TRON Legacy Review Thread (Spoilers)

[nathanp]

3 Stars Overall

5 for the effects and action
-2 for the story, overall decent.

[toddly6666]

The movie was not bad, not great - it's just a very solid live-action Disney film - I like how it was serious and not dummied down for kids. I would pair it up with being at the same level as a live-action Disney film like The Flight of the Navigator or something.

But that Daft Punk soundtrack - wow! The music made the movie. The 3D wasn't anything special. I'll watch it a second time in 2D, probably better in 2D i'm feeling.

This Garrett Hedlund may become a very likable leading man. He's got that Australian actor vibe, even though he isn't Australian, so that was a good casting decision. Bridges sort of was just slumming through the movie, and his Clu wasn't as distracting as I thought it would be.

Olivia Wilde doesn't seem like anything special at all. I don't know what's the fuss about her. Beau Garrett however was hot as hell and seemed more interesting in her tiny role.

Those helmeted fight scenes were awesome though. I felt like playing frisbee after the movie.

I didn't like how they filmed (the lack) of real world to grid world and back at all in this film. I like the cyber travel tunnel more in the first film.

And of course, the first Tron still kicks major ass, and is still 100 times better, more magical, and more memorable than this new one.

And although quite different from his original character, I didn't mind the ass-kicking Tron - sort of reminded me of G.I. Joe's Snake Eyes.

[Liselotte]

it was great and entertaining. Daft Punk's score was fantastic!

[metalore]

Originally Posted by Hicks62

For the first 30 minutes I was sort of with it, and the Clu character was interesting from a visual perspective, but by an hour I was wondering what I was going to have for tea and during the last act I was begging for it to end. At least the slightly sexist, xenophobic overtones brought a few giggles! As did the dialogue by the last act, which was rather daytime soap.

What are these sexist, xenophobic overtones you speak of?

[EricJ]

Originally Posted by toddly6666

Those helmeted fight scenes were awesome though. I felt like playing frisbee after the movie.

Long before the SDCC sequel hype got started--just after the 20th Anniversary DVD came out, in fact--I tried showing the original to 4th-grade boy relatives and his friends who had never heard of the film.
FWIU, it not only went over pretty well, I learned later he'd signed up for his school's Ultimate Frisbee team...I only offer this information for what it is.

[Neil_Luv's_BLU]

Finally seen it. At this moment in time I'm still not sure how I feel about Legacy. I'm hoping that by committing the thoughts running through my head to the Internet I may be able to give the movie my definitive mark! I'll split the 'essay' in to the Pro and Con categories. Hope you enjoy it. Don't worry, reading it isn't mandatory:

Pros:

Jeff Bridges x2: You get two juxtaposing performances from 'The Dude' in this movie. What's not to love?

Bruce Boxleitner: Much like Bridges, I'm always happy to see Boxleitner rock up in any TV show or movie.

Visuals: Aesthetically it is a beaut! Not just in The Grid, the set design and cinematography in the real world is top notch as well. So that's one tick in the 'List of reasons I want to see this in IMAX' box

Sound Mix: Probably the best mix I've heard in quite a long time! Second tick in the 'List of reasons I want to see this in IMAX' box

Daft Punk's Score: For me this was the highlight of the film. It's becoming something of a cliche to say that I know, but the soundtrack is nothing short of brilliant! One of the best soundtracks I have ever heard in my life... you could say it is the finest "aural pleasure" I have ever had!.. Actually, in retrospect probably second best

3D: Almost, just almost, as good as Avatar in the Stereoscope department. There are a few gimmicky, ephemera leaping from the screen moments, but it's a 50/50 split in terms of awareness! Sometimes the 3D is so subtle you forget it's a 3D movie. When a set piece arrives the 3D really kicks in, and the added depth helps sell the vastness of the digital world! Third and final tick in the 'List of reasons I want to see this in IMAX' box

Pro/Con Purgatory (Elements that were neither good nor bad... Primarily the actors and their performances):

Garret Hedlund (Sam Flynn): Not so much a 'con', I actually didn't think he did a bad job, he was a likable enough character who seemed to have a hard time pulling off complex emotions. However he had sarcasm and flippancy down to an art form!

Michael Sheen (Castor): Is he Ziggy Stardust? Is he David Frost? Is he Tony Blair? Is he Brian Clough?.. Is this performance derivative of all four? YES! Sheen's character is OK, but nothing special. And I say that as one of Sheen's biggest fans!

The rest of the cast?: Just OK!

Cons:

Jeff Bridges x2: I know what you're thinking "But Neil, this was in the Pros list!?" and indeed you are correct, but you'll remember I also asked "What's not to love?". Well I'll tell you. 'Young Kevin Flynn' aka 'Clu' aka 'Bridges waxwork made sentient' is an inconsistent mess in the visual effects department. The same technology that was developed on Fincher's 'Benjamin Button' is in use here, and whilst it is impressive in the films many dark scenes, as soon as the lighting is kicked up several notches the illusion is destroyed! I say waxwork because it is the most apt description of Clu's appearance I can muster!

