Review of TRON: Legacy (2010) by Alejandro J — 01 Sep 2014

Everyone is making their complaints, but I for one find this the satisfying sequel that we have all been waiting for in the "Matrix" saga. Seriously, to draw more comparisons, after "Troy", there "TRON", and after "Friday Night Lights", there was "Friday Night Club Lights", yet Garrett Hedlund still hasn't broken out! At least he'll do better than Bruce Boxleitner, because when this film came out, it had been nearly thirty years after the first "TRON", and, of course, Boxleitner couldn't wait to jump on this project, with brief appearances at the bookends. His career since what was supposed to be his breakout has been so underwhelming that he would have appeared in this film if it was entirely CG, and make no mistake, I'm not entirely convinced that this film isn't entirely in CG. Oh, of course there's plenty of live-action in this film, because the young Jeff Bridges they built is a little spotty, although it's only a matter of time before they perfect lifelike animation, and on that day, Boxleitner will say, "Yeah, how does it feel having your career ruined by Jeff Bridges, Jeff Bridges?", naturally with Beau Bridges at his side. They'll at least perfect digitally restoring the performers' youth, and then they'll have to deal with the mid-life crises that the performers will face at, like, 83. Before any of the digital advancements I'm yacking on about, they will perfect the technology to make Hollywood stars stay younger longer, and considering that Joseph Kosinki went on to research Tom Cruise in "Oblivion", he's probably heading the project, but until he completes it, I'm hoping that he'll be making more good movies like "Oblivion" and this, and will be able to work past certain issues that this film falls into.

I don't know if pacing is really all that big of a problem in this often, at the very least, tightly directed pseudo-epic, but not everything is nearly as tight as it should be in this two-hour-long film of constant plotting momentum which hits a few overdrawn spots that are made all the more draggy by the respectably thoughtful direction whose limp occasions are particularly around the middle of the final product. I really enjoy the dramatic effectiveness of the film, but there isn't much of a fun factor to overshadow the film's being pretty derivative as an adventure drama in its vein, following a formulaic path accompanied by clichéd, if not somewhat trite character types and dialogue. Edward Kitsis' and Adam Horowitz's script is fair, but the most flawed aspect of a potentially extremely well-made film, its clichés being at their worst with occasions of forced and often flat comic relief, and with contrivances that use potentially rich characters and noble themes as devices for the progression and, as irony would have it, thinning of a potentially enthralling plot. The dramatic value of the film is criminally underappreciated, but there is still something superficial, maybe even lazy about Horowitz' and Kitis' approach, and as so very good as the film is in so very many ways, under-inspired writing undercuts a lot of the impact of this film, maybe for the sake the spectacle that a storyteller as gifted as director Joseph Kosinki is able to see through, but cannot completely control. As phenomenal as the aesthetic elements are, almost to the point of making a strong epic in spite of all of the storytelling shortcomings, the film's prominent style further limits a sense of substance because of a lack of inspiration to drive the dramatic value to the level of the technical value, because as for all of the storytelling strengths to the direction, Kosinski doesn't get any real buzz out of the case - which features the occasional flat minor performance - to make up for the script's neglecting any real characterization nuance or extensive dramatic slow-down. This film may take itself a whole lot more seriously than the decent, but often hopelessly lazy predecessor, but, in a few ways, it is a notable example of the modern Disneyfied drama, which is low on kiddy corn, but busy and still superficial, with a style that is held at a greater value over substance which is pretty well-played, but betrayed by conventions, contrivances and some other elements of laziness, until the final product finds itself squandering potential. Still, the potential wouldn't be so palpable if the film didn't meet its many considerable shortcomings with many considerable strengths, the greatest of which, of course, being found within the aesthetic elements.

Honestly, I'm not a particularly huge fan of French house innovators and widely recognized electronic music legends Daft Punk, but I understand that Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo are technically proficient and versatile musicians and composers, and they explore their potential thoroughly with this score which is as outstanding as any heard in a 2010 film, with a sweeping range whose lighter spots are carried by haunting classicism, and whose grander elements are unique in their masterfully tight application of electronic and house flavors to a symphonic magnitude which is never overtaken by style, thus making for an electro-classical soundtrack that plays a key role in defining the aesthetic value and dramatic range of this pseudo-epic. The same role is played by cinematographer Claudio Miranda, whose shows that his breathtaking work with David Fincher on "Zodiac" and "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" was far from a fluke through tight framing that is simultaneously intimate and broad, and through perfect definition, coloration and light to a prominent celebration of ruggedly bleak environments which capture a sense of grit, and of exuberant colors which are just plain breathtaking. The film might be as good-looking as any of 2010, although it's not as though Miranda isn't given already awe-inspiring visuals to polish lavishly, because in this time where technical advancements in filmmaking are flirting with a peak, the "TRON" franchise continues to break ground, with this film, whether it be imperfectly, but still very effectively showcasing the potential of youth restoration effects, or building an immense, exhaustingly extensive world that is rich with distinct characters and traits which are supposed to be digitally manufactured, but are too real to not transport you into a dazzlingly flashy, meticulously crafted vehicle for the majesty of modern filmmaking effects. Aesthetically outstanding and technically marvelous, the film may not come close to matching substance with style, but has to be seen in order to be believed for a style that newcoming director Joseph Kosinski orchestrates impeccably, tightly combining musical, visual and technical styles, in addition to fabulously stylish editing by James Haygood, in the context of anything from stellar, perfectly staged action that is either tightly well-choreographed or eye-poppingly extensive, to a liveliness that helps in sustaining your investment through all of the limp spots, and therefore endearing you to this film's having more than just style to thrive on. The original "TRON" presented a unique and lavish world that this film explores even more extensively, but the mythology behind this universe is not the only intriguing aspect of this story concept, which is formulaic and a little contrived, but richer than that of the adventurous predecessor, with greater scope and consequence, and, of course, much greater potential to be betrayed by Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz, and all but fulfilled by the director. In addition to showcasing a great deal of stylistic proficiency, Kosinski, the film's strongest asset outside of the aesthetic and technical aspects, presents potential as a gifted storyteller, and what he lacks in salvaging nuanced performances to compensate for a lack of extensive humanization to characterization and plotting, he makes up for through scene structuring which is a whole lot tighter than the script itself, delivering on some realized heights in tension, if not resonance between an impeccable hook and a sweeping final act, with a thoughtful pacing that is sometimes blanding, and stands to be more effective in gracing the thinly written storytelling with subtlety, but establishes some sense of importance and urgency that defines the film as not simply more substantial than its predecessor, but as pretty compelling by its own right. This is kind of a frustrating film, because it has the makings of a very strong blockbuster, if not an outstanding adventure flick, but superficial writing and a little bit of problematic pacing hold the final product a long way back, but the fact of the matter is that, with magnificent aesthetics and compelling dramatics, this film rewards a good deal.

Overall, draggy spots in pacing allow you to meditate on the formulaic plotting and clichés which reflect a certain laziness almost as much as the cheesy spots, contrivances and shortage on human depth, thus the final product is unable to achieve the truly strong, if not outstanding state that it could have through the stellar score work by Daft Punk, stunning cinematography by Claudio Miranda, amazing, maybe even groundbreaking visual effects behind a compelling story that director Joseph Kosinski tells with enough lavish style and engrossing dramatic effectiveness to make "TRON: Legacy" a decidedly rewarding blockbuster that could have had a little bit more, yet nonetheless has a lot worth embracing.

3/5 - Good.