Tron
1982, Walt Disney Productions et al
Steven Lisberger's brainchild proved to be a nightmare to produce, and just barely made it into the black at the box office... but over time, Tron has amassed a significant cult following. Immensely imaginative, it's a real mixed bag in technical terms, and wasn't Jeff Bridges' proudest moment. But it's easy to forgive its faults given the era it was made and the extraordinary ahead-of-its-time vision of its creator.
DKS 12/17/17
Tron: Legacy
2010, Walt Disney Studios
Considering how vocal the Tron cult had been, with the release of a Tron video game in 1999 fueling even more buzz, it sure took long enough for Disney to finally produce a sequel. Understandably, then, there was considerable hype and anticipation surrounding Tron: Legacy, especially since Steven Lisberger participated in scriptwriting. Sadly, it didn't quite live up to expectations. Critics felt there was too much emphasis on effects and visual design, although I would argue that effects and visual design naturally would—and maybe even should—dominate the film. As for performances, Garrett Hedlund was underwhelming as the lead, and Jeff Bridges' creepy younger self was straight out of the Uncanny Valley; on the other hand, Olivia Wilde possessed an exotic, otherworldly air that was captivating. It wasn't a great film by any means, but it pushed all of the right buttons for Tron aficionados such as myself.
DKS 12/17/17
Tron: Ares
2025, Walt Disney Studios
Boo. Not even The Great Jared Leto could save this beast. It's strictly for the hardcore Tron fan. Like me. And even though the film sucked, it had, of course, exceptionally fine visuals and, of course, a very cool soundtrack by Nine Inch Nails. My score has an upward bias owing to my fandom.
DKS 3/24/26
