Tron Legacy: Way back in 1982, a little movie called “Tron” by a first-time director was savaged by critics, even though it incorporated computer-generated animation to tell the tale of a normal man, Kevin Flynn (played by Jeff Bridges in both films) brought into a computer world where he fights against tyranny and oppression to free “the Grid“. Flash-forward 28 years and we get much the same hoopla - we get a new “Tron” movie by a first-time director, critics don’t like the film, and we get lots of pretty computer-generated animation. Déjà vu all over again. This time around, the son of Flynn, Sam (Garrett Hedlund), is sucked into the computer world while trying to find his missing father and finds more tyranny, his father’s evil electronic doppelganger Clu, and the ’games’, such as the dueling light-cycles remembered so fondly from the original, amped-up with more screen tme, as well as the light-disc duels. The plot, which deals with responsibility, corruption, and the power of humanity, aims for a greater degree of profundity than the original, whose plot was relatively simple by comparison, but it misses the mark. The acting is nothing to write home about, though Michael Sheen has a scene-stealing role as Caster (though it’s obvious that what he brings to the table wasn’t on the page). Olivia Wilde also does well as the program Quorra, an ally of Sam’s. Hedlund, who I usually abhor with a passion, at least I can stand him here. Bridges has a dual role as the elder Flynn and, under a CGI freshening-up, Clu, though Clu doesn’t ever look real, he always looks like he fell off the “Polar Express“. Saw the film in 3D, though there was absolutely no reason to do so. There were more 3D elements in some of the trailers for coming attractions than in “Tron Legacy”. I wasn’t expecting a whole lot and the film exceeded my expectations. Not as good as the original, but still a suitable time-waster. Woodchuck sez, “Worth a look.”
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