Revisiting The Grid..... (Tron:1982, Tron Legacy:2010)

Alo Party Peoples.....




Right now we are using computers. I wonder.....


Does the Internet dream? Does it think? After all the human brain is just a series of electrical signals that run through several billions of little processors. It's not that much of a stretch to imagine that a computer with enough chips might develop a sense of itself......

Because I can't come up with a segway. -->


The original Tron was a movie about a computer programmer named Kevin Flynn who designed several arcade games which his bosses stole from him and fired him. While trying to hack into their systems to get incriminating evidence he gets zapped by a laser. That transports him into the computer, an environment realized with then experimental digital animation.


It certainly looked different than anything else. And it is a good movie. But while it in my opinion it holds up, it is overall a standard fantasy adventure. Covered in computer terminology. It came out in 1982 and was essentially forgotten by everyone except animation buffs, young geeks, and computer nerds. Who fell in love with it's living arcade visual scheme....

Tron (1982)

It is good. The visuals are good, by the standards of the time it's emphasis-ing amazing. By the standards of now....

Here is a still from Tron

Tron: Legacy (2010)

And here is a shot form it's sequel/remake from 2010

Speaking of which....

Over the course of thirty years....

The animation buffs took over Disney, the geeks took over Hollywood, and the computer nerds took over the planet. And thus by their decree in 2010 it was reborn as Tron Legacy. An attempt at creating another multi-sequel juggernaut like Pirates of the Caribbean (we will eventually get to that one trust me) while also being a love letter/apology to long suffering fans of the first movie. And I emphasis-ing love it. Overall it is a 10/14

Good but not quite great. Worth seeing for the amazing visuals and score. If you liked the original it's almost a must-see. Said visuals take the originals neon and black arcade aesthetic and beautifully merge it to and update it with the technical wonders of the present. I'm glad that they didn't try to change the grid to reflect the visual styles of modern video games. If they had we would be walking through an overcast grey city ruin for two hours. Of particular note is the score by French electronic musicians Daft Punk, it melds perfectly with the visuals. And the movie is worth seeing just for those.



But it isn't perfect. The characters are kind of one note. The performances, while not bad, are kind of forgettable. And it opens and closes with character introductions that land like huge reveals. That are then shoved off to the side. It is clear that they are meant to be important in the sequel. Which if they are making another one than I am most certainly interested. And the film while it is a sequel ends up being a play by play remake of the first. Disc battle, light-cycle chase, solar sail etc...

But while these problems keep it from being great, they don't keep it from being good, and certainly don't keep it from being worth seeing.

Hats off to all and have a nice day.


   Greg.B

Tron is owned by the Walt Disney Company