Share

TRON: Legacy

What it's about:

Sam Flynn (played by Garrett Hedlund), the son of a crack programmer embarks on a hi-tech adventure within a decades old arcade game to find its original creator, a man previously obsessed with the game: his own father, Kevin (a role reprised by Jeff Bridges). Will he find his father in time for the two of them be able to save, not only the virtual world of the game, but the real world itself? 

What we thought:

Nearly 30 years have passed since Tron wowed nerdy teenagers everywhere in the early 1980s and now, at long last, its sequel has finally arrived. Sadly though, it might be far too little and far, far too late. For all of its state-of-the-art CGI effects Tron: Legacy is still very much stuck in the early 1980s so it may well work as a nostalgic trip for people of the right age and the right, geeky disposition, but it certainly isn't going to have the same effect on modern popular culture that its predecessor had.    

There's no getting past it: here in the 21st century Tron: Legacy is a total anachronism. The relationship that 21st century humanity has with information technology could not be more different to the one that is portrayed in both Tron films. In the early 1980s, computers were nothing more than cold, lifeless mechanical devices, far removed from the flesh-and-blood reality of human experience and this is something that the original Tron very much took advantage of. The main reason why Tron and its ilk resonated so strongly wasn't because they were terrific films but because they managed to bring a sense of "reality" to those abstract and ultimately alienating pixels on which even the most beloved video games were based. Nowadays, however, computers and information technology have become so ubiquitous, so interwoven into who and what we are as a society that the entire conceit behind Tron: Legacy simply doesn't work.     

Paradoxically, while this glaring flaw prevents Legacy from actually working as a piece of storytelling, it also makes it far more interesting than it would be otherwise. And that right there is why it is such a strange beast of a film. On its own terms, it is a total failure. It has a wonderful soundtrack by Daft Punk and some arresting visuals (as long as you discard the unbelievably freaky CGI creation of a young Jeff Bridges) but it's badly paced and woodenly acted and the thinness of the characterisation is beaten only by the simultaneously banal and befuddling plot. It's a handsome looking turkey but, make no mistake, it is a turkey.

And yet, and yet and yet and yet, there is a not-inconsiderable amount of enjoyment to be had; it's just that all of it comes from outside the film. For fans of the original Tron – hell, for anyone who has even the vaguest memories of the original's iconic imagery and the awesome toys that sprung out of it – there's plenty of warm, nostalgic moments to be had. For fans of The Big Lebowski, there are giggles aplenty every single time Jeff Bridges says anything that is even remotely Dude-like. Fans of Thin White Duke-era Bowie, meanwhile, will get a huge kick out of the always wonderful Michael Sheen's show-stealing role as the "Lando" of the film. And, yup, Star Wars is never too far out of sight, especially in the film's high-flying, action packed climax.    

I, personally, got all of this and more from the film but, then, I really kind of should, since I am exactly its target audience. I saw the original Tron when I was a kid, loved it and have had a great affinity for burgeoning geekiness ever since. And yet, even I still think that there is very little that is innately impressive about Tron: Legacy itself and have a hard time recommending it. Imagine what non-fans must think.
We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE