Where do you start with Tron: Legacy? It’s a sequel to a minor cult hit that arrived in theaters 28 years ago, a film more renown for its (at the time) state-of-the-art design than its coherent story or classic characters, rekindled now not as a reboot or remake, but as a direct sequel to that long-ago work. Tron's esteem may have grown in the intervening years (much the same fate as another maligned-at-the-time science fiction film, Blade Runner), but time has been mostly unkind to it; Disney attempted to stage a run of pre-LEGACY screenings of the original film, but modern audiences greeted its dated appeal as unintentionally hilarious. Frightened by the impact this might have had on their $170 million spectacle, they pulled plans for a theatrical release, and whisked the recent 25th anniversary DVD off of store shelves. And so, bereft of a childhood that contained Tron, I went into the sequel with naught but a Wikipedia plot breakdown (which was, to be honest, frustratingly informative) to fill in what turned out to be largely irrelevant narrative gaps. I say that to say that I am reviewing Legacy solely for Legacy's sake, untainted by nostalgia or high expectations. More than two decades after the events of the first film (which, for the uninitiated, involve a computer programmer [Jeff Bridges, reprising his role] being zapped from the physical world into the computer wor…

A massive upgrade on the first film, at least for someone like me who certainly doesn't enjoy the 1982 production. <em>'TRON: Legacy'</em> is much more vibrant, developed and tangible. I actually formed a connection with the characters in this one, which is the complete opposite to the original. The special effects (bar the de-aging) are a vast improvement, which is to be expected in fairness; I love the look of this. It's nice to get a proper view into the 'outside' lives of the protagonists, rather than receiving a tiny backstory before shoving them into the new universe; I appreciated the build-up to the eventual entry. The score is also terrific, even if it's strange hearing Daft Punk's "Outlands" due to my familiarity of it coming from Sky Sports UK's Formula 1 opening credits. Garrett Hedlund is great in the role Sam, I enjoyed his performance from the get-go. Jeff Bridges is excellent too, I feel all the actors in general were given much more to work with in this one; I barely took notice of Bridges (& Co.) in the predecessor, but he stands out big here. Olivia Wilde and Michael Sheen are good, also. Cillian Murphy even makes a minute appearance. It does, at least to me, feel like a very different film when compared to <em>'Tron'</em>, which may disappoint lovers of the latter but will be relief to opposing folk; e.g. me. Wasn't sure what to expect from this, but th…

**Overall : Kosinski upgrades TRON in every way for a new generation with this stunning sci-fi adventure.** Believe it or not, Top Gun was not the first franchise Joseph Kosinski revives with a legacy sequel over 30 years after the original. And just like Top Gun: Maverick, Kosinski did a masterful job bringing a series back to life. TRON: Legacy improved on its predecessor in every way. I remember seeing it in 3D IMAX and being completely blown away at the effects (although the de-aging effects are pretty dated but were impressive at the time), the soundtrack, the story, and the acting. Kosinski connected the past with the modern age by bringing back Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner while providing a story that engages and intrigues a new generation. I can't say I was a major fan of the original, but I loved this movie. This sci-fi adventure felt like the beginning of something incredible, but sadly Disney acquired Marvel shortly after the release of TRON: Legacy and shifted their focus to the MCU. Hopefully, after Kosinski's success with Top Gun: Maverick, the chances of a TRON 3 will be reignited because I am ready for more!

**Lots of style, lots of high-quality visuals, but little substance.** There are things that are inexplicable, and one of them is how “Tron” managed to become popular, even after not being a big hit in its time. I have already written about it and I stand by what I said: it is a film that I understand, that came in the wake of a popular fever around everything electronic, but that was made before its time, with visual and special effects that, today, seem as archaic as a 1990s cell phone. I don't know if this movie should be a sequel or if it should have been made a remake instead, but there's no doubt about the superiority of this movie: not only does it feature visual effects and CGI of great beauty and quality, as it has a frankly better script (which does not mean perfection). Indeed, the script is satisfactory, presenting an unlikely story, where a very rich young man decides to sabotage his own company thinking he is doing what his father, who disappeared for years, would approve. After that, he receives a message from his father, and the clue leads him to an old arcade, long closed, and to his father's old computer. It is there that the young man is sucked into a cybernetic space, controlled by a vile and dictatorial program. Yes, humans sucked, physically speaking, into computers. As if social media weren't enough! Added to this, the worn-out clichés of the relationsh…