Tron: Legacy review
I will try to keep this brief, but let me say at the outset... I loved this movie.
Growing up, I saw the movie Tron and was not overly impressed. I mean, it looked like a cool video game and spawned a couple cool video games, but on the whole, it looked to me like people in digital day-glo ancient Greek get ups talking in tech language I didn't get. At the time I thought it was boring.
Just a few years ago I decided to not only revisit the world of Tron, but to buy the double DVD.
What a difference twenty or so years make! Now, though the graphics look simplistic and dated, the story is much more compelling. The visuals got flatter, but the story got deeper. But this is a review of the latest Tron installment - Legacy.
It has been 28 years since the original Tron hit the screens, and Disney was unsure they even wanted to do a new Tron. They ran some test visual FX (VFX) at a comic con and were floored by the positive response. The film was then green lit and directed by first timer Joseph Kosinski. (This being is his first picture, I will be excited to see what he does next.)
As of this writing, Tron:Legacy has a 7.5/10 star rating at IMDB, and I heartily agree with that assessment and would even bump it up a star.
VISUALS
I have not been an advocate or fan of the recent 3-D craze, but this film almost changes my mind. If you got to is this in 3D you experienced a treat. I am trying to figure out how to yet see it again at an IMAX 3D before it is gone.
The story begins in the real world about 10 years after the first movie with Flynn talking to his son, Sam, about his first visit to the grid. Soon Flynn goes missing and the movie fast forwards...wait for it...28 years.
Without giving too much away, Sam is still heartbroken over his father's disappearance. When a page comes from his fathers old office (in his arcade), Sam goes to investigate and also unexpectedly makes his way onto (into) the grid.
With a technique nod harkening back to the Wizard of Oz, the movie goes from 2D to 3D once Sam gets inside, and the visuals are dark, yet stunning.
From what I understand about the costuming, the "grid" costumes are innovative, using lighting within the costumes. These actually were a let down for me. I know in the original the makers wanted to do black suits with colored circuit areas, but. The technology wasn't there. However the new suits look like Batman or XMen costumes. I think a better attempt at circuitry patterns would have been nice... But again cost prohibitive based (ironically) on technology.
We do see updated nods to original Tron vehicles and the disc game. All of which were amazing. The light cycles, light runners, End of Line club, light planes, recognizers, discs...all very, very cool.
Without giving away much of the ending, or getting into the story too much. I simply LOVED the intentional way that the grid was contrasted to the real world at the end of the film, making the point that as "cool" as being in/on the grid is... it pales in comparison to the real world.
MUSIC
Daft Punk scored the film, which is just uber cool, and yet so surprisingly good. It's one thing for a modern band (electronic no less), to make music that goes well with film, quite another when it aurally symbolizes what is going on in the story. Not only do Daft Punk deliver great electronic tunes, but the melding of orchestra and electronica works stunningly well, giving auditory life to the film's real world meets computer world storyline. The fact that they went strictly acoustic orchestra at the end of the film not only shows their sensitivity to the story, but also a maturity of the band in that an electronic band lays down their most tried and true medium to serve the story.
This album is on constantly in my car and iPod.
STORY
Rather than recap the story, let me just say that this is not just a popcorn action flick. There are some deep themes explored: father/son relationships, spirituality , desire to create utopia and the danger of being immersed in technology.
The story of Kevin and Sam's broken and eventually reconciled father and son relationship works well, even though Jeff Bridges can come off a bit aloof. Really it makes sense that you see this intimate relationship at e beginning become distant because Kevin has been locked inside a computer for almost 30 years. The subtle point should be obvious.
The original Tron movie dealt with spirituality form the standpoint of agnostic and disbelieving computer programs fighting over the existence of "users". Tron: Legacy continues this spiritual dialog on many levels. Users are now not only acknowledged, but openly mocked and the main protagonist (Clu)'s goal is open rebellion against the Creator. Beings made in the image of their creator decide to rebel, stating that the creator is withholding true pleasure and freedom from his creation and that the creation must overthrow the creator. Sound familiar?
