Viewed in
2010 (2)
Formats
IMAX 3D, fake IMAX 3D
Premise
In the sequel to the 1982 classic, Flynn's son enters that digital world to save his dad.
Loved
Daft Punk's score.
Liked
The IMAX experience.
Thoughts
Compared to most sequels, it did not underwhelm (as much).
It succeeded on being familiar yet fresh. There were some nuggets of history, such as Bruce Boxleitner reprising his roles and parallels to characters from the original. Even if you have not seen the first one in a long time, you should be able to enjoy this one easily, since no one could forget the Lightcycles and glowing body suits.
I could see why Jeff Bridges wanted to return, as he got to play three different shades of Flynn, two of them using new technology. He handled the challenge effortlessly, although he went into "The Dude" mode too much. The other actor who stood out was beautiful Olivia Wilde, who was charming as a curious, child-like sidekick.
Another interesting aspect about Bridges' performance was the use of computer graphics to reverse-age his face instead of traditional makeup. I found it odd that there was little publicity about it, so had I not heard it from a certain source, I probably would not have known the difference. For the most part, this technique was quite convincing, except it made him look a bit puffy-faced.
I was excited when I heard Daft Punk would do the score, and they did not disappoint. Their sound was haunting, heart-pounding and addictive. Roger Ebert put it best when he said, "It might not be safe to play this soundtrack in the car." My only complaint about it was the lack of Wendy Carlos' classic themes and melodies to better tie the two films together.
The plot was nonsensical and implausible, but so was the original. Here, its attempt to create serious themes fell flat. I could care less about their religions, philosophies, and how programs could immaculately spawn. Likewise, the characters were not that interesting, aside from Bridges and Wilde. Garrett Hedlund was decent but boring as the lead. Martin Sheen's hybrid of David Bowie and Chesire Cat was sadly useless and annoying. From an execution standpoint, some of the characters voices were digitally modified too much, rendering them inaudible.
As far as 3D is concerned, my recommendation is to spend the extra dollars and go IMAX. It definitely took advantage of the larger screen (even going near full-screen in action sequences) and the unparalleled sound system. The 3D was fun, especially in the Lightcycle battles, and the dimming issue was not too noticeable. I liked their decision to leave selected parts unaltered. It helped differentiate between the two worlds, as well as not distract the audience by risking post-conversion in scenes that did not need 3D.
The fact is this: the original was a ground-breaking class, the sequel was just a popcorn movie. Having said that, it did it very, very well. The dazzling light and sound show, along with the aura of Tron, made it an enjoyable entertainment. Just make sure you see it in IMAX to get the best bang for your buck.
What I would change
Not bothered with the subplots.
Personal
For my second viewing, (and for my first time ever,) I stepped into a fake IMAX theater. Having heard so much bad buzz, I was mildly surprised by the experience. My local theater did go the whole nine yards with dual IMAX projectors for 3D and sound system on steroids. While clearly smaller, and not the correct ratio, the screen was still large enough to stand out compared to most regular movie theater screens. For Tron: Legacy, the full-screen shots still blew up, but could not show as much as they wanted. Lastly, the volume was too loud to the point of discomfort and distortion. I could not ascertain if that was due to the IMAX-unfriendly theater design or projectionist negligence.
In summary, fake IMAX was not as horrible as I thought it would be, but the difference for a film buff for me was distinguishable. At approximately the same price, I would rather travel to the farther, legit IMAX. But for a lesser price (via coupon or morning discount) and a lesser quality film, it was actually a decent cheaper alternative.
