Sophie Pfahl
The “Tron” movie franchise has been bad sci-fi, but it always gets away with it and remains charming despite obvious quality problems. “Tron: Ares” is no exception.
My only expectation for “Tron: Ares” was fun, nonsensical sci-fi, and it was just that. Director Joachim Rønning brought back everything characteristic about the “Tron” franchise, good and bad. Some great aspects of this film surprisingly surpassed “Tron” (1982) and “Tron: Legacy” (2010).
The Nine Inch Nails score arguably was the best thing about “Tron: Ares.” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails have scored several films since “The Social Network” in 2010, but the “Tron: Ares” score is so much like normal album releases from the band. The music is so recognizable that the whole film feels like a Nine Inch Nails music video, which is not something to complain about.
The industrial music style matches the techy aspects and visual style of “Tron: Ares.” At times, it felt like ‘80s arcade game music, matching the movie while still emanating the classic Nine Inch Nails style. The music made the film cooler and more fun compared to the cheesiness of the first two films. That’s not to say “Tron: Ares” wasn’t cheesy — it definitely was.
“Tron: Ares” attempted to follow in the footsteps of modern superhero films, balancing action with some comedic quips and witty dialogue. The film’s attempt at this style fell flat. When Ares, an artificially intelligent program played by Jared Leto, starts talking about ‘80s synth pop and Depeche Mode, it doesn’t feel charming and quirky. It felt artificial, pun intended.
Leto was awkward in the leading role; he had an okay performance, but seemed too inhuman even for a non-human character. The writing didn’t make his character interesting enough to be the lead protagonist.
Despite having renowned actors like Greta Lee and Evan Peters in main roles as opposing tech CEO’s in search of technological advancement, the story was never able to portray either character as interesting enough to care about, positively or negatively. There was not one bit of the film that felt understandable or relatable.
While the character writing failed here, the pacing of the film was nice and never dragged. The action sequences were interesting and well-choreographed. Sometimes, even the bad parts of the writing added some unintentional comedy. At some points, it seemed like the film took itself too seriously and didn’t fully embrace some of the ridiculousness that makes Tron fun.
For example, the use of tech in “Tron” movies has never made sense, and it is obvious that no one involved in the writing process understands how computers work, but this is somehow charming. Modernizing the tech aspect in “Tron: Ares” by using AI could have been done in a more interesting way, since the tech and sci-fi aspect of the film makes little sense and doesn’t seem to be saying anything thematically.
But “Tron” doesn’t really need to say anything. The first film is a cult classic despite having a mixed critical reception. The sequel is arguably worse, as“Tron: Ares” has some good design elements and fun action, but a clunky plot.
The visuals were one of my favorite things about this film. The gorgeous neon lights, angular shapes and dark, noir-esque lighting made it impossible to look away. One of my favorite scenes in the film was a throwback to the grid from the original film; it resembled the horribly edited ‘80s film, just 100 times cleaner. It was a pleasant surprise to see the film pay homage to the unique visuals of the original.
There’s something about all of the “Tron” films that is inherently enjoyable and charming, no matter how flawed some aspects may be. Like horror and comedy films, sometimes sci-fi can have absolutely no substance but still be a fun time and have some truly enjoyable elements. “Tron: Ares,” and the whole “Tron” franchise are lovingly put into that category.
Edited by Mikalah Owens | [email protected]
Copy edited by Anna Catlett and Ava Mohror | [email protected]
Edited by Chase Pray | [email protected]