Sunday, January 2, 2011

Tron Legacy (3D)


First and foremost this is a nostalgia remake. I don't know anyone who thinks the 1982 TRON was a good movie... kind of like if how the majority of 30-somethings would have to admit that The Goonies was not a good movie either, just a piece of their childhood that is a trip down memory lane. I would hope that most of the TRON: Legacy hype was for the return of very specific stylized visuals in a 3D setting, because the movie itself doesn't stand up to any scrutiny whatsoever.

After the disappearance of Encom mogul Kevin Flynn (Bridges), his son becomes the heir (as primary shareholder) of the software giant, but has no interest in leading the company... apart from the cyber attacks he unleashes on a yearly basis to somehow encourage the company to release their products as open source software. When Alan Bradley (Boxleitner as trusted Encom executive) comes to the younger Flynn stating that he received a page from Kevin Flynn's office at the closed arcade, young Sam Flynn can't resist taking a peek at the abandoned building and investigating further. Of course his investigation takes him through the portal to the digital realm that his father appears to be stuck inside, and action/adventure ensues as the story unravels and Sam finds out what went horribly wrong inside the world of his father's creation.

I find that the more I think about the story and how the movie is put together, the more problems I see coming to the surface. At face value, the movie is fine... the special effects are for the most part good - digital Jeff Bridges can be distracting, as the inclusion of non-digital Jeff Bridges makes the CGI stand out... the 3D can distract you from some of the goofiness, but for the most part it is the art design that steals the show. I think they did an incredible job of bringing the art of TRON into 2010, and making it a really interesting watch. I don't find much that is redeeming about the plot - which is just a rehash of several stories and some loose ends that don't really go anywhere. *SPOILER ALERT* The most annoying part of the movie is saved for the ending, where Sam comes to the realization that he really should take his father's place as head of the company... and then promptly hands over power to Alan Bradley because he trusts him to run it properly. Something that could have been done years earlier perhaps? Sam then takes his new friend from the digital realm on a motorcycle ride through the country... even though through the story it is suggested that she might be the key to World Peace or some such nonsense. Really? Did you just write that in to find a reason for Sam to bring her back...? Strange.

Watch it while it is in the theater, 3D is not necessary... skip the rental.

-SA

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Goonies not good? Excuse me? Actually, now that you mention it, I've never once considered if it is any good. I just watch it every single time it comes on anywhere.
Dawn

Raz Darnell said...

The Goonies is pretty much the worst movie I've ever seen. Everyone berates me for saying that, but they're lying to themselves. Tron Legacy was pretty dreadful, too. I like Olivia Wilde though. Did you see Unstoppable? The one about the train?