TRON Legacy Review Thread (Spoilers)

[anomynous]

Originally Posted by miller_time22

Harry Knowles' "review" is up at Aint it Cool:

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/47636

Oh wow, almost nothing specific about the movie and it's all about himself.

Shocker I say.



There was another movie that had a review like this from him: The Phantom Menace.

Take that for what it's worth. I'm cautiously optimistic about Tron Legacy now.

[kdo]

Originally Posted by anomynous

Oh wow, almost nothing specific about the movie and it's all about himself.

I actually thought it had quite a bit about the movie myself...all in all, it sounds pretty much like what I expected it to be.

[CYMBOL]

Originally Posted by anomynous

Oh wow, almost nothing specific about the movie and it's all about himself.

Shocker I say.



There was another movie that had a review like this from him: The Phantom Menace.

Take that for what it's worth. I'm cautiously optimistic about Tron Legacy now.

Yeah, you can usually skip the first half of Harry's reviews since they tend to deal with his childhood.

I'm not sure what to take away from his review - he doesn't really seem to lay to rest whether story was good (which many rumors have said needed work - it was even said they went to Pixar for help tightening up the story).

Instead, he seems to sidestep this part and says basically that the effects will blow you away and that he isn't sure if non-geeks will like it.

I'm kinda geeky, so chances are - I'll like it. (But it would be nice if there is a solid story there).

[kdo]

Originally Posted by CYMBOL

Yeah, you can usually skip the first half of Harry's reviews since they tend to deal with his childhood.

I picked up on that myself, and found it rather humorous.

[MisterPilgrim]

http://chud.com/articles/articles/26...AKE/Page1.html

Well that's a little discouraging.

Whatever, I've waited too long for this. I ain't NOT going to go.

[Amnalehu]

Tron is shaping up to be an amazing movie. I do not go to the movies very often but this looks lit is going to be one I try to see opening day. Just looking at the cast and a fresh director who is likely to break from the "normal" approach to directing film, I think this film could be the surprise hit if the year. We all know that 3D is everywhere now, but I think that the nature of the set and design of this film, I think we may see 3D in a revolutionary way.

[Drivaaar]

<<<GREETINGS PROGRAMS!

So I was fortunate enough to get to a preview screening at the Empire cinema in Leicester Square, London on Dec 2nd....

I'm a TRON fan. I'm not a HUGE fan, I don't buy the comics, I've no merchandise save for the original film, but I loved the original.

I'd seen all the trailers and such for this one, my hopes were up, and I was psyched to see it, but at the same time I was wary of being a bit 'Phantom Menace'd' by the whole thing.

I needn't have worried. It was AMAZING. How often can you say a 28 year wait was worth it!

The positives? The action is clear to understand, it's exciting, well choreographed and looks stunning. The Lightcycle chase in Legacy predictably puts the original to shame, and the new Light vehicles really come into their own in the last 20 minutes. The music is stunning throughout, and feels much more intricately woven into the fabric of the film than with most movies. The performances are great, Boxleitner is as charismatic and dependable as always, but Bridges gets the best lines as the world-weary Flynn (after witnessing the havoc Sam wreaks at the End Of Line club, Flynn notes "You're really messing with my 'zen' thing, man!"). It's sometimes hard to believe the same man is playing Clu, as the tone of his performance as the bad guy is so different (but you never forget where Clu is from - a flashback shows his creation, and to begin with, Bridges plays him very much as he first appeared in the original TRON, with short, clipped delivery of the lines). Hedlund as Sam is really good, likeable, funny, you root for the guy. And Olivia Wilde as Quorra is just adorable, and ass-kicking in the same time. And there's no shortage of inside gags and cameo's for longtime fans of the original. If you're familiar with the first film, this'll be a much more enriching experience. Flynn's arcade is as it was in the 80's, a scene of sadness and nostalgia, but great to see the level of detail, down to the neon lights...

