Tron Ares 3D Movie Review

Movie Review by Jacob Scarberry

3D

Overall the 3D aspect of Tron Ares is pretty dang good. The film has a distinct unique art style that in theory works well for the 3-D format. The film looks its best in 3-D when in the world(s) of Tron. At times the grid lines visually pop in 3D, with incredible depth and some pop-outs (The scenes are very brief). Moving into the “real” world, the color palette tends to get desaturated quite a bit, dulling the colors, and dulling the 3D quite a bit, with only the primary colors (namely red) feeling punchy and adding to the 3D visual experience. My primary complaint is the absence of significant pop-outs (it has some, but not nearly enough).. The "de-rezzed" NPC remnants moving towards the viewer, a few laser gun barrels, and the power discs moving in from the projector to the actors - these moments are when the 3d excels. Sadly a few scenes of ghosting at the edges of the picture occurred as I watched the film (very brief). Overall, I had high expectations for Tron Ares, anticipating a visual feast of 3D effects. However, I was disappointed to find that the 3D elements were limited and not as prominent as I had hoped.

Final 3D Score: 7/10

Movie

I have been aware of the Tron films for decades now, from seeing the old-school Disney VHS clamshell on the shelves at Blockbuster Video, to seeing the various toys and video games out there, and not to mention the legendary Tron Guy meme on the olden days of the Internet. Tron, a cult favorite for over four decades, finally captured my attention this past week. I meticulously prepared for this film by watching the previous two films in series. Sadly that was a waste of time as Tron Ares is low-key soft reboot of the film series. This film barely acknowledging Tron: Legacy as all except for a few passing references.

The plot of Tron Ares is that the character of Ares, a self-aware program, is sent to retrieve the permanence code from old floppy discs. The code is crucial for bringing digital constructs into the real world. Will this code go into the wrong hands? You will need to watch the movie to find out.

Yeah, I gotta admit, I really don't like the Tron movies. The entire film franchise is guilty of having poor world building, muddled narratives, underbaked motifs, and motivations. I fail to see why the films are considered cult classics, besides the neon-hued set designs and a terrific Daft Punk score for Legacy. I mean, how did a company that went from making arcade games go on to become a tech giant, making way too advanced software for its time and a laser that, quite frankly, was always in an unsafe location, with no protective barrier between the computer and laser? Major OSHA violation there, but there are light (and I mean light) touches on religion, software gone astray, and AI possibly being too powerful in the wrong hands, that are fumbled in the entire trilogy.

I’m sorry but the Tron film series just fall flat (including Ares). Tron Ares has performances that are mediocre, direction feels generic, and the screenplay is super predictable. The only real positives are the terrific visuals (except for some scenes in the real world that feel washed out with a lack of color and contrast) and the amazing Nine Inch Nails soundtrack. Everything else is just the biggest, fattest mid-movie Disney could muster after 15 years in between sequels and 40 years of a franchise that should never have been. It's truly amazing how a trilogy of films could be so damn boring yet achieve a sizable fandom. In the words of the popular meme from the decade-old animated film The Lorax, "Let it die! Let it die! Let it die!" and this time for good.

Final Movie Score: 5/10

Learn more about how we rate 3D content via the link below:

https://www.3dor2d.com/3d-or-2d-ratingssystem/

https://movies.disney.com/tron-ares