Tron: Ares
Rating: 5/5
By: Nathaniel Simpson
For over ten years, I have been waiting for a sequel to Tron: Legacy, as I'm sure millions of other fans have as well. There was so much they set up in Legacy that it felt almost criminal to not expand this over-arching story more and really bring the viewers into new ways to see the Grid. Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) even wanted to find a way to bring the virtual reality of the Grid to the forefront of the real world, which he was searching for when he disappeared. Now, in 2025, Disney has heard our wishes and gave us a brand new Tron film, bringing their world into ours. Tron: Ares is simply a blast from start to finish, with awe-inspiring visuals, beautiful cinematography and action sequences, a great nuanced performance from Jared Leto, a well-crafted story that simply relates to the time we are in right now, and an absolutely awesome soundtrack from Nine Inch Nails. This is the film that every Tron fan was waiting for.
The film catches us up on what has happened since the events of Legacy, revealing that Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) has stepped down from ENCOM, allowing sisters Eve (Greta Lee) and Tess Kim (Selene Yun) to take over the company. Even though they are very successful in their video game launches under the control of the Kim sisters, they want to bring more into the world than just video games. After Tess passes away, Eve starts to find different ways to make A.I. help the environment, instead of the world viewing it as a threat. However, they are on a race for the permanence code against Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters), who is the grandson of David Warner's Ed Dillinger from the original film.
However, what ENCOM, or the world for that matter, doesn't realize is that Dillinger has made his own Grid, with his own forms of A.I. programs that he is using to take over the world. By creating his Master Control, who he names Ares (Jared Leto), he thinks he will be able to control the programs to do whatever he sees fit. However, when Ares' A.I. starts to evolve and develop human-like emotions and qualities which was seemingly impossible, Dillinger's own creation may threaten this business he is trying to save.
The main aspect you will notice when watching this movie is how different it is from its predecessor. Compared to Legacy, this movie simply feels like a completely different story. They take what they were able to set up in 2010, and evolve it so that it works in today's world and the political and business climate that A.I. is involved in. However, with that being said, the tone and vibe of this movie is undoubtedly carried over from the previous Tron films; these movies are simply badass, and they really make the viewer fall in love with the world and stories they are able to create.
The reason behind obtaining such a unique and awesome tone to the movie is a combination of all the filmmaking elements. Let's first look at the visuals here, which are easily the best of the year. They are simply able to capture the same feel of the CGI that is in Legacy; the special effects here don't feel rushed or similar to other films, but rather have such a beautifully advanced uniqueness to them that really draw the viewer in and keeps them hooked. From the way the Dillinger Grid looks to the light cycles racing through the real world to the Recognizer coming in and destroying buildings, it all looks so damn beautiful. Especially when watching it in IMAX, it sincerely knocks the socks off you.
Similar to the 2010 film from Joseph Kosinski, this movie combines those beautiful visual effects with equally amazing cinematography from Jeff Cronenweth. There is no doubt in my mind that the cinematography with the visuals will be studied for years to come as it simply leaps off the screen. They take such beautiful shots and are able to elevate them with the amazing CGI effects. I wanted to point out the mise-en-scène present here as I feel like this movie has such fantastic use of its shots and the characters/sets. Consider the point where Eve is running from Ares early in the movie; how they craft the shot allows the viewer to see her, Ares, and how the set is going to effect the ensuing chase. It's honestly incredibly inspiring and amazing to watch.
Now, looking at the obvious, there was a lot of talk about Leto potentially ruining this movie based on his filmography as of late. However, I am here to put all doubt aside as I think he is great in the role of Ares. He gives such a subdued and nuanced performance as the incredibly-advanced A.I. program, and the character development for him here simply works on every level. Leto really taps into this role and delivers perhaps the best performance in the movie. However, this is not to discredit any of the other actors here as I think they all did a good job with the characters and the script. Sure, they all may not be as great as Leto's or awe-inspiring, but the actors do their job quite well and really craft these characters to compliment the character of Ares.
I also want to touch on the fact that there are people saying there is no real story here. Sure, the story isn't incredibly complex, but it does a great job of keeping the viewer entertained and provides character growth for most of the characters here. Consider Ares; he's literally an A.I. humanoid that gains human emotions and feelings, making him want to be human. We then see his progression throughout the course of the picture and how he makes the idea of being human a reality. It also touches on loss and how not everything in the human world isn't permanent, but it's worth it to have that experience.
The final aspect of this movie I want to touch on is the absolutely phenomenal soundtrack from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, known as the band Nine Inch Nails. Not only is the album a wonderful listen on its own merit, but the songs here simply add so much to the movie. It elevates the picture beyond what it could be, adding in such amazing musical cues for the events that transpire here. The scene where Leto and Lee are riding in a Tron-esque water ski while the song "I Know You Can Feel It" is playing simply sends chills down your spine and makes the slo-mo scenes just that much cooler.
This movie is genuinely everything I could have wanted for or asked for from Disney. They heard the fans and what they wanted, and they delivered here. This film is an incredible watch, and at the time of writing this review, I have already gone twice to be immersed into the Grid. I already know I will be seeing this movie a couple more times before the end of its theatrical run, and I know every Tron fan will be too.
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