And I was surprised at some of the darkness here, especially for Disney. There's talk of genocide, dictatorships, world domination trying to attain the 'perfect' society. It's not a blatant ref to WW2 or Hitler, but there's enough semblence there to build unease... which works in the context of the film, and our heroes journey.

The negatives? Well, it does stand-alone from the first film, but not quite - you can enjoy it on it's own, but having some prior TRON knowledge helps. The effects to create a younger Jeff Bridges are hit and miss - never plain bad, sometimes it's flawless, other times... it's just not quite there. Close, but not quite. The hand to hand combat feels tired, and lacking compared to the vehicle combat - the only thing lifting it above other fist-fightin' fare is the clever visual effects when programs take damage, or are derezzed. There are some barely lamp-shaded plot points that are a little dumb (Flynn describes his creation as being like a safe, unopenable from within - YOU'RE THE CREATOR DUDE!). The scenes following the climax feel too short and sharp - after the breathless ride, you'd like another few minutes to decompress with the characters.

But overall, Legacy has the same spirit as TRON, and more heart. The first was about a man trapped in the electronic world, fighting to get home, while helping a resistance beat a tyrant on the way. Legacy is about a son's search for his father, a way home for both, and how to get back the time they've lost. It's a story of discovery, of friendship, of betrayal and redemption, and also hope and triumph.

I loved it. It had everything I wanted for a new TRON film. My friend (who's a much much bigger fan, he owns one of the helmets from the original for god's sake!) was quite a bit disappointed I felt, he said it only felt like TRON in the last 20 minutes.... but hey. All I can say is I thought it was fantastic, and I can't wait to see it again on general release!

I've not commented on the 3D. My local cinema in Cardiff uses the REAL-D system, which is fine for me, I can see it and it works well with my glasses (I'm nearly blind without my glasses). The Empire in London was using something else (Disney Digital 3D? Not sure) with these awful tiny 3D specs that looked like mirrors, that cut off a lot of the view. I may as well have been watching it in 2D. Thing is, the trailers I've seen in REAL-D 3D were trouser-shatteringly gorgeous, so I'm convinced the film itself will be even better looking when I see it locally with 3D that works.

But overall? It was brilliant.

END OF LINE>>>>>

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by Drivaaar

<<<GREETINGS PROGRAMS!

So I was fortunate enough to get to a preview screening at the Empire cinema in Leicester Square, London on Dec 2nd....

[Show spoiler]I'm a TRON fan. I'm not a HUGE fan, I don't buy the comics, I've no merchandise save for the original film, but I loved the original.

I'd seen all the trailers and such for this one, my hopes were up, and I was psyched to see it, but at the same time I was wary of being a bit 'Phantom Menace'd' by the whole thing.

I needn't have worried. It was AMAZING. How often can you say a 28 year wait was worth it!

The positives? The action is clear to understand, it's exciting, well choreographed and looks stunning. The Lightcycle chase in Legacy predictably puts the original to shame, and the new Light vehicles really come into their own in the last 20 minutes. The music is stunning throughout, and feels much more intricately woven into the fabric of the film than with most movies. The performances are great, Boxleitner is as charismatic and dependable as always, but Bridges gets the best lines as the world-weary Flynn (after witnessing the havoc Sam wreaks at the End Of Line club, Flynn notes "You're really messing with my 'zen' thing, man!"). It's sometimes hard to believe the same man is playing Clu, as the tone of his performance as the bad guy is so different (but you never forget where Clu is from - a flashback shows his creation, and to begin with, Bridges plays him very much as he first appeared in the original TRON, with short, clipped delivery of the lines). Hedlund as Sam is really good, likeable, funny, you root for the guy. And Olivia Wilde as Quorra is just adorable, and ass-kicking in the same time. And there's no shortage of inside gags and cameo's for longtime fans of the original. If you're familiar with the first film, this'll be a much more enriching experience. Flynn's arcade is as it was in the 80's, a scene of sadness and nostalgia, but great to see the level of detail, down to the neon lights...

