Tron Legacy

My good friend, Mr. Wilson (I didn't mention that I'd name him in the post, so we'll keep it to last names,) knew that I love me some good ol' action SF, and invited me to a screening of the new Tron film.  I thought I would not so much offer a review of my own as my general impressions.  

If you are searching for a review of the 'should I go or not' type, you might want to look elsewhere.  I'm pretty forgiving of schlock, and sometimes award bonus points for it.  Generally, if you like big screen action fare, Tron Legacy hits the spot.  This isn't the type of milieu that bears too much intellectual scrutiny: a cyberspace created in the days of Galaga, Donkey Kong, and Pacman?  And now it's evolved?  

It's science fantasy.  It's the Wizard of Oz translated into the parlance of William Gibson lite.  And if you can accept that, if you like a slick, effects-driven Campbellian Hero's Journey, then this is your cuppa for sure.

Things that Tron Legacy gets Right...

You'll see it in all the reviews: the score is spectacular.  There's a scene toward the beginning with a base-heavy and sweetened version of a Journey song that makes me hope the version is on the soundtrack.  A muffled version of Sweet Dreams are Made of These follows, and it's perfection as a lead-in to the cyberworld action.  Daft Punk is the primary draw of the soundtrack, and they don't disappoint.

One of my favorite scenes is a central fight scene in which --I presume-- Daft Punk play the DJs at the club.  Loved this in all its cheesy glory, especially the club owner dancing a jig with his cane as all hell breaks loose.  My internal & eternally young heart is, like, totally jazzed at this sort of silliness.

Tron Legacy also does right by the 3D implementation.  Before the start of the film, a heckle-inducing blurb flashed on the screen, explaining that some scenes in the film are 2D, but to keep your glasses on: the 3D is comin'.  It would be an over-simplification to extend my Wizard of Oz analogy, and suggest that they 'real world' is 2D and the 'Tron world' 3D.  While the demarcation exists along those lines, it seemed more subtle than that... and this is probably the only post about this movie that will use the word 'subtle' so props, yeah?

The 3D is used to isolate the hugging father and son in the foreground from a distant and blurred backdrop, to provide depth to the panoramas, and help the focal elements to pop appropriately in scenes of isolation.  I look forward to watching it again to verify if I am right, but it seemed like the 3D is toned back in the action sequences where there are several elements the viewer might focus upon.  This is one of the reasons 3D can induce head-aches, especially in these sorts of high-action acrobatics, as we try to take in the whole scene.  It could also be that with wholly-created scenes, they were able to structure the scenes in this way.  Either way, I encourage viewing the movie in 3D, something that I would not say of the Deathly Hallows, for instance.

I think it is funny that Disney has basically created a fetishist utopia, with all these leather and latex hotties prancing about with their rouged eyes cast askance at the young hero.  Interesting how context works, eh?  So, yeah, there's that sexiness to complement the neon cool, but it remains family fare, without so much as a kiss in cyberspace.  

The story is by-the-book Hero's Journey.  A there-and-back, descent into the underworld to return with the fire of the gods...  though I guess you could frame it from the father's point of view and frame it a bit differently: confrontation with the ego... I'm mixing Campbell and Jung, now though, and really, it ain't that deep.  What is worth noting, is that they do a workable, if lite, job with the familiar structures.  The hero, in the end, is wafer-thin, and that is likely by design.  All the better for the young dudes to imagine themselves in the role.  The father has a few funny lines, as does the love interest, but things never slow down too much as to lead the viewer to believe that this is about anything other than the next set-piece or action sequence.

Things That Didn't Work in Tron Legacy?

If you don't dig this sort of thing, this ain't the movie to change your mind.  If Campbellian quest stories are old and tired... well, I think this actually does a decent job against your standard coming of age tale in the similar mold.  Where we normally have the magical sword or amulet or ring, we have the dad's data disc.  Normally set in a pseudo-medieval world, here in one of the most visually stunning worlds in cinematic history.  Between Pandora and this, I think I'd rather be here.  I'm a city boy at heart. The tropes make sense and fit into the setting without being too forced.  The quest to get out seems disappointing to me... if I get into a fantasy world, I want to stay, ya know?  

But, it fits and we get to see that itty bit of characterization for the hero, when he sees himself through a new lens, realizing he can and should make more of himself, and will return to world with that intention.  Oh, and plus he has to help stop a red neon battle ship from delivering a giant core dump into the real world.

The dogfight between airplanes, including light-cycle style contrails, is cool initially, but shades into the most video-gamey and schlocky-dialog in the whole affair.  Plus, a certain character's change of alignment should have been better foreshadowed.  As it is, it comes off as a cheap device to let the heroes get away (and ultimately futile, just a way for the baddy to strike a pose right before the good guys are almost out).

That said, is it a fair criticism of a movie that is about being in a video game world?  Of course it is, but it is a testament to how well most of the scenes are handled that this is the only one that tried my patience.  Oh sure: it is all testosterone-driven video fare.  That's what you are signing up for when you buy those tickets.  But we know it can be well-executed or total crap.  Overall: I think it's a fun popcorn movie with some oh-la-la eye candy for dad (and mom) and all the fun stuff that the kiddos adore.

Best Line: "Do you know Jules Verne?"

Best Inclusion to remind of the original: The while light cycle.

Best Fanboy scene:  Has to be the disc fights & light cycle scenes.

Best action sequence overall:  The bar fight scene.  The Dude gets all Jedi on their asses.  Gotta love that.

Take care and let me know if you've seen anything decent lately.