TRON: Legacy - Review and Grading

[Trekker4747]

Tron: Abort, Retry, Fail

 

[davejames]

On the other hand, the CGI Jeff Bridges wasn't as bad as I thought; I thought it was very bold to pan around to see the entire face when 'we' are in 1989.

I was thinking about why he didn't look right and I think that maybe it's because they didn't adjust the size of his head. Clu's head, despite having the age ironed out, is still as pudgy as the older Jeff Bridges' head.

I think for me the main problem is the CGI model just didn't look enough like the young Jeff Bridges to BEGIN with. They chose a puffier-faced Bridges that didn't capture his unique look very well at all. They should have either gone with his look from the first Tron or (if they wanted a slightler older version) the look he had during the Tucker years.

The real Bridges is also a LOT more expressive than anything we saw the CGI version do. That was another huge giveaway for me.

 

[marillion]

And I would imagine that technology will allow them to do an even better job, if only on Tron, since Clu has been eliminated, for the next one.

 

[davejames]

And I would imagine that technology will allow them to do an even better job, if only on Tron, since Clu has been eliminated, for the next one.

I will say the brief look we got at the young Boxleitner did look pretty good.

 

[marillion]

Agreed.. But I think it's the fact that it was a brief look that makes it effective. I really liked the job they did on Bridges to make him younger, but in the longer scenes, it was much less effective.

 

[God Magnus]

Agreed.. But I think it's the fact that it was a brief look that makes it effective. I really liked the job they did on Bridges to make him younger, but in the longer scenes, it was much less effective.

For me it varied depending on which scene. When Flynn was in the 1989 flashback, that looked off, even in the darker lighting.

The scene where I think it was best used was Clu's visit to Flynn's home. It was brightly lit and they got some fantastic expression out of the "de-aged" Bridges there, especially when he looks into the apple, gets all cheesed off and then begins to laugh after trashing the table. That was the only moment were I "forgot" for a few seconds that he had been de-aged.

 

[Kaijima]

Personally, I wouldn't mind a sequel that centers on Sam/Quorra and Alan/Sam. I feel Legacy is a hand-off movie, transitioning into a new generation. I think Flynn had an overwhelming presence in this film, and essentially user super User god powers to save the entire day.

I find it's good to retire characters when they reach that level; especially if they go out with a bang.

 

[Professor Zoom]

Agreed.. But I think it's the fact that it was a brief look that makes it effective. I really liked the job they did on Bridges to make him younger, but in the longer scenes, it was much less effective.

I think we needed ONE final glimpse of young Bruce/Tron... when Tron fights for the User at the end...

 

[Colonel Midnight]

Personally, I wouldn't mind a sequel that centers on Sam/Quorra and Alan/Sam. I feel Legacy is a hand-off movie, transitioning into a new generation. I think Flynn had an overwhelming presence in this film, and essentially user super User god powers to save the entire day.

I find it's good to retire characters when they reach that level; especially if they go out with a bang.

Agreed. Plus, there's still Son of Dillinger mopping around...

Good movie. It had some problems, as stated before, but all in all, a good show.

Actually, the only item that really bugged my logically were some of the environments (clouds, water?). (I haven't read the first 9-10 pages of the thread, so bear with me.) I'll buy the explanation that it was Flynn's creative mind that programmed it, but still... The first movie I believe captured the feel of being "inside a computer/digital world" better in that respect. Just IMO.

(On an aside, what was also ironic was me having to explain to my two future step-sons just what a "program" was anymore, vs. a file that's used by programs, and the idea of having to actually write program code. Wow, how times have changed!! )

Cheers,
-CM-

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

If they bring back Kevin Flynn for Tron 3, would that make him a...

wait for it...

...rebel without a Clu?

 

[God Magnus]

Actually, the only item that really bugged my logically were some of the environments (clouds, water?).

I guess I have no problem with either of these because the first movie established that the original Grid already had both. When the graphics show us going through the original Grid's sky there are clearly shapes meant to emulate clouds, the new Grid's clouds are just higher resolution (analgous to video game clouds from an Atari game versus a PS1 game).

Regarding water, there was a whole sequence in the original TRON that revolved around our heroes drinking "water" right out of their Identity Discs to recharge. Indeed, homage was paid to this when Quorra drinks at the dinner table and the drink lights up against her face.

 

[God Magnus]

If they bring back Kevin Flynn for Tron 3, would that make him a...

wait for it...

...rebel without a Clu?

Ouch! Ouch! Ouch!

 

[Joel_Kirk]

I am actually going to see it again to see if those 'questionable' aspects actually hurt my enjoyment. Aspects are: Sam Flynn finding out about his father's secret hideout very quickly

That wasn't so bad. Sam dropped the coin on the floor of the arcade and saw that there were odd lines etched into it. He started pushing at the Tron arcade machine to see them clearly, and that's how he found out about the secret passage (because the machine was designed to move out of the way).

Fair enough, but there still is the question of how CLU didn't know of Kevin's whereabouts for so many years...until Sam went into the grid.

^ I never made the 2001 connection and might not have noticed if people didn't mention it.

On the other hand, the CGI Jeff Bridges wasn't as bad as I thought; I thought it was very bold to pan around to see the entire face when 'we' are in 1989.

I was thinking about why he didn't look right and I think that maybe it's because they didn't adjust the size of his head. Clu's head, despite having the age ironed out, is still as pudgy as the older Jeff Bridges' head.

