DVD Reviews

Tron Legacy

• Rating:
• Director:
• Starring: Garrett Hedlund
• Details: US/125mins PG

Delivering the money shots on an epic, often exhilarating scale, Tron is the finest blockbuster of its kind since last year's gargantuan hit, Avatar. Its use of CGI, cinematography, art design and general inception of a complete new world is hugely impressive, but that said, it suffers from some of the same problems that bogged Avatar - namely a sloppy script.
The first Tron was no masterpiece and initially flopped upon its release. But director Kosinski realises this, and has smartly taken the core idea and plot and expanded it into an action epic, ensuring folk won't need to have seen the original flick to enjoy this follow-up.
It's been twenty-odd years since Garrett Hedlund's Sam has seen his father. Going to work one night, he had promised a young Sam a trip to the arcade, but never came home, leaving the youngster as heir to a multi-million dollar computer Software Company. Today, the 27-year-old Sam isn't interested in his inherited gig, instead living the life of a rogue programmer with a penchant for danger. When his dad's former business partner turns up with some information about his aul' lad, Sam heads to the arcade he worked from and finds himself transported to The Grid.
Kosinski makes sure every single cent of the reported $200 million production budget is seen on screen. The scenes outside of The Grid are all filmed in 2D, but are still executed with impressive style, showing a helmer with remarkable assurance for a first feature. The opening shot in particular draws you in wonderfully, slowly taking in the city and underlining the mood.
What doesn't work is the clunky exposition, obviously injected to make it feel like a standalone film - not a sequel to a flop from 28 years ago. Kosinski runs with the ideas he's given, but is obviously keen to get to the action - and Jeff Bridges. Those sequences are impressively assembled and actually make good use of the often maligned 3D format. When Sam first enters The Grid, it really is aesthetically incredible - with Daft Punk's cracking score only adding to the ambience.
Performance-wise, Bridges has a bit of fun as the now God-like creator, while Olivia Wilde does 'sexy but naive' very well (granted, the outfit contributes). Hedlund is a little stiff in the earlier scenes - the dodgy dialogue doesn't help - but comes into his own for the action sequences. Elsewhere, Michael Sheen's cameo is needlessly ostentatious, but kind of fun for what is essentially a glorified plot advancer.
Deeply flawed, sure - but if you're looking for an all-immersing sci-fi cinematic experience, Tron: Legacy delivers.

Review by Mike Sheridan