And I was surprised at some of the darkness here, especially for Disney. There's talk of genocide, dictatorships, world domination trying to attain the 'perfect' society. It's not a blatant ref to WW2 or Hitler, but there's enough semblence there to build unease... which works in the context of the film, and our heroes journey.

The negatives? Well, it does stand-alone from the first film, but not quite - you can enjoy it on it's own, but having some prior TRON knowledge helps. The effects to create a younger Jeff Bridges are hit and miss - never plain bad, sometimes it's flawless, other times... it's just not quite there. Close, but not quite. The hand to hand combat feels tired, and lacking compared to the vehicle combat - the only thing lifting it above other fist-fightin' fare is the clever visual effects when programs take damage, or are derezzed. There are some barely lamp-shaded plot points that are a little dumb (Flynn describes his creation as being like a safe, unopenable from within - YOU'RE THE CREATOR DUDE!). The scenes following the climax feel too short and sharp - after the breathless ride, you'd like another few minutes to decompress with the characters.

But overall, Legacy has the same spirit as TRON, and more heart. The first was about a man trapped in the electronic world, fighting to get home, while helping a resistance beat a tyrant on the way. Legacy is about a son's search for his father, a way home for both, and how to get back the time they've lost. It's a story of discovery, of friendship, of betrayal and redemption, and also hope and triumph.

I loved it. It had everything I wanted for a new TRON film. My friend (who's a much much bigger fan, he owns one of the helmets from the original for god's sake!) was quite a bit disappointed I felt, he said it only felt like TRON in the last 20 minutes.... but hey. All I can say is I thought it was fantastic, and I can't wait to see it again on general release!

I've not commented on the 3D. My local cinema in Cardiff uses the REAL-D system, which is fine for me, I can see it and it works well with my glasses (I'm nearly blind without my glasses). The Empire in London was using something else (Disney Digital 3D? Not sure) with these awful tiny 3D specs that looked like mirrors, that cut off a lot of the view. I may as well have been watching it in 2D. Thing is, the trailers I've seen in REAL-D 3D were trouser-shatteringly gorgeous, so I'm convinced the film itself will be even better looking when I see it locally with 3D that works.

But overall? It was brilliant.

END OF LINE>>>>>

I'm glad to hear positive word of mouth from an actual fan I can't wait to see this movie...only two more weeks

[kdo]

Originally Posted by pj_campbell

I'm glad to hear positive word of mouth from an actual fan

+1...except for the below comments, the last of which concerns me most...

Originally Posted by Drivaaar

The effects to create a younger Jeff Bridges are hit and miss - never plain bad, sometimes it's flawless, other times... it's just not quite there.

The hand to hand combat feels tired, and lacking compared to the vehicle combat - the only thing lifting it above other fist-fightin' fare is the clever visual effects when programs take damage, or are derezzed.

There are some barely lamp-shaded plot points that are a little dumb (Flynn describes his creation as being like a safe, unopenable from within - YOU'RE THE CREATOR DUDE!).

The scenes following the climax feel too short and sharp - after the breathless ride, you'd like another few minutes to decompress with the characters.

My friend (who's a much much bigger fan, he owns one of the helmets from the original for god's sake!) was quite a bit disappointed I felt, he said it only felt like TRON in the last 20 minutes....

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by kdo

+1...except for the below comments, the last of which concerns me most...

I get that. Although I'm used to people who are huge fans being disappointed in things....Nothing against super fans but it seems like sometimes they think they own the movie and the sequels never "what it should be." Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a big example of that unfortunately

[markbr]

I'm really looking forward to getting this on BD's 3D

I've watched the trailers on my 3D discs now and it looks amazing.
Can't wait.