Some photo clips didn't show the head right; and yes, there were some scenes when young Kevin and CLU do come off as CGI...(Although, it didn't detract from my enjoyment)..

Got the soundtrack today.

'End of Line' is one of the best and coolest themes I think...

On the other hand, the CGI Jeff Bridges wasn't as bad as I thought; I thought it was very bold to pan around to see the entire face when 'we' are in 1989.

I was thinking about why he didn't look right and I think that maybe it's because they didn't adjust the size of his head. Clu's head, despite having the age ironed out, is still as pudgy as the older Jeff Bridges' head.

I think for me the main problem is the CGI model just didn't look enough like the young Jeff Bridges to BEGIN with. They chose a puffier-faced Bridges that didn't capture his unique look very well at all. They should have either gone with his look from the first Tron or (if they wanted a slightler older version) the look he had during the Tucker years.

The real Bridges is also a LOT more expressive than anything we saw the CGI version do. That was another huge giveaway for me.

With CLU, I can understand if he wasn't as expressive. (He was 'Frankenstein's monster' trying to emulate his creator and failing...) As for the flashback scenes, I think he--the 'real' Kevin Flynn--was somewhat mature version than the Flynn we saw before he became the head of ENCOM.

He was in his 'zen thing' at the time; his mind was in The Matrix...er, the Grid.

Agreed.. But I think it's the fact that it was a brief look that makes it effective. I really liked the job they did on Bridges to make him younger, but in the longer scenes, it was much less effective.

I think we needed ONE final glimpse of young Bruce/Tron... when Tron fights for the User at the end...

I do agree with that. From a filmmaking pov, it was a build-up without a payoff...especially when we were told that Rinzler was Tron.

***
​

SIDENOTE: I'm kinda in a Jeff Bridges mode; I just finished 'The Last Picture Show' (a film which has many actors who will go on to be either major stars or major character actors)...and I want to see 'True Grit.'

I like telling people: The original Tron actually introduced me to Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, Journey...lol

Moreover, Tks to Presents Galore for posting that video; Olivia Wilde is wildly hot...

And watching Michael Sheen reminded me that I needed to watch Underworld (and its sequels)...and read the Greg Cox novelizations to see if he can make sense of the films for me...

 

[Admiral_Young]

Michael Sheen was wonderfully over the top as Castor/Zues. He must've had a tremendous amount of fun being able to let loose for once.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

there still is the question of how CLU didn't know of Kevin's whereabouts for so many years...until Sam went into the grid.

Sam left the Grid with Quorra, then they went to see Kevin. After that, Sam took Kevin's old light cycle back into the Grid, and thus Clu was able to track Kevin down (his apartment, anyway) by tracing the light cycle's path to its source.

 

[marillion]

there still is the question of how CLU didn't know of Kevin's whereabouts for so many years...until Sam went into the grid.

Sam left the Grid with Quorra, then they went to see Kevin. After that, Sam took Kevin's old light cycle back into the Grid, and thus Clu was able to track Kevin down (his apartment, anyway) by tracing the light cycle's path to its source.

Right... I think of this as Flynn truely living "off the grid," so to speak. The normal light vehicles can't leave the gaming grid and Flynn stated several times that he was just staying out of the way, playing the hermit. If he needed something in town, Quorra went. Since no one knew she was an Iso, there was no reason to track her. She was just another program (albeit a very HOT one) doing whatever it is that programs do there.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Voted excellent. I thought the young-Flynn/Clu CG was quite good and the overall art direction of the movie did a great job of showing the modern sensibilities of the "Grid" of the 21st century while still capturing the style of the 80's Grid.

I also enjoyed the "Free-BSD" philosophy of the "free and open system" that Tron 1.0 began and Tron Legacy continued. I guess it wasn't as much of a big deal back in the 80's, but now-a-days, open-source systems have built quite a following in the IT world and this movie clearly embraces that concept. Loved Flynn's "Zen" comment, too - laughed my ass off at that one. The whole thing seemed very neo-hippie, but I can live with certain aspects of that.

They're clearly setting themselves up for a sequel w/ the ISO's presence in the "real world". And I'm not entirely sure that Flynn truly died in the Grid at the end. he is, after all, The Super User/Grid God, and there's no reason why he can't be revived.

I'd also like to hear more about what happened with Dillinger. The odd appearance of his "son" and some cryptic implications about his actions from the first movie left me a little...eh. That was my only real issue I had with the movie. Dillinger Jr.'s presence in no real way served the plot any purpose other than to stop Sam's hack attack - seemed very abrupt and disjointed to me and no follow-through. He disappeared for the rest of the film! Hell, David Warner's still alive - give him another shake at it with Sark 2.0!

Anyways, that's my two cubits' worth. I loved it and will be getting it on Blu-Ray without a doubt.

 

[Aragorn]

Dillinger Jr. was there to set up his role in the third movie if there will be a third movie.

I think I read somewhere that David Warner didn't like Tron so you won't be seeing him again in the Tron universe.

 

[Snick27]

Domestic: $135,400,864
Foreign : $110,000,000

Worldwide: $245,400,864

Nice to see it doing so well in Foreign markets.

 

[Professor Zoom]

Dillinger Jr. was there to set up his role in the third movie if there will be a third movie.

I think I read somewhere that David Warner didn't like Tron so you won't be seeing him again in the Tron universe.

I doubt that has anything to do with it. David Warner doesn't work a lot, so, probably, if asked he would do the movie.

Also, I know he has bad knees--a friend of mine worked with him in a movie--so, he may not be one for running around as Sark.