‘Tron: Ares’ Review: Sci-fi Sequel Looks and Sounds Great, But Story Falls Short.
The “Tron” film have never been box office juggernauts, but they have had a few things going for them—imaginative digital worlds and a devoted following eager to revisit them.
“Tron” (1982) and the belated sequel “Tron: Legacy” (2010) took audiences inside a glowing digital universe filled with programs and lightcycles that were brought to life by cool visual effects. “Tron: Ares,” the third installment in Disney’s sci-fi franchise, does more of the same with a few twists.
When it comes to the story, though, “Tron: Ares” (directed by Joachim Rønning) is lacking. It introduces big ideas about modern technology, artificial intelligence, and the ethical responsibility of developing and using technology. But the film keeps things simple by not following through on any of those big questions.
“Tron: Ares” flips the general premise of the “Tron” films, asking, what if the digital programs and other creations were brought to the real world? Two tech companies—ENCOM and Dillinger Systems—are racing to make that the new reality. Eve Kim (Greta Lee), the new CEO of ENCOM wants to use the technology to help people and solve the world’s problems, while Julian Dillinger (Evan Peter) is using the technology to create weapons. But both have a problem: keeping the digital creations in the real world for longer than 29 minutes. The solution is a special code. Dillinger deploys an advanced program Ares (Jared Leto) into the really world to acquire the code—but the self-aware Ares begins to question its programming, jeopardizing the entire mission.
The approach of centering most of the story in the real world certainly raises the stakes, but it doesn’t make things more interesting. And all of the characters—with the exception of Eve and Ares’ lieutenant Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith)—are incredibly flat. It was hard to connect to any of them because character development is almost non-existent here.
Where “Tron: Ares” excels with its jaw-dropping visuals that bring the world of “Tron” to life like never before. The film just looks great. The red color scheme pops on screen. The lightcycles are sleek as they speed across the dark city streets during the film’s thrilling chase scenes.
The score by Nine Inch Nails’ Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor is also incredible and gives the film a jolt of energy. It pulses through every scene, and it’s incredibly effective during the flashy action sequences.
“Tron: Ares” is a big, action-packed visual spectacle. It has its fair share of flaws, but it’s still an enjoyable film thanks to the stunning visuals and the amazing score. If you plan on seeing it in theaters, your best bet is to see it on the biggest screen possible.
Tron: Ares
Directed by: Joachim Rønning
Starring: Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro, Cameron Monaghan, Gillian Anderson and Jeff Bridges
119 minutes
Ashley Carter is a journalist with extensive experience covering entertainment. She is a member of the Critics Association of Central Florida and reviews movies on her YouTube channel Ashley Talks Movies.
