The game has changed. TRON: Legacy, a direct sequel to the 1982 cult favorite TRON, is quite possibly one of the best movies released during this school year. With breathtaking special effects, a seamless blending of 2D and 3D, and an engaging story line, the film caters not only to technology nerds and fans of the original film, but to casual moviegoers as well.
Released on Dec. 17, the plot of the movie is fairly simple. After regaining control of his video game company, ENCOM, Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) mysteriously disappears. 20 years later, his son, Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), begins to look into his father’s disappearance and is pulled into the Grid, a digital world that his father created. Once there, he has to compete against ruthless digital beings in order to bring his father back to the real world.
There are both 2D and 3D scenes in TRON: Legacy. For example, all of the scenes taking place in the real world are 2D, while everything that takes place in the Grid is 3D. It adds to the strange sci-fi feel of the Grid and helps the viewer distinguish between reality and the digital world. So don’t go into the movie expecting it to be nothing but 3D gimmicks, since the special effects blend in instead of taking the audience by surprise.
The soundtrack, composed by French techno duo Daft Punk, is absolutely amazing. Not only does it have the distinctive techno feel of their other albums, it also has orchestral songs mixed in with synthesizers and beat machines. Daft Punk has created an entirely new sound and a standalone soundtrack for the movie. Be sure to stick through the end credits, because the song playing then is by far the best in the movie.
The most impressive thing about the movie is how effortlessly it translates the original 1982 designs into the sleek digital world of the Grid. The light cycles and suits do get upgrades, but they still have that classic TRON feel to them that’s sure to make fans of the original film happy.
So, if you’re looking for a movie with spectacular visual effects, good acting, and enough technology to make any nerd happy, I highly recommend TRON: Legacy.
TRON: Legacy is rated PG for sci-fi violence and brief mild language.