[kdo]

Originally Posted by pj_campbell

I get that. Although I'm used to people who are huge fans being disappointed in things....Nothing against super fans but it seems like sometimes they think they own the movie and the sequels never "what it should be." Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a big example of that unfortunately

True, but please tell me you didn't actually enjoy "Indina Jones 4"...I'm a fan of those films (though not a huge one), and the only one I thought was excellent was "Raiders." "Temple of Doom" was pretty bad, "Last Crusade" was ok, and "Crystal Skull," well...lets just say I only made it about 10 minutes into the film before I'd had enough and turned it off ...

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by kdo

True, but please tell me you didn't actually enjoy "Indina Jones 4"...I'm a fan of those films (though not a huge one), and the only one I thought was excellent was "Raiders." "Temple of Doom" was pretty bad, "Last Crusade" was ok, and "Crystal Skull," well...lets just say I only made it about 10 minutes into the film before I'd had enough and turned it off ...

Honestly, I loved the hell out of that movie. It's my second favorite series of all time, and I had a great time in the theater seeing one of my characters on screen again. Was it the original? Absolutely not, but it was a hell of a fun time at the theater. I really liked it

But I'm just trying to point out sometimes fans feel entitled to things or think they know how the series should go...Which I think is kind of ridiculous. They have too high of standards and nothing could ever live up to them. They just need to relax and enjoy the ride

Edit: Very positive review just arrived from Slashfilm

Originally Posted by Slashfilm

I almost don’t want to say how much I liked TRON: Legacy. Going into a film cold is always the best way to see it and before seeing this heavily marketed, long gestating sequel, I’d unfortunately heard several well-known critics shower the film with negative adjectives, suitably lowering my expectations. With that mindset, I enjoyed the film immensely. So, I apologize if I rebuild any of those lowered expectations when I say that TRON: Legacy is the epic, thrilling adventure you were hoping for, complete with all of the flaws so commonly made in a Hollywood blockbuster.

Source

Click the source link for the full review

[kdo]

Originally Posted by pj_campbell

Honestly, I loved the hell out of that movie. It's my second favorite series of all time, and I had a great time in the theater seeing one of my characters on screen again. Was it the original? Absolutely not, but it was a hell of a fun time at the theater. I really liked it

Obviously, everyone's got different tastes...to sum up my thoughts on "Indy 4," "South Park" was spot on: (warning: semi-mature content)

[Show spoiler] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGBEG...eature=related

[Show spoiler] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSBQJ...eature=related

[Show spoiler] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0Pof...eature=related

When I first saw that episode, I was laughing so hard my face and sides hurt for a couple of days afterwards.

Originally Posted by pj_campbell

But I'm just trying to point out sometimes fans feel entitled to things or think they know how the series should go...Which I think is kind of ridiculous. They have too high of standards and nothing could ever live up to them. They just need to relax and enjoy the ride

And I agree to an extent. But more often than not, I think die-hard fans do this with just cause, because they don't want to see a film they love get a tarnished repuation because of a poor sequel (and lets be honest, most sequels never live up to the quality of the original).

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by kdo

And I agree to an extent. But more often than not, I think die-hard fans do this with just cause, because they don't want to see a film they love get a tarnished repuation because of a poor sequel (and lets be honest, most sequels never live up to the quality of the original).

And I admit they usually never live up the original, but I've never felt like a sequel really tarnished the original. I've never understood those arguments "It ruined the original!" because, well, you still have the original. It didn't touch the original, the original is still the same. It's just the same as the last time you watched it (well, except for maybe Star Wars....). But I've never understood that argument.

We all have just cause to see a good movie. But sometimes some fans expect all of them to be the next Empire Strikes Back or The Dark Knight when you should never set your standards that high is all I'm saying. As long as it's a fun ride I'm all for it. Sometimes we forget movies are supposed to be fun too, not just super serious

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by pj_campbell

And I admit they usually never live up the original, but I've never felt like a sequel really tarnished the original. I've never understood those arguments "It ruined the original!" because, well, you still have the original. It didn't touch the original, the original is still the same. It's just the same as the last time you watched it (well, except for maybe Star Wars....). But I've never understood that argument.

