After the ending of Tron: Legacy and the lingering sequel hooks it left behind, I had a lot of anticipation for a third Tron film. Well, after 15 years, it has finally happened! Better late than never, I guess. So, does Tron: Ares live up to Tron: Legacy? (Pun intended.)
The previous film, Tron: Legacy (2010), had a phenomenal soundtrack by Daft Punk. I wasn’t sure Tron: Ares would be able to match that, but I can safely say that Nine Inch Nails did an exceptional job delivering a soundtrack that’s just as good. Their score elevates every scene and perfectly captures the tone of the film. There are clearly a few tracks made as nods to Daft Punk’s original score, which is a nice touch, but I especially love the violent grit in Nine Inch Nails’ music, something they’re well known for.
The visuals are also stunning. The visual effects are excellent, and the scenes set within the Grid are a joy to look at. I particularly liked the way the Programs materialize in the real world and how their disintegration has been altered to look more painful and grotesque, it’s visually striking. There’s also a fair amount of practical effects used throughout. The costumes look extremely cool, and the vehicles are awesome. The action scenes are thoroughly entertaining as well, most notably the light cycle chase sequence, which features a lot of practical stunts. The Grid-based sequences are downright thrilling.
In terms of characters, Ares makes for a solid main protagonist. As much as I dislike Jared Leto and don’t think he suits a heroic role, he does a fine job here. The character is meant to feel like a villainous A.I. who gradually learns to feel and become more human. In that sense, Leto’s stoic and cold performance actually works for Ares.
Unfortunately, none of the other characters in this film are remotely interesting. The first issue is that there are simply too many of them. Most of the human characters feel unnecessary and don’t add much to the story. One character seems to exist solely for comic relief, but none of their jokes land. Leto ends up delivering better humorous moments than they do.
Secondly, the characters aren’t properly developed and lack depth. Greta Lee plays the human lead, Eve Kim, but she’s forgettable and bland. Apart from the fact that she lost her sister, there isn’t much to her character. Lee’s performance also isn’t strong enough to make the emotional moments land, they just don’t hit as hard as intended. Meanwhile, Evan Peters plays the new villain, Julian Dillinger, who comes across as another over-the-top tech mogul that’s underbaked. At least Peters seems to be having fun with the role.
As for the story, it’s not much better. It touches on some interesting ideas such as weaponizing A.I. and exploring an artificial being learning to become human, but the execution falls flat. The film constantly rushes from one plot point to the next and is overloaded with exposition. There aren’t enough moments of downtime or meaningful character interactions. The few emotional beats that do exist lack resonance, something Legacy managed to achieve with its father-son dynamic.
Adding to that, Tron: Ares completely ignores most of the setups from Tron: Legacy. If you were hoping for answers to the lingering questions from the previous film, you’ll be disappointed. The story also takes place primarily in the real world rather than the Grid, which is unfortunate since the Grid is far more visually and conceptually interesting. It would’ve been fascinating to see what the current state of the Grid is, but this film doesn’t explore that aspect at all.
Overall, Tron: Ares lacks a lot of soul, just the Programs it portrays in the film. If you’re looking for a visual and audio spectacle, this film absolutely delivers. However, the script and characters are bland, and the film doesn’t have much to say about technology or A.I. Still, it’s a fun popcorn flick and it does tease a potential Tron 4. Hopefully, if that happens, they bring back Sam, Quorra, and Alan from the previous films. And hopefully, it doesn’t take another decade for the next Tron to arrive.
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