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| Rated: PG for sequences of sci-fi action violence and brief mild language Starring: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, and Olivia Wilde Released: December 17, 2010 |
Two decades ago, young Sam (Garrett Hedlund) was told by his father, Flynn (Jeff Bridges), a master programmer and creator of the best-selling video games ever, of a world inside the computer, and that they'd go there together one day…then, Flynn mysteriously disappeared. Now all grown up and living on his own, Sam wants nothing more than the realization of his father's dream. Out of nowhere, a former co-worker of Flynn's says that Flynn paged him…from a number that was disconnected years ago. Determined to figure out the real story, Sam investigates…and finds himself in the digital realm that his father spoke of. Unfortunately, not all is well in that world; Clu, a digital clone that Flynn created of himself, has become wanton and bent on mass destruction, not just of their world, but of ours. It's up to Sam, Flynn, and their new ally Quorra (Olivia Wilde) to stop Clu…but will they be able to do it?
The sequel to the 1982 film Tron.
The Good
Well, first off…the special effects are definitely outstanding! The entire digital world looks so lifelike, it's hard to tell what's CG and what isn't! Also, the action sequences are well choreographed. I liked the themes of self-sacrifice for the greater good and how chasing after perfection was shown to be futile. There were also some great parallels, such as the son of "the creator" coming into the digital world to save it, which is allegorical to the Gospels, and how Clu is portrayed as an evil dictator, like Hitler, Saddam, or one of the Antichrist characters in all those "end times" movies. All of the actors deserve credit, too; Jeff Bridges, especially, since he played two different roles quite well.
The Bad
This movie may be rated "PG," but, I found it a bit disturbing. Not only is there talk of mass murder--which is also depicted, though non-graphically--but, the way the programs "died"--their "bits" splattered everywhere--was a bit unsettling, as was seeing a "program" with part of his face missing. Also, though I expected a profanity or two, having three or four uses each of the d-word and h-word was quite un-Disney, and not "brief mild language" like the MPAA said. Elsewhere, some of the female programs are used as eye candy; Quorra's outfit shows her shoulders, and other ladies in the digital world wear some very tight outfits. A scene involving alcoholic beverages was unnecessary. Probably the worst part was finding out from one of the previews that there's a sequel of sorts on the Blu-Ray edition, when I only have the DVD.
Conclusion
I've only seen the original Tron once, and that was about a decade ago, so, I hardly remember it. That said, I knew enough about the story to appreciate this bigger, better sequel. Though well-made, some parts were unsettling enough for me not to watch it again; still, I enjoyed it as a whole. It's just one more Disney production that gives me faith in the company as a whole, and makes me all the more excited about their upcoming Star Wars sequel.
Score: 3.75/5
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