The Hollywood Reporter critic (desperately trying to play the "Only geeks liked Tron!" angle for all it was worth--If we get a lot of "this year's Speed Racer" jokes, you'll know who they've been reading) asked "Is this the first sequel to be made almost thirty years after the original?"
As noted by the sudden derailing into a Crystal Skull thread, um...no.
Me, I was going to say "Psycho II" at 22 years, "The Color of Money" at 24 years, "2010" at a mere 16 years, "Phantom Menace" at 22 years, and of course, the current all-time record, "Fantasia 2000" at 60 years.

The reason Psycho II sprang to mind as a good example is that of course it's not the Return of Hitchcock, it's the return of the characters after 22 years, and a story that complements the events of the original while teasing at what particular entertainment aspect made the first film so distinctive.
Crystal Skull tried to be a continuation of its story, putting Indy where he would be fifteen years after his last film, and while Spielberg should be commended for at least recognizing that time had gone by, it was just the quick, rushed, slopping together of past abandoned scripts just to get it finished after twenty years that made it seem so confused and aimless.
These two examples, I think, together sum up what could be good AND bad about Legacy.

[Walts Ghost]

Originally Posted by EricJ

The Hollywood Reporter critic (desperately trying to play the "Only geeks liked Tron!" angle for all it was worth--If we get a lot of "this year's Speed Racer" jokes, you'll know who they've been reading) asked "Is this the first sequel to be made almost thirty years after the original?"
As noted by the sudden derailing into a Crystal Skull thread, um...no.
Me, I was going to say "Psycho II" at 22 years, "The Color of Money" at 24 years, "2010" at a mere 16 years, "Phantom Menace" at 22 years, and of course, the current all-time record, "Fantasia 2000" at 60 years.

The reason Psycho II sprang to mind as a good example is that of course it's not the Return of Hitchcock, it's the return of the characters after 22 years, and a story that complements the events of the original while teasing at what particular entertainment aspect made the first film so distinctive.
Crystal Skull tried to be a continuation of the story, putting Indy where he would be fifteen years after his last film; it was just the messy story and the slopping together of abandoned scripts that made it seem so confused and aimless.
These two examples, I think, together sum up what could be good AND bad about Legacy.

Not a bad post EricJ. A lot of truth to what you just said. Psycho II is one of my favorite "...years later" sequels (still waiting for the blu...). Indy 4 was definitely a bit mangled by too many scripts trying to put too many ideas into one movie. Too many cooks in the kitchen if you will. Tron definitely could be Psycho II, or it could be the too many cooks in the kitchen story wise like Indy 4. But I'm sure I'll enjoy it either way

[racefreak619]

I have been listening to the Soundtrack, and that's amazing (just through headphones on my pc). Will definately be seeing this movie, but I'm not expecting a great story, just eye candy with a good soundtrack.

[tron3]

I have a question for those who saw the previews, do we EVER see Flynn's white lightcycle in action, or is it just stationary? All I need is a yes or no. No more spoilers, please!

The reason I ask is because it doesn't seem the white lightcycle toy is really moving off the store shelves. The new black ones look awesome in the trailers, but I don't feel they translate as well into toys.

I LOVE the white one. The cross between the old and new is epic. I don't know why more people aren't buying one. Especially some of the original fan base.

It's Keven Flynn's personal lightcycle for crying out loud. Not to mention it is the only "persistent" lightcycle on the grid. Meaning, it doesn't rez up from a baton. Light runners are the same way.

[Rob71]

Originally Posted by kdo

Obviously, everyone's got different tastes...to sum up my thoughts on "Indy 4," "South Park" was spot on: (warning: semi-mature content)

[Show spoiler] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RGBEG...eature=related

[Show spoiler] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSBQJ...eature=related

[Show spoiler] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0Pof...eature=related

When I first saw that episode, I was laughing so hard my face and sides hurt for a couple of days afterwards.

The pinball scene!!!