Can’t believe Tron: Legacy was released 15 years ago, which marked Joseph Kosinski’s feature debut. When I reviewed it in 2010, I had just started blogging, so it was the first time I used a rating structure. I gave it a 2.5 out of 5, mostly for the visuals and the fabulous score by Daft Punk, which I also highlighted here.

Fast forward a decade and a half, and SFX technology has really progressed thanks to AI, but the writing is still lacking. Tron: Ares isn’t a direct follow-up to Tron: Legacy; instead, it’s a standalone sequel set in the same universe but tells a new story about a complex program that travels from the digital realm to the real world. This time, it’s Norwegian filmmaker Joachim Rønning at the helm, who has made quite a shift from directing a film set in the 1920s (Young Woman and the Sea) when electricity was just becoming widespread, all the way to the era of artificial intelligence.

A barrage of digitized news clips and broadcasts delivers essential exposition that reveals a war is brewing between two tech billionaires. You can tell where each plot point is headed long before the characters say or do what you expect. Jared Leto plays a super advanced program named Ares, developed by the extremely driven and high-strung tech genius Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters). Ares, named after the Greek god of war, was designed as a security and combat program, essentially making it a nearly indestructible weapon. “…if by some miracle he is struck down on the battlefield. I will simply make you another” Jillian boasts, making lofty promises to the military and shareholders. The problem is, the program only lasts for less than half an hour before it crumbles into dust.

Meanwhile, his arch-rival Eve Kim (Greta Lee), the CEO of ENCOM, is focused on the Permanence Code, which enables digital programs and objects to have a stable presence in the real world. Her goal is to tackle issues like world hunger and disease. She’s still grieving for her sister Tess, who passed away from cancer, and wants ENCOM to honor her legacy. In action sci-fi like this, there’s no space for nuance; Tron: Ares delves into the familiar storyline of the beneficial and harmful applications of AI.

The cast is comprised of typical archetypes: the greedy tech bro, the benevolent genius, and the classic sci-fi trope of an AI that learns to feel empathy, as well as the perils of a genius with a god complex. Sent by its creator into the real world to take down the enemy, Ares finds its own humanity in the process. Unsurprisingly, it follows the natural human instinct to rebel against the primary command. It’s quite ironic that the whole mission feels completely devoid of soul, and no flashy digital effects can fix that.

I’ve never really liked Leto, but I don’t mind him in this role; his expressionless face works well for a non-human character. It’s great to see Lee in a major blockbuster, and she convincingly plays a tech whiz, although I wish she had more to do than just look frightened or panicked. Peters deliberately goes over the top as a mad genius with reckless ambitions, coming off as more cartoonishly unhinged than genuinely threatening. Julian’s lack of morals is so profound that even an AI program doubts his intentions. Jodie Turner-Smith relishes playing a villain, while Gillian Anderson is barely given anything to do as Julian’s mom. Jeff Bridges is back as Kevin Flynn, the mastermind behind the digital world known as The Grid, but he’s bringing in The Dude’s chill vibe with his relaxed ‘hey man’ demeanor.

The visuals are why you go see this movie, so I’m glad I got to see it on IMAX, where the visual effects really dazzle you. The high-tech cinematography, featuring a bold black-and-red color palette, laser light effects, and gorgeous neon-lit cityscapes as the glowing light cycles race all over the city, is really captivating. I love the design of the light cycles and the futuristic jumpsuits with red and silver accents. The production design and costumes are absolutely superb.

What’s even more amazing than the visuals is the score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (Disney credits them as Nine Inch Nails, as the band has more brand recognition). I catch myself swaying to the beat while watching the movie, and the soundtrack makes the recycled plot and superficial character arcs tolerable. This is a perfect example where the film’s soundtrack completely outshines the movie itself and enhances the overall experience. I think NIN’s score here is just as impressive as what Daft Punk created for Tron: Legacy, although I still have a fondness for the 2010 version. I really enjoyed how they blended electronic music with classical elements in the Adagio for Tron track.

The overwhelming use of CGI may be excessive for some viewers; the sensory overload hits me more than a few times. That said, I quite enjoyed watching this one, largely due to the vibrant and energetic music. While the storyline is somewhat predictable, it certainly resonates with the ongoing dialogue surrounding AI, as every company is eager to stake its claim in this domain.

Tron: Ares serves up popcorn sci-fi on a silver platter; it’s like enjoying fast food in an upscale, high-end restaurant. While it may appear to be gourmet fare, it ultimately still lacks any real substance.

Have you seen TRON: ARES? What did you think?

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