Disney’s latest installment into the Tron film franchise has finally raced into theaters, bringing the Grid back onto the big screen, 15 years later in Tron: Ares. After more than a decade of waiting, this film brings a fresh take on Tron’s digital world, “the Grid”. However, it doesn’t exactly follow the path that the previous installment “Tron: Legacy” left behind.
Visually, this movie absolutely delivers. Tron: Ares has managed to keep the look left behind from its previous installment. From the “Light Cycles” and glowing suits, to the digital landscapes, everything feels similar to the last, yet upgraded with sharper effects and modern CGI. The way the Grid is brought to life is immersive and visually stunning, definitely making it one of the film’s strongest features.
While the visuals are impressive, the story doesn’t hit as hard. Instead of continuing Sam Flynn’s story, the movie shifts to a new direction that builds the world rather than the characters, making this installment feel more like a reset, not a sequel. Overall, the plot is decent. It keeps you hooked, but it doesn’t quite reach the depth that a sequel this delayed should have delivered.
The characters and performances also affect how the story lands, and this is where the film ends up losing some of its impact. Most of the acting is downright poor, and a lot of the characters don’t leave much of an emotional impact. Surprisingly, star Jared Leto gives one of the strongest performances in the film, bringing more depth to his role than what I expected. However, no character really ends up matching the charm of Sam or Quorra from Tron: Legacy, which makes it harder to fully connect with the story.
Another standout element in the Tron franchise is its soundtrack. Tron: Legacy’s soundtrack left a phenomenal impact on the overall vibe and atmosphere in the Grid, thanks to Daft Punk’s electronic music style. This time, Tron: Ares’ soundtrack was composed by none other than Nine Inch Nails. While their darker and industrial sound fits the movie’s tone, there are times where the music doesn’t quite match what’s happening on screen, making some scenes feel slightly disconnected or out of place.
Overall, Tron: Ares has given me a hopeful look to the future of the franchise. While I did enjoy the movie as a whole, it definitely did have its flaws. Even though the story and characters didn’t fully land, the visuals and world building make it a solid return to the franchise. What makes it interesting is that it doesn’t feel like an ending, but rather a setup. If Disney decides to keep going, there’s a good chance that the next Tron film could take what Ares started and finally give us a story with both style and heart, just like Tron: Legacy did.