Also "miracle" programs called isos are introduced. These sentient people/programs/biotechnology are an odd story piece - possibly setting up a future sequel. While Flynn claims that they came about spontaneously, referring to them as "what we used to call gods or aliens", these isos are "infinitely wise yet profoundly naive" or something like that. The statement is a contradiction. Regardless, these isos, while being a potenital key to solving all the world's problems are also almost completely destroyed in a genocidal act. Not so powerful, these isos.
There is an amazing quote that i am unable to find online, but I will paraphrase it here. The final iso to survive describes how the creator saved her and says of herself that she prepared for the end and when the darkness was about to surround her, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw the creator. She says, "I guess you could say I am a rescue". She's referring to something Sam said earlier, but it evokes a beautiful similarity to the grace and mercy Christians experience at conversion.
Finally, the themes of self-sacrifice and redemption wind their way through the film through several different characters: Kevin, Sam, Quorra, Tron.
INEVITABLE COMPARISON TO THE FIRST FILM
I have read other reviews online that bemoan every conceivable facet of the movie by "die hard Tron fans" from costumes, to storyline to graphics, dialogue, etc.
One of these reviews reminded me of a conversation I had with my son at a movie when he was 8. It was "Jungle Book 2". Half way through that film he turned to me and asked, "when are they going to show the first one?". The same was true of the reviewer. He had so deified the original movie that he wanted this one to essentially be the same thing.
Yes, we should have been with Sam as he went "down the rabbit hole", but if we did then his shock at being in and on the grid would have been less dramatic. Yes, he costumes should have had more of a circuitry feel. Yes, there are scenes that break the rules of logic. But this IS sci-fi. And it is, after all, a movie.
The graphics and costumes ARE different. The grid IS different. That was part of the point. Clu's attempts to build utopia turned the grid into a dark and vapid world and the visuals reinforce it. We are also in 2010/2011 and the eye of the audience has changed.
I thought it was fantastic and it has made it into at least my top twenty movies if not top ten. And I am already signed up for the Blu-Ray notification Amazon. ;)
The film is definitely set well to either be a final, yet open ended, chapter... But also sets up a sequel well. I do so hope they make a sequel. After seeing the film, please consider what an apt title Tron: Redemption would be for the next film.
I will try to keep this brief, but let me say at the outset... I loved this movie.
Growing up, I saw the movie Tron and was not overly impressed. I mean, it looked like a cool video game and spawned a couple cool video games, but on the whole, it looked to me like people in digital day-glo ancient Greek get ups talking in tech language I didn't get. At the time I thought it was boring.
Just a few years ago I decided to not only revisit the world of Tron, but to buy the double DVD.
What a difference twenty or so years make! Now, though the graphics look simplistic and dated, the story is much more compelling. The visuals got flatter, but the story got deeper. But this is a review of the latest Tron installment - Legacy.
It has been 28 years since the original Tron hit the screens, and Disney was unsure they even wanted to do a new Tron. They ran some test visual FX (VFX) at a comic con and were floored by the positive response. The film was then green lit and directed by first timer Joseph Kosinski. (This being is his first picture, I will be excited to see what he does next.)
As of this writing, Tron:Legacy has a 7.5/10 star rating at IMDB, and I heartily agree with that assessment and would even bump it up a star.
VISUALS
I have not been an advocate or fan of the recent 3-D craze, but this film almost changes my mind. If you got to is this in 3D you experienced a treat. I am trying to figure out how to yet see it again at an IMAX 3D before it is gone.
The story begins in the real world about 10 years after the first movie with Flynn talking to his son, Sam, about his first visit to the grid. Soon Flynn goes missing and the movie fast forwards...wait for it...28 years.
Without giving too much away, Sam is still heartbroken over his father's disappearance. When a page comes from his fathers old office (in his arcade), Sam goes to investigate and also unexpectedly makes his way onto (into) the grid.
With a technique nod harkening back to the Wizard of Oz, the movie goes from 2D to 3D once Sam gets inside, and the visuals are dark, yet stunning.
From what I understand about the costuming, the "grid" costumes are innovative, using lighting within the costumes. These actually were a let down for me. I know in the original the makers wanted to do black suits with colored circuit areas, but. The technology wasn't there. However the new suits look like Batman or XMen costumes. I think a better attempt at circuitry patterns would have been nice... But again cost prohibitive based (ironically) on technology.
