Tron Legacy - I'm All About This!

I remember watching the first Tron movie when I was 13, and it blew me away. Back then home computers were new (I was the proud owner of an Apple IIe at the time), no internet, no cel phones, working on DOS was a bitch, and Load Runner was the best video game ever produced. At the time the Tron movie was so far ahead of the curve of things to come. People that have issues with the first movie, like those that criticize ground breaking shows like Evangelion, just don't seem to get it. In 1982 Tron represented the pinnacle of movie making, not just for the technical aspects of it's production, but about what it represented. It was one of those rare moments when you were actually looking at something new, something that no one has every thought of before.

All that said, when they announced a Tron sequel, I was pretty skeptical, but it looks like they have done everything right - especially getting Daft Punk to do the soundtrack. I'm going to go see it at the theater next weekend, and frankly, it looks pretty awesome!





UPDATE (12/19): Saw at the theater this evening. In 3D. My thoughts?

First, I wonder what 3D really adds to the movie experience that offsets the annoyance of wearing the glasses. When they invent 3D movies that look like that without the glasses, I'll feel like they have created something more than a visual trick to get me to pay $5 bucks more for a movie ticket. Given the choice I'd skip it, so I don't see a 3D TV in my future anytime soon.

Now, the movie. I thought it was great (and that means you probably won't like it). Every review I read said it was light on plot. That is definitely correct. Did they recycle about 100 ideas from other sci-fi flicks? Absolutely. I doubt folks that aren't cultish fans of the first movie like me will get as much out of it, but for those of us who are happy to relive the visual experiences from the first movie against the backdrop of what is possible digitally in 2010, it certainly delivers. The music is great. If Disney had decided to make the movie a 100 minute music video for Daft Punk, I would have been fine with that. Visually it's just stunning. I'm starting to think that digital technology has come far enough where really anything is possible. Was there the sort of existential discussion that appeals to computer geeks like in the first movie? Does it make you think? Not really. But it at least lives up to what Tron is supposed to be - both movies take the limits of existing movie making technology and use it to develop a story in an environment where anything is possible. There are a lot worse ways to waste $15 bucks. And it will become a great pizza and bear movie once it hits home video.

Now I just need someone to invent a Quorra app that I can download - she can utilize all the free memory on my digital device anytime...