Review: TRON: Legacy

TRON: Legacy
Dir. Joseph Kosinski
Year: 2010
Aus Rating: PG
Running Time: 120mins

What is the legacy of TRON? Steven Lisberger’s 1982 original revolutionised special visual effects (it was deemed ineligible by the Academy Awards because they felt its use of computers was “cheating”!) and has been an inspiration for Pixar’s John Lasseter and French dance musicians Daft Punk. 28 years later and we finally get the sequel that comes as technology has finally caught up with the ideas. First time director Joseph Kosinski may have brought TRON into the 21st century, but he also brought along the clunky dialogue, confusing exposition and hokey acting. TRON: Legacy is as sleek and snappy as they come, but the parts are rusty.

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I honestly wanted to give this higher grade for the visuals and that amazing music score by Daft Punk, because I truly did think it was second-to-none in those areas. The costumes, the art direction, the visual effects? I'd give them all Oscars if I could (beating out Inception, which I think a lot more people will be pulling for) and I think the film would be an easy rewatch because of them. However, I also reckon the story stinks. It stunk in 1982 and it still stinks now.

I think the most apt aspect of TRON: Legacy is that the character of Sam Flynn (son of Jeff Bridges' Kevin Flynn) has absolutely no awe whatsoever at what he is seeing and experiencing. He just seems to shrug his shoulders and go "yeah, okay, this seems right." Like... huh? How can they expect the audience to be blown away by this story of technology's take-over of civilisation if the lead character can't even get all that worked up over it (unless he's shooting a big gun... ugh, GUNS? Guns in the world of TRON? That was the most offensive aspect of it. I hate when sci-fi/fantasy movie resort to using guns, it's like giving up!) In fact, one of the nicer moments was Olivia Wilde's face at the very end. She had awe, he had constipation. C+