Starring: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, James Frain, Beau Garrett and Michael Sheen
Directed By: Joseph Kosinski
Screenplay By: Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz
Story By: Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal
Based on characters created by: Steven Lisberger and Bonnie MacBird
Produced By: Sean Bailey, Jeffrey Silver, and Steven Lisberger
Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures
Rating: PG, for sequences of sci-fi action violence and brief, mild language.
Running Time: Approximately 126 minutes
Website: Disney.com/TRON
Budget: $245 million
Genre: Sci-Fi/Action/Adventure
Release Date: December 17, 2010
When it was announced a few years back that Disney was producing a sequel to TRON and that two of its original stars (Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner) would reprise their roles from the original, fan boys of a certain age rejoiced. Meanwhile, non-fan boys were left to wonder if a sequel to a 28-year-old sci-fi film that most of today’s teens and young adults have likely never heard of, much less seen, could find a large and receptive audience. We’ll soon find out.
Suffice it to say, much like Four Loko, the 1982 sci-fi cult classic TRON is an acquired taste, even if you are a fan of science fiction fare. It goes without saying that the film gave way to a new kind of cinematic experience and broke new ground in the field of big screen special effects. However, it’s baffling just how beloved TRON is among a certain demographic (read: the aforementioned fan boys and sci-fi geeks) considering how convoluted the film’s plot is and how painfully-retro the then-groundbreaking special effects have long looked.
So it should come as no surprise then that much like the original film, TRON: Legacy is a glossy special effects feast for the senses. Unfortunately, it devotes a lot of its bloated running time (at 126 minutes the film is a good 20 minutes too long) trying to explain the first film’s plot to the uninitiated. As has always been the case, jaw-dropping advances in big screen wizardry does not a good movie make.
Thankfully there is some fun to be had watching this sci-fi muddle. Oscar-winner Jeff Bridges is always a welcome presence, and a flamboyant, scenery-chewing supporting turn by British actor Michael Sheen (rather memorably riffing on David Bowie‘s famous 1970s alter-ego Ziggy Stardust), who’s probably best known for having played former British Prime Minister Tony Blair in The Queen (2006).
Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) is the now 27-year-old son of the Zen-like videogame developer and computer technology visionary Kevin Flynn (Bridges), who vanished without a trace two decades earlier when he was on the verge of a potentially groundbreaking technological discovery. Despite the large amount of time that has passed, Sam remains resolved to finding out what happened to his father. His probing into the matter eventually leads him to being sucked into the same digital world that his father created years earlier.
Once there, Sam is forced by Kevin’s avatar, Clu (also played by Bridges), to embrace his inner-gladiator in a series of death matches using those hyper-speed Frisbees fans of the original will no doubt remember. Clu, unlike Kevin, hasn’t aged a day (remember avatars don’t age like humans). This effect was achieved by digitally scanning the face of the now 61-year-old Bridges and manipulating the image to make him resemble his former 33-year-old self. Despite a valiant effort on everyone‘s part, you never quite buy the optical illusion, and it’s clear that in certain shots a younger body double was used. That said, Bridges has great fun reprising both roles and keeps the film from flying off the tracks, even when he’s saddled with dialogue that’s hopelessly inane (“I’m going to knock on the sky“).
TRON: Legacy fires on all cylinders in the beginning, leading up to Sam entering his father’s computerized world. From there on out, it’s hit and miss. The 3-D action set pieces do add a certain razzle dazzle to the proceedings, especially the Lightcycle races. One could surmise that Sam’s agility in combat is likely due to his love and preoccupation with videogames, probably a constant dating back to his childhood. It also helps that Hedlund is a credible action lead. Former “House” co-star Olivia Wilde, clad in a black get-up that will likely be copied and sold in an S&M store near you shortly, manages to make an impression as Quorra, a fearless ally of both Sam and Kevin’s, not to mention a potential love interest for Sam.
Grade: 2.5 stars