We do see updated nods to original Tron vehicles and the disc game. All of which were amazing. The light cycles, light runners, End of Line club, light planes, recognizers, discs...all very, very cool.
Without giving away much of the ending, or getting into the story too much. I simply LOVED the intentional way that the grid was contrasted to the real world at the end of the film, making the point that as "cool" as being in/on the grid is... it pales in comparison to the real world.
MUSIC
Daft Punk scored the film, which is just uber cool, and yet so surprisingly good. It's one thing for a modern band (electronic no less), to make music that goes well with film, quite another when it aurally symbolizes what is going on in the story. Not only do Daft Punk deliver great electronic tunes, but the melding of orchestra and electronica works stunningly well, giving auditory life to the film's real world meets computer world storyline. The fact that they went strictly acoustic orchestra at the end of the film not only shows their sensitivity to the story, but also a maturity of the band in that an electronic band lays down their most tried and true medium to serve the story.
This album is on constantly in my car and iPod.
STORY
Rather than recap the story, let me just say that this is not just a popcorn action flick. There are some deep themes explored: father/son relationships, spirituality , desire to create utopia and the danger of being immersed in technology.
The story of Kevin and Sam's broken and eventually reconciled father and son relationship works well, even though Jeff Bridges can come off a bit aloof. Really it makes sense that you see this intimate relationship at e beginning become distant because Kevin has been locked inside a computer for almost 30 years. The subtle point should be obvious.
The original Tron movie dealt with spirituality form the standpoint of agnostic and disbelieving computer programs fighting over the existence of "users". Tron: Legacy continues this spiritual dialog on many levels. Users are now not only acknowledged, but openly mocked and the main protagonist (Clu)'s goal is open rebellion against the Creator. Beings made in the image of their creator decide to rebel, stating that the creator is withholding true pleasure and freedom from his creation and that the creation must overthrow the creator. Sound familiar?
Also "miracle" programs called isos are introduced. These sentient people/programs/biotechnology are an odd story piece - possibly setting up a future sequel. While Flynn claims that they came about spontaneously, referring to them as "what we used to call gods or aliens", these isos are "infinitely wise yet profoundly naive" or something like that. The statement is a contradiction. Regardless, these isos, while being a potenital key to solving all the world's problems are also almost completely destroyed in a genocidal act. Not so powerful, these isos.
There is an amazing quote that i am unable to find online, but I will paraphrase it here. The final iso to survive describes how the creator saved her and says of herself that she prepared for the end and when the darkness was about to surround her, she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw the creator. She says, "I guess you could say I am a rescue". She's referring to something Sam said earlier, but it evokes a beautiful similarity to the grace and mercy Christians experience at conversion.
Finally, the themes of self-sacrifice and redemption wind their way through the film through several different characters: Kevin, Sam, Quorra, Tron.
INEVITABLE COMPARISON TO THE FIRST FILM
I have read other reviews online that bemoan every conceivable facet of the movie by "die hard Tron fans" from costumes, to storyline to graphics, dialogue, etc.
One of these reviews reminded me of a conversation I had with my son at a movie when he was 8. It was "Jungle Book 2". Half way through that film he turned to me and asked, "when are they going to show the first one?". The same was true of the reviewer. He had so deified the original movie that he wanted this one to essentially be the same thing.
Yes, we should have been with Sam as he went "down the rabbit hole", but if we did then his shock at being in and on the grid would have been less dramatic. Yes, he costumes should have had more of a circuitry feel. Yes, there are scenes that break the rules of logic. But this IS sci-fi. And it is, after all, a movie.
The graphics and costumes ARE different. The grid IS different. That was part of the point. Clu's attempts to build utopia turned the grid into a dark and vapid world and the visuals reinforce it. We are also in 2010/2011 and the eye of the audience has changed.
I thought it was fantastic and it has made it into at least my top twenty movies if not top ten. And I am already signed up for the Blu-Ray notification Amazon. ;)
The film is definitely set well to either be a final, yet open ended, chapter... But also sets up a sequel well. I do so hope they make a sequel. After seeing the film, please consider what an apt title Tron: Redemption would be for the next film.
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