I’ve been fascinated by TRON from a young age, being only eleven when Disney released TRON: Legacy. I remember going to the theater with my grandfather, who had seen the original in theaters, and being blown away by the visuals, that amazing Jeff Bridges intro, and the unbelievably epic Daft Punk soundtrack. I also remember reading about ElecTRONica at Disneyland, a nightly party which turned a desolate section of the then-named Disney’s California Adventure park into The Grid, complete with lasers, heart-pumping music, dancing, drinks, and of course, Flynn’s Arcade.
Then came the opening of Shanghai Disneyland’s TRON Lightcycle Power Run rollercoaster in 2016, with a long-awaited clone opening in Magic Kingdom in 2023. My hype for all things TRON had reached a fever pitch, and frankly, I was worried that the franchise’s third installment wouldn’t meet my expectations for what a TRON movie should be. After all, TRON is in The Grid, not our world, and the concept of bringing digital elements into the real world didn’t seem as cool or, for some reason, believable as going into the computer.
Boy was I wrong. TRON: Ares is more than I hoped for, and is both thrilling and timely. Going into the movie, I thought the movie’s focus on artificial intelligence as a plot point would be as nonsensical as the concept of going into a computer, but was pleasantly surprised by how the film integrated and explored real-world hypotheses put forward by leading AI researchers and experts in a way that remained approachable and thrilling.
The characters are likable and well-acted, although I didn’t find myself getting particularly attached to any of them, save the movie’s villain, Julian Dillinger, portrayed by Evan Peters. Dillinger, the CEO of ENCOM’s rival corporation, is such an over-the-top portrayal of a modern Big Tech CEO that it was hard not to get excited each time he appeared on screen. And trust me, his final act will shock you.
The best part about the movie, at least for those new to the world of TRON, is that you don’t need to have seen either of the previous two movies to understand and enjoy this one. Yes, there are a lot of Easter eggs, references, and even a mid-credits scene that will be enhanced by having seen one or both of the previous installments.
TRON: Ares is a worthy successor to the TRON legacy, and I’m hopeful it will spawn a sequel or two. Make it happen, readers. TRON: Ares is in theaters on Friday.
I’ve never seen them, but this sounds amazing. Can’t wait