Story/Script: This is 2 'Cons' rolled into 1. And well... Hmm... I'm not sure where I stand when it comes to the story. I'll have to come back to you. I will say that I found the story was pretty straightforward, but the average cinema patron could easily lose themselves in the cringe inducing dialogue and the dark political/social allegories (even more so if you haven't seen, or weren't aware of, the original Tron)

3D: Another of my Pros that has made its way into the Con list. The 3D does not hold up in the darker scenes, the depth goes AWOL when the lights are dimmed it seems!

Summary:

My anticipation for this film has been building gradually since the debut of the first trailer at Comic-Con in 2008, and in all honesty that three minute visual effects test that kick started the return to The Grid has a far superior story. Although whilst the Cons linger in my mind, I can't help but enthuse about the visual and aural experience, in these areas Tron Legacy excels! Ultimately it's the script that lets it down!

Other than that, it is fair to say on my first viewing that I'm more than happy to give Tron Legacy 3/5 stars! And I shall definitely be making the trip to the BFI IMAX over the Christmas period to experience it for a second time!

END OF LINE...

[krazeyeyez]

Not horrible but just barely imo. Very forgettable as a movie, however as my first experience with this "real 3D" i gotta say i was impressed. Wasn't overly distracting and a few times i was laughing at just how cool it was and thinking of the potential some people could do with this effect once it becomes less of a gimmick to fill seats and more of a tool to enhance and add to the experience/art.

Gotta say these kids today are lucky today however as i would have never left the 3d theater back in my magic mushroom youth.

BTW.... can you not re-use the 3d glasses to avoid the extra ticket charge? because we noticed a ton of people dumping their glasses into a bin after the movie.

[L-Rouge]

Originally Posted by krazeyeyez

Not horrible but just barely imo. Very forgettable as a movie, however as my first experience with this "real 3D" i gotta say i was impressed. Wasn't overly distracting and a few times i was laughing at just how cool it was and thinking of the potential some people could do with this effect once it becomes less of a gimmick to fill seats and more of a tool to enhance and add to the experience/art.

Gotta say these kids today are lucky today however as i would have never left the 3d theater back in my magic mushroom youth.

BTW.... can you not re-use the 3d glasses to avoid the extra ticket charge? because we noticed a ton of people dumping their glasses into a bin after the movie.

Interesting, was it an actual rubbish bin or just ones for collecting glasses?


I suppose it depends of the technology being used at the theater for displaying 3d. The two main competitors I know of are Real D and Dolby (there are many more like XpanD, Disney 3d etc) . Dolby's glasses are active shutter glasses, much like the ones to be found in the home market..These are expensive and are required to be returned anyway. As opposed to Real D where they are of the cheap non active variety. I still use mine from the opening of Avatar ^^.

In the end I suppose there is also the inconvenience of carrying these glasses in the first place.. HAHA

[Pondosinatra]

Originally Posted by krazeyeyez

...

BTW.... can you not re-use the 3d glasses to avoid the extra ticket charge? because we noticed a ton of people dumping their glasses into a bin after the movie.

Well at the theatres here they're labelled for recycling...

[krazeyeyez]

Originally Posted by Pondosinatra

Well at the theatres here they're labelled for recycling...

thats what they said here as well, have you tried taking a pair back up with you and seeing if they still stick you with the $4 premium charge?

[Talon884]

This movie is sure to test the black levels of any display, and the LFE.... awesome soundtrack.

[Offender_Mullet]

4/5 Loved it, mainly due to how serious the tone was. I was very verrrrry surprised at that. Kudos to Disney for not stepping in and making it a light-hearted 'kiddy' movie.

With the first movie, I was impressed more by the action scenes rather than the story. However, it was the opposite with Legacy. Yes, I loved how everything looked visually so I'm not knocking it for those reasons, but just found some of the battle scenes not very exciting.

Here is a new interview with the director, which answered a couple of the questions

[Show spoiler](like why didn't they show Sam go into the grid)

I had after viewing the movie. Link: http://collider.com/joseph-kosinski-...er-eggs/66520/

[toddly6666]

The light cycle scenes were better and more memorable in the original Tron movie.
The frisbee scenes in the new movie kicked major ass and were better than the ones in the original Tron movie.

Someone should recut the original film by adding in the new frisbee scenes!

[mikejet]

Watched it again on IMAX. Can't wait for it to come out so I can watch it over and over

[assydingo]

Originally Posted by krazeyeyez

thats what they said here as well, have you tried taking a pair back up with you and seeing if they still stick you with the $4 premium charge?

I don't think it works that way.

[G:Box]

Originally Posted by mikejet

Watched it again on IMAX. Can't wait for it to come out so I can watch it over and over

+1

[Mahatma]

Originally Posted by mikejet

Watched it again on IMAX. Can't wait for it to come out so I can watch it over and over

Originally Posted by MrGBox

+1

Was thinking how nice it is sometimes to be obsessed And I mean that.Been years since I felt that with a movie,but then again it is years since I've been young. . .

[BluPayne4400]

Originally Posted by Mahatma

Was thinking how nice it is sometimes to be obsessed And I mean that.Been years since I felt that with a movie,but then again it is years since I've been young. . .

+1 i have a problem this movie wont leave my brain.

[Bunker]

The guy whose name was in the title got like 30 seconds of screentime. I don't understand that at all.

[Offender_Mullet]

Originally Posted by Bunker

The guy whose name was in the title got like 30 seconds of screentime. I don't understand that at all.

[Show spoiler]Remember what happens to him? Sequel.