Movie Review: TRON: LEGACY

photo © 2010 Loren Javier | more info (via: Wylio)Okay, I'll admit, I wasn't a fan of the original Tron movie that was released twenty-odd years ago. That being said, with all the technological advancements since then, this movie should have been amazing. And while the 3D effects were cool, and there were some awesome scenes, the 127 minute movie only contained the plot of a three minute Disney theme park attraction.

The film opens sort of like the far better Star Trek movie of last year. There is a rebel who is being chased by the cops while swerving and speeding on the highway. This rebel is Sam Flynn, the troubled son of the missing Kevin Flynn who first encountered the Tron computer program in the original movie. Since the disappearance, Sam has turned his back on the family company, and instead resorts to playing pranks at their annual meetings. Far fetched? Yes. But so is getting trapped in a computer - I could forgive many flaws for the sake of having fun, but this movie just wasn't very fun.

The first twenty minutes after Sam gets sucked into the same computerized laser world as his father are the best twenty minutes in the film. The 3D lasers and gladiator style challenges are awesome. The second Sam gets rescued from these games is the second the movie goes down hill. It's not terrible, but it's way too long and extremely repetitive. The villain is a computer clone of Kevin Flynn, and he just isn't scary. And in the last few minutes, one character pulls out this "power" that I was like "why didn't you just use that earlier?"

If you decide you still want to see this movie, make sure you do in 3D. I would have been even harsher had I not been impressed by the way they utilized the format here. I would give Tron: Legacy a 5 out of 10.

Family Take: This movie is only rated PG, which when I think back, makes sense. I don't remember much swearing, the violence is all computerized - meaning the "programs" that are defeated don't bleed but instead shatter like glass. There is no sexual content, although the female characters wear some pretty tight clothing. The most offensive thing would probably be the scene in a bar -it's not terrible, but it is a little creepy. A couple of young children in the screening I was in seemed to get quite fidgety - it's way too long, and they seemed to just want it to end.

If You Like Tron: Legacy Try: While it's different in many ways, the movie Galaxy Quest, also rated PG, is much more fun. Aliens think a Star-Trek style TV show is real, so come to earth looking for the "crew" to help save their world.