joseph Kosinski blows me away with an impressive
feature film debut as a director.
TRON LEGACY is light years ahead in digital
effects technology even though the first TRON was the birth of digital effects aka CGI. On a visual level, it is as
impressive as AVATAR and yet it has a better script. TRON LEGACY uses 3D for the virtual world and improves on
the look of the first film (which used crude CGI compared to today's films). I can't wait to see this movie again.
I do want to see the original TRON again which is sadly out of print (but I hear that it will see re-release when TRON
LEGACY hits DVD and Blu-ray) because I want to compare the two films. TRON LEGACY does bring exposure of TRON to a new
audience.
TRON LEGACY is light years ahead
on the story too. After seeing the original TRON before watching the sequel again,
I see TRON does kinda drag in the first half before being redeemed in the second half.
Still the sequel does have parallels with the first film in various ways and twist the ways things played out in the
first film to make it fresh for the sequel. I like how the Grid isn't seen until
Sam Flynn enters it where you get spoiled by the Grid in the first one before Kevin Flynn is dragged in. Also the sequel wisely focuses the narrative on inside the Grid where the original showed a little
outside ten Grid while Kevin was in the Grid. Sam gets caught by the cops
in the real world in the same way he is caught on the Grid.
Kevin Flynn reacts where Sam wants to make
things happen. Kevin's reacting to things is his downfall when Clu decides
to take over the Grid while Kevin has to save his son in the sequel when Sam decides to act impulsively. Clu is like the bad kid that Kevin didn't pay attention to enough while Sam is the good son
that he was never around for (due to being trapped in the Grid). Also I'm
curious if Kevin Flynn will die if he brings Clu back into him or could it create something new on the Grid. TRON LEGACY id make several times the amount TRON made and yet it didn't perform to Disney's expectations. I hope DVD and Blu-ray sales are strong enough to prompt them to make a sequel (the film has made about $400 million worldwide so far and the budget was $170 million not including
the promotional budget). I know a third film would probably be a little
less in the area of budget, but TRON LEGACY and the epilogue FLYNN LIVES: THE NEXT DAY provides enough material and directions
to explore.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
DVD-
First Look trailer at the TRON: UPRISING
animated series airing this summer on DisneyXD
VISUALISING TRON- a look at the fantastic production and costume design
INSTALLING THE CAST- the cast talks about their roles and working with each other
BLU-RAY-
all of the DVD extras plus
THE NEXT DAY: FLYNN LIVES- a ten minute
epilogue/ companion piece to the film and then you get to unlock other videos related to it including a retro video game commercial
for SPACE PARANOIDS
LAUNCHING THE LEGACY- how the film came about including the teaser trailer they filmed for San Diego Comic Con which lead to
Disney green lighting the sequel
DISC ROARS-
The Director records crowd noise and chants for the Disk Wars arena scenes in the film (at Comic Con)
DAFT PUNK music video for DEREZZED
DISENY SECOND SCREEN option is an application
you can download and allow you to view additional content while watching the movie.
I may download this and check it out.
FINAL ANALYSIS: After watching TRON LEGACY back-to-back with TRON, the sequel is much better than the original TRON
(even though a viewing of TRON does enrich parts of the film for the viewer).
THE NEXT DAY epilogue is a must-watch after the movie. Too bad they didn't record an audio commentary for the movie and I'm all for a third TRON.
this DVD and Blu-ray review is (c)4-1-2011
David Blackwell and cannot be reprinted without permission. send all comments
to feedback@enterline-media.com
