Even at my young age, it's amazing to reflect on how technology has not only evolved at an astounding rate, but has also integrated itself into not only our culture, but also as a significant means of survival and living day to day. From advances in the automotive, medical, and entertainment industries to the advent of the Internet and WiFi and iPhones and Facebook, technology is everywhere. Besides, when someone as stately and traditional as Queen Elizabeth II begins her own Twitter account, you know that tech isn't a mere novelty anymore.
In fact, I remember when I was first introduced to the Internet when I was 7 or 8 years old (you know, back when there was only one clunky computer in the house and how "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego" was the "World of Warcraft" of the era), back when it was mostly about message boards and right before it became the fully-formed information superhighway it is today. The same could be said about video games. Before we were wowed with Playstation 3s and Wiis and Xboxes, we were enthralled with the likes of Super Nintendos, Commodore 64s, and of course, the granddaddy of the 1980s video game revolution, the Atari.
Though obviously dated and primitive-looking to the cynics of our generation, Atari was not only amongst a massive wave of technological breakthroughs in all known fields during the early '80s (Apple PCs, anyone?), but served as an inspiration to a separate but similarly groundbreaking sensation in the form of a 1982 movie called Tron.
Though not that commercially successful, the neon-heavy, dark, and somewhat surreal film about a computer programmer being transported into the very virtual world he created gained not only a cult following, but also served as a jumping board for future motion pictures in terms of special effects and sound design. It was also the first major motion picture to utilize computer-generated animation (an innovation that disallowed Tron from getting a Best Visual Effects Oscar nomination, since, according to the Academy at the time, it was "cheating").
So it's somewhat surprising that Disney took so long to produce a sequel, especially considering the leaps and bounds made in CGI and filmmaking in general (The Matrix, amongst others, clearly owes a heavy debt to Tron in terms of both technical wizardry and storyline). But with the bar that was set so high by last year's Avatar, it seemed that it was about time for Tron: Legacy to step up to the plate. And though its screenplay and motivations have much to be desired (much like the original), the out-of-this-world visual and auditory effects blow it out of the park, and then some (ditto).
Back in the mid-80's, Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) was the CEO of software giant ENCOM, who was on his way to making enormous strides in technological innovations. Then, in 1989, Flynn mysteriously disappeared, leaving behind his young son Sam as an orphan. Today, as a rebellious and somewhat bitter 27-year-old (Garrett Hedlund), Sam is the majority shareholder of the company, but would rather commit acts of mischievous sabotage on the company's board of directors than step up as the big man in charge.
One night, Sam is confronted by Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner), Kevin's old friend and former business partner, with news that he's received a page from Flynn's abandoned arcade (despite the number having been disconnected years earlier). Deciding to investigate, Sam discovers a hidden room underneath the building, and inadvertently activates a laser that digitally transports Sam into a strange, new world.
It turns out that this world is the Grid-- a physical manifestation of the computer world originally called "Tron" by Flynn, where computer programs and files are represented as human-like beings, and programs progress and send information via "vehicles", not to mention gladiatorial-like "games" taking place between armed programs. Captured by soldier-like programs and mistaken for a program himself, Sam is sent into said games, managing to survive. This perseverance, coupled with the realization that Sam is not a program but rather a "user", leads Sam into a confrontation with the program that serves as the Grid's leader: Clu (Jeff Bridges), a program physically resembling (and created by) the younger Kevin.
Before Sam can be killed by Clu's shock troops, the boy is saved by Quorra (Olivia Wilde), who takes Sam out of the Grid and out of Clu's jurisdiction. It's there that Sam is finally reunited with his father. Kevin (regarded as a deity of sorts by the programs not under Clu's control) reveals that years earlier, he designed Clu to help create a perfect virtual world, a purpose that Clu took too far and causing Kevin to exile himself. Clu became a genocidal despot, who aspires to retrieve Kevin's identity disc that could allow Clu and his army to escape the Grid and enter the real world.
Racing against time to return home, Sam decides to fight back against Clu and his crew of minions-- including Jarvis (James Fran), flamboyant nightclub owner Castor (Michael Sheen), deadly lieutenant Rinzler (Anis Cheurfa), and "siren" program Jem (Beau Garrett)-- in order to reach the needed portal and bring his long-lost father home.
Though incredibly excited to see Tron: Legacy months before its release, I made sure to keep my expectations relatively low. Though I was impressed with the original film from a SFX viewpoint (and keep in mind, I watched it with a 1982 point of view rather than a cynical 2010 point of view), the story and somewhat confusing execution wasn't as cutting-edge as the Lite-Brite visual mastery on display. As such, I maintained the same expectations for Part Two.
Though director Joe Kosinski made Legacy far more cohesive and easier to follow than Steve Lisberger's original, the rather shallow attempt at infusing a philosophical commentary on the desire to be perfect and the increasingly organic nature of technology in regards to supplanting natural science and religion didn't exactly hit the mark as intended. The same could be said what with the obvious allusions to religious mythology, especially Christianity (Sam serving as the salvation to the world that his Father created), Old Testament Judaism (Clu as the jealous and resentful devil who turns on his creator), and even Zen Buddhism (Kevin clearly being the Grid's own Dalai Lama of sorts).
But in the grand scheme of things, story clearly isn't what Tron: Legacy wants to have as its claim to fame: The real stars are the mindblowing special effects, sound design, and musical score. Miles ahead of the now-goofy-looking pixels and outfits of the first film, what we have here is a breathtaking 21st century reimagining of the Grid, a dark and neon-infused Oz where programs race to the death on sleek "light cycles" and duke it out with powered discs and lightsaber-like truncheons. Simply put, Tron: Legacy is the most gorgeous-looking movie I've seen all year.
The same amount of praise can go to the riveting score by cult electronica duo Daft Punk. Paying much homage to the synthesizer-heavy music of the 80's, their score is an absolute treat to the ears, and dare I say deserves some awards recognition in the coming months.
The cast itself is okay in their portrayals but not exactly stellar. Hedlund does well as the rebellious heir to the Flynn legacy, but is mostly two-dimensional in his performance. Bridges, effortlessly cool as always, does double duty as the modern-day Flynn, and the traitorous Clu (a performance achieved via digitial de-aging, which is fairly impressive save for the rare few moments when Clu's face becomes noticeably rubbery and unrealistic). Wilde, meanwhile, does a great job as the program loyal to Flynn, infusing in Quorra a human-like innocence when her character isn't kicking some serious ass. And Michael Sheen steals every scene he occupies as a flamboyant, Ziggy Stardust-like club owner.
Despite possessing but failing to realize its enormous potential to create a moving and thought-provoking dramatic juxaposition to all the jaw-dropping technical laurels (much like Inception and the first Matrix did), Tron: Legacy nonetheless seals the deal by providing some of the most gripping visual effects, white-knuckle action sequences, and overall aesthetic beauty I've seen in a film in some time. A treat to fans of the original (like yours truly) and to newcomers fresh to the franchise, Tron: Legacy is a welcome way to end the year in a visually explosive fashion.
Letter Grade: "B-"
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