Beginning with 1982’s Tron, this movie saga has become a groundbreaking cinematic landmark. It is not so much because of the writing, but because of its early use of CGI effects and a concept that has never been explored before in science fiction stories. It took a considerable amount of time before Disney moved forward with a sequel, but when it did, audiences were treated to more of the same. Tron: Legacy is another entry that had mostly groundbreaking visual effects and a unique style that advanced beyond that of the first installment. On the other hand, the writing just was not there again. With Tron: Ares, the creative minds behind this movie actually manage to create not only another visually striking film, but one that works better as a story.
Tron: Ares has its share of striking visuals, but takes the fun factor to a greater level. Although the writing is improved, it still suffers from some of the same problems as its predecessors. The movie features some intense and breathtaking action set pieces, and it provides its audience with a more fully realized story. Still, writing problems prevent this new film from being a truly unforgettable classic.
Since the events of Tron: Legacy, Sam Flynn and Quorra are no longer involved in Encom’s business drama. Two brilliant scientist sisters, Eve (Greta Lee) and Tess Kim (Selene Yun), have taken over the groundbreaking software company. Tragically, Tess dies due to an illness, leaving Eve to run the company. Meanwhile, rival company Dillinger Systems, under the leadership of Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters), utilizes the advanced Grid created by Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) to gain a more significant competitive advantage for himself and his company.
Julian hacks into Encom’s Grid and uses a program named Ares (played by Jared Leto) to recover a program named Permanence, which he desperately wants, to destroy Encom by taking control of the Grid and extracting artificial intelligence from it into the real world.
As usual, the ideas are ridiculous and preposterous. If anyone can accept the ludicrous concept that humans can be zapped into computer systems, then it isn’t a stretch to zap AI into our world. That said, I knew what I was getting into when I went into this screening. One must accept the silly rules of this cinematic world and appreciate its more positive aspects.
Thankfully, this film has much more going for it, storywise, than the previous installments. Writers David DiGilio and Jesse Wigutow, along with director Joachim Rønning, deliver a movie that is the most enjoyable of the franchise. Bringing elements of the Tron world into our “reality” is often a blast. What definitely helps is that the filmmakers conceived and executed some intense action sequences well, which take place on Earth. My favorite is an absolutely breathtaking cycle chase. Although the previous chapters have handled the film with utmost seriousness, Tron: Ares includes plenty of lovable humor, particularly with minor character Seth Flores (Arturo Castro), who reacts in some of the funniest ways to the craziness he is experiencing.
As far as the lead actors are concerned, Jared Leto gives a solid turn as Ares. Although he initially appears as a cold, somewhat stiff character, Ares becomes increasingly human and likable as he learns more about human life. Greta Lee is amiable enough, but has some wooden moments of her own. I mostly blame some of the writing of her character because some of her lines seem almost undeliverable for any talented actor. As for the villain, Evan Peters delivers a strong performance as the spoiled brat Julian, who tries too hard to prove himself to his company and family, and eventually reveals that his mental health issues mar his intelligence.
I give this movie a very generous 3.5 stars because I actually had a lot of fun with it. Tron: Ares is a science-fiction B-movie with a big budget and a great cast. I will acknowledge that it is a step in a more positive direction. If Disney proceeds with another chapter, I hope they continue to learn from their mistakes and deliver an even better movie with the next one.