TRON: Legacy

90/100 (125 min, 2010)
Plot: The son of a virtual world designer goes looking for his father and ends up inside the digital world that his father designed. He meets his father's creation turned bad and a unique ally who was born inside the digital domain of The Grid.
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Writers: Edward Kitsis (screenplay), Adam Horowitz (screenplay)
Stars: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde

Enter the game

I saw this movie because of Michael Sheen and Olivia Wilde, I was expecting dumb action movie with tons of unnecessary CGI. Instead I saw wonderful science fiction film, with meticulously executed universe, great performances and genuine adventure. I never saw first “Tron” movie, so I had a little bit of difficulty understanding the world of Tron but on the other hand I felt like Sam, experiencing this universe for the very first time. We don't know where to go, we don't know what is going on. We discover everything for the very first time.

The biggest asset of the film are visual effects and unique world of technology we are thrown into – I haven't seen something like this since the first “Matrix” movie. As much as I don't find the idea of human beings being sucked into cyber system were they can interact with computer programs very logical, once you buy it and just focus on watching the movie, you are going to have a great time doing that. CGI is one of the best I've ever seen – the creation of it took 68 weeks and apart from occasional fake looking younger version of Jeff Bridges everything is just mind blowing. It puts tacky looking “Avatar” to shame. From wonderful costumes with glowing stripes, through exciting disc wars to dark city under the reign of CLU, the film is just gorgeous. It's not tacky as most of action movies nowadays – the combination of black, white and glowing colors creates very elegant, minimalistic images.
The cast is fantastic – Jeff Bridges reprises his role from previous film and even sneaks in few The Dude moments ("You're messing with my Zen thing, man”) and Cillian Murphy makes surprise cameo as geeky antagonist, a possible hint for sequel. Garrett Hedlund as the protagonist manages not to be annoying which is more than I can say about most guys who try to save the world in modern adventure movies. The real stars of the film are Sheen and Wilde. Someone once said that Michael Sheen would make perfect Riddler and his performance in “Tron: Legacy” is a proof for that. He is like a demented rock star modeled after David Bowie and he injects so much energy in the picture. But the real heart of this film is Olivia Wilde's Quorra. Innocent, beautiful and goodhearted Quorra is like a child in the woman's body. Discovering everything for the first time, being hope for humanity, brave and selfless – the perfect being. Wilde puts so much warmth and tenderness into her character. She's very talented and her unique looks and cat-like eyes fit the character of Quorra. I hope Wilde will become big star one day.

The soundtrack by Daft Punk energizes the movie and along with the stunning visual side creates thrilling experience. The chase near the end of the film will keep you at the edge of your seat and the ending is brilliant and very touching. Disney has talent to make first movies of franchise – first “Pirates of the Caribbean” were also immensely fun and entertaining. If “Tron:Legacy” gets sequels I'm hoping they won't go down the road of Jack Sparrow's saga, still entertaining in its latter parts, but very disappointing, nonetheless.

The conflict of the movie is cliché, but it's not about the conflict in the end – it's about escape from the Grid and about who makes it out. I couldn't predict what will happen – obviously since it's Disney's movie you know you will get happy ending, but you're not sure for whom. As much as “Tron: Legacy” borrows from other films - “2001: Space odyssey”, “Matrix Revolutions” and “Blade Runner” it's a very light entertainment with likable protagonists and cool villains. You get sucked into this fascinating world and truthfully, you don't want to get out.