Tron: Legacy's journey to the screen has certainly been unusual. The sequel to a minor 1982 effort most notable for its groundbreaking use of (now laughably antiquated) CGI, the original Tron has since gained a cult following and its own band of enthusiasts. In fact, its main legacy has been in the technology it pioneered - Pixar's John Lasseter was inspired by the film to experiment with digital animation, and the rest is history. Such is the power of the geek now in Hollywood (Legacy's debutant director, Joseph Kosinski, grew up with the original) that here we find ourselves, 28 years later, treated to a belated follow-up.
The crucial player in its revival has been Jeff Bridges, who resurrects his character from the first film and was involved in the development of the sequel, agreeing to appear in a short film that Kosinski used to pitch to the studio. Bridges has an accordingly mythical, Godlike presence in the final film, appearing as both an aged version of Kevin Flynn and villain Clu, a version of Bridges that CG boffins have de-aged to around his age in the original. The effects are not seamless (the Benjamin Button team are responsible, where the use of the technique was more careful and successful) but it somehow works, given that most of the film is set within a virtual environment where nothing is actually real anyway. The creation of the virtual world itself is superb, bringing the wonderful art direction to life now that almost anything is possible to recreate on screen. The look - mostly blue, black and orange - does get a little tiresome and oppressive after a while, but that may be a consequence of the 3D dimming. [Blu-ray viewing note: In 2D on my TV I never once tired of the look. 3D therefore detracts from this movie.]
Bridges is reliably enjoyable, bringing more than a hint of The Dude to the Flynn character ("You're messing with my Zen, man!"), and Olivia Wilde (TV's House and The O.C.) is delightful as his naively wide-eyed companion. Wilde quickly becomes the heart and soul of the picture once she appears. The main plot revolves around Sam Flynn's (Garrett Hedlund) attempt to rescue his long-lost father from being trapped in the digital realm, but despite his solid work, Quorra is the most affecting character, her arc providing the biggest emotional payoff. The storytelling is sometimes ponderous but certain scenes stand out as particularly well-directed, such as a tense dinner table conversation just after Sam and Kevin are finally reunited, with Quorra is an awkward third party. Similarly the film excels in action scenes, standouts being the iconic light-cycle battle and a brawl in a glitzy nightclub run by a manic Michael Sheen. There's a cameo in that scene by Daft Punk, wearing custom made Tron suits - they're the club DJs - and despite all the visual spectacle it serves as an apt reminder as to the number one reason that the film works.
Release Information
Country: UK / Region: Free / Version: Double Play / Discs: 1 BD, 1 DVD / Distributor: Disney
Presentation
Smooth - that's the word that comes to mind when describing both the look and sound of the film on Blu-ray. The visuals superbly replicate the rounded, sleek art design of the film. What's more, given the emphasis on light in the Tron world, they seem perfectly suited to being watched on a TV, which emits light, rather than a projector screen which simply reflects it. It makes for a much more vivid, enveloping experience. (Admittedly, I did not see this film in IMAX, which must have been incredible.)
The soundtrack is similarly "smooth" in that rather than battering you over the head with sheer volume, it gradually builds and builds (much like the music, which is very prominent throughout) to reach several high points and then a stunning crescendo in the finale. Directional sounds are used to phenomenal, immersive effect. Delivered in DTS-HD 7.1, it's the sort of soundtrack that will test the mettle of any sound system - mine couldn't quite cope with the ending.
Extras
Disney have been a bit on the skimpy side here, unfortunately. No commentary or PiP options are offered. There are three featurettes of around 10 minutes each - focusing on the project's genesis, casting, and design - and a 3-minute piece showing the San Diego Comic-Con audience being recorded for the crowd scenes. The most interesting revelation is how many of the sets and costumes - and their lighting effects - were done practically, without CGI. "The Next Day: Flynn Lives Revealed" is an interesting piece, a 10-minute prequel/expansion of sorts to the events in the movie, giving extra background to what happened in the years between the two movies, and featuring cameos by some of the actors. I'm sure Tron geeks in particular will get a kick out of it. Otherwise, there's a Daft Punk music video, and a trailer for a new Disney cartoon series, Tron: Uprising.
Summary
Competently made, well acted, masterfully scored - Tron: Legacy is a success on a surface level. It never particularly engrosses, but it looks pretty and sounds great. The Blu-ray provides possibly the best audio-visual presentation I've yet seen; at points it's nearly overwhelming. The film benefits significantly from it.
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