Review of TRON: Legacy (2010) by Tellarhk — 17 Dec 2010

Having seen the previous film only a few minutes before sitting down in the theater to see Tron Legacy, there were a number of areas in the newer film that clearly stood out as similarities to the original film. In fact, there are so many similarities to the original film in pacing and storytelling, that Legacy actually manages to feel like a curious hybrid of sequel and remake.

There's a touch more "Real World" setup in the beginning than the original film, a slightly-too-long solar sail segment leading up to the final act, and Tron is almost as scarce in this film as his appearances were in the original. But, with all those similarities the film does tend to leave the viewer with a higher awareness of the mythology behind the Grid and its inhabitants. Technically, the film is nearly flawless with no issues that leap out at the viewer as a mistake or flub on first viewing. Every shot is well aimed, fight and game sequences are presented in a way that's less MTV and more "80's karate movie" and the story flows fairly well from one segment to the next. The greatest flaw most viewers might see in Tron Legacy is its tendency to explain and talk for large portions of screen time, but that isn't necessarily a complaint that feels particularly valid when you're looking at something so large-scale as the world presented in the Tron "mythology". Some stories just take a little time and scripting to tell, and Legacy struck an excellent balance of action and exposition in the eyes of those in the theater where I saw the film.

When it comes to the die-hard geek demographic however, perhaps Tron Legacy's greatest flaw is a desire to position the film in a more mainstream fashion. Geeks may have wanted more information, more easter eggs and more background knowledge of how things worked - but those answers and options would likely only have detracted from the film. Bottom line, if you liked the first film, you'll love Legacy. If you never "got" the original Tron despite more than one viewing in recent years, don't bother with Legacy.