Review of Tron (1982) by Wesley D — 10 Apr 2011

Even having seen Tron:Legacy late last year (and rather enjoying it), I had very little idea of what to expect from its predecessor. What struck me the most about this relic of computer animation however, was how similar it really is to its sequel. How so? In almost every way, which made it hard for me to really enjoy it.

Set in the 80's, the film centres itself around upstart computer programmer Kevin Flynn, who is physically transported into a corrupt computer programme known as the 'Digital World' when attempting to hack into the mainframe of ENCOM, his former employer. It then becomes his job to find and destroy the despotic Master Control Programme (nuff said) in order to free this alternate world and send himself home. The story is simple and straightforward enough, yet as it unfolded I couldn't help but recognise the number of similarities that it shares with the plot of Legacy. The Light Cycle and Solar Sailer scenes are two of the worst culprits here.

Having been interested to learn of Flynn's past, the story managed to keep me engaged, and it was a given that its outcome would be largely predicatable, so I was not bothered too much by it. The dialogue in certain places did damage to the actors' performances, though these cringe-worthy moments were few and far between.

In spite of their weaknesses, the story and script were never meant to be the most salient feature of 'Tron'. Though considerably outdated by today's standards, 'Tron's special effects are quite impressive, creating a contrast between 'reality' and the 'Digital World' that was almost as exciting as that which exists in 'Legacy'. What makes the effects work so well is the way that they are integrated into each scene; they are ever-present in the 'Digital World', yet most of the actors (mainly Jeff Bridges) do their best to prevent the background detail from stealing the scene.

Again, it seems unfair to compare 'Tron' to the blockbuster super power that was 'Legacy', but it must be said that the soundtrack was a bit of a let down, having repeatedly heard Daft Punk's score from the sequel. This is likely based on my expectation that Daft Punk's soundtrack would have taken inspiration from the original score, but from what I heard in the film, that didn't appear to be the case.That being said, the music suited its purpose, and the sound effects aptly complemented the visuals that this film relies so heavily upon.

While I appreciate that many hold this film as not only a triumph of visual creativity, but a solid classic of a past era, I find it difficult in my position as a privileged, technophilic brat of the post-Avatar world to fully appreciate the marvel that the original 'Tron' seems to hold. While the visuals were impressive and not what I had expected from the time, I cannot help but view this film as anything but the ugly, older sibling to a film that only four months ago made its impression on me upon the big screen. For those who enjoyed Legacy and are still hunting for the original, I would only recommend this if you are looking for more background, or simply want to see a young Bridges in action,.