12-31-2010, 04:58 PM
At the Cinema: Tron Legacy (in 2D)
I remember well the summer of 1982. I had just received my MA in Japanese Theatre and spent the summer looking for work and watching movies, and what a summer for movies it was, particularly for Science Fiction & Fantasy: Blade Runner, ET, Star Trek II Wrath of Kahn (had to convince my mother that, despite what she was seeing, Spock was not dead), Poltergeist, Sword And The Sorcerer, Beastmaster, Megaforce, Firefox, Conan, Cat People, Secret Of N.I.M.H., The Thing, and Tron.
Now, it should be remembered that this was the hey-day of the coin-op video game and the Tron game was to be found in the lobby area of almost every theatre in San Antonio. I dropped many a quarter on that game trying to master the light cycles or the disc battles (all to no avail) and the game gave me hope that the film would be a visual feast. In that it did not disappoint, and neither does the sequel, Tron Legacy.
However ...
When it comes to the story I was decidedly underwhelmed. To be sure, the story in the original film was simple and straightforward, and so too is the sequel. Indeed, not only are there many echoes of the first film in the second (the Dumont sign on Sam's garage abode, the son of the original's villain on the new board of directors, etc.) but the plot of the sequel essentially follows the plot of the original. That is not a problem in and of itself (after all, Return Of The Jedi is all about blowing up the Death Star, again) but now, nearly 30 years later and after such films as The Matrix and Inception, Tron Legacy seems rather quaint.
One theme that is not well explored is the relationship between Users and Programs. It is hinted at in the Night Club scene, but only just. More about this might have made for an intriguing film.
Production values are universally good, and the acting is, generally speaking, workman like. Bruce Boxleitner does a good turn as the original Tron and Olivia Wilde is quite fetching as the ISO Quorra. On the other hand Jeff Bridges does not seem completely "plugged in" for this film. We know he is a very capable actor (and indeed turns in an excellent performance as Rooster Cogburn in the new True Grit playing in the same megaplex theatre) so one must lay the responsibility at the feet of first time director Joseph Kosinski.
One telling assessment of the film: my 10 year old grandson and his friend fidgeted throughout the film and were less than enthusiastic in their comments afterwards. Neither asked about when, or even if, we would be getting a copy of the Tron game for our PS3.
Tron Legacy is a trip done Memory lane for those of us who remember the original, but a bit of a curiosity for those who do not. Those younger audience members may well wonder what all the excitement is about.
(Note: Perhaps the film would be more exciting, visually, in 3D, but I reject 3D as another Hollywood money making gimick. If a film can not stand without 3D then it probably can not stand at all.)
:?
Narukami
I remember well the summer of 1982. I had just received my MA in Japanese Theatre and spent the summer looking for work and watching movies, and what a summer for movies it was, particularly for Science Fiction & Fantasy: Blade Runner, ET, Star Trek II Wrath of Kahn (had to convince my mother that, despite what she was seeing, Spock was not dead), Poltergeist, Sword And The Sorcerer, Beastmaster, Megaforce, Firefox, Conan, Cat People, Secret Of N.I.M.H., The Thing, and Tron.
Now, it should be remembered that this was the hey-day of the coin-op video game and the Tron game was to be found in the lobby area of almost every theatre in San Antonio. I dropped many a quarter on that game trying to master the light cycles or the disc battles (all to no avail) and the game gave me hope that the film would be a visual feast. In that it did not disappoint, and neither does the sequel, Tron Legacy.
However ...
When it comes to the story I was decidedly underwhelmed. To be sure, the story in the original film was simple and straightforward, and so too is the sequel. Indeed, not only are there many echoes of the first film in the second (the Dumont sign on Sam's garage abode, the son of the original's villain on the new board of directors, etc.) but the plot of the sequel essentially follows the plot of the original. That is not a problem in and of itself (after all, Return Of The Jedi is all about blowing up the Death Star, again) but now, nearly 30 years later and after such films as The Matrix and Inception, Tron Legacy seems rather quaint.
One theme that is not well explored is the relationship between Users and Programs. It is hinted at in the Night Club scene, but only just. More about this might have made for an intriguing film.
Production values are universally good, and the acting is, generally speaking, workman like. Bruce Boxleitner does a good turn as the original Tron and Olivia Wilde is quite fetching as the ISO Quorra. On the other hand Jeff Bridges does not seem completely "plugged in" for this film. We know he is a very capable actor (and indeed turns in an excellent performance as Rooster Cogburn in the new True Grit playing in the same megaplex theatre) so one must lay the responsibility at the feet of first time director Joseph Kosinski.
One telling assessment of the film: my 10 year old grandson and his friend fidgeted throughout the film and were less than enthusiastic in their comments afterwards. Neither asked about when, or even if, we would be getting a copy of the Tron game for our PS3.
Tron Legacy is a trip done Memory lane for those of us who remember the original, but a bit of a curiosity for those who do not. Those younger audience members may well wonder what all the excitement is about.
(Note: Perhaps the film would be more exciting, visually, in 3D, but I reject 3D as another Hollywood money making gimick. If a film can not stand without 3D then it probably can not stand at all.)
:?
Narukami
David Reinke
Burbank CA
Burbank CA
