1982 was something of a golden age for sci-fi as two of the most celebrated classics Blade Runner and E.T released alongside Tron. Tron's vintage Nintendo-esque feel and "man stuck in a computer game" theme don't transfer to the 00s well, plus Nasa isn't high up on the news agenda.
In Tron Legacy, a remake dressed up as sequel, the neon-lighted toast of nerds is glamourised into digitalised high end gloss set to a kick ass Daft Punk soundtrack—which I definitely prefer to the cheesy edgy instrumentals of the original—while it still retains some 80s vibe.
Kevin Fynn's son gets zapped into Tron in search of his father, missing for 20 years: Flynn senior returned into the grid to create a perfect digitalised world but got stuck and missed seeing his son grow up.
The concept is terrific and expands on a 1980s nerds dream of a magic arcade. Tron is itself the most elementary basis of Sci-fi: the quest for intelligent life other than human. Since computers took off, the fascination geared towards artificial intelligence.
Tron Legacy 80s Remake
In the Tron world that Kevin Flynn has spent twenty years designing inside, "Isos" have spontaneously appeared: digital lifeforms evolved by themselves out of the digital fabric. Its a beautiful Darwinian manifestation and has taken the basic concept to Matrix levels of intrigue as does Keith Flynn's "derezzed" finish-he destroys himself with his bad turned digital clone. Nearly 30 years on, the subject of artificial intelligence reigns supreme in the sci-fi imagination.
Tron Legacy begins with a flashback to 1989 when Flynn senior says goodbye to his son before disappearing for 20 years in Tron space. Flynn's arcade takes on a magical junk space charm, now Flynn's unused dilapidated den. This provides immediate continuity back to 1982 and you feel you are seated back in the late 80s.
The benefit of this remake is that films in the 00s are so much more watchable than their 80s counterpart thanks to better audio and snappier editing, while dialogue is just a wee bit slower on the ear. While Tron at 1 hr 30 drags on, this sequel goes by in a pleasant breeze at 127 minutes with killer Frisbees and chases through the neon stretches of digi space helped by perfect continuity.
Faithful To The Original
Tron: Legacy is dressed as a sequel not to offend fans with a remake. Jeff Bridges had to be brought back into the mix for it to work, but you can imagine some less wise director making an entirely new set of characters.
Remakes of 80s sci fi is generally an untouchable, suicidal area. The problem is, it doesn't feel completely like Tron anymore—Dutch/German night club maybe but not the inside of a computer program. Of course its inevitable that Tron needed revamping with VFX technology-those original graphics were awful. The gloss has gone a little too blue neon hi-tech and needed some imperfections in the fabric.
The glazed, white glittering dining room with the three sitting down to eat in a digital world is an exceptionally realised moment as is some detailed touch shown in the End Of Line club having ice-pixels instead of cubes. There was potential for a whole stream of programming visual in-jokes sadly missed in favour of the action plot line.
More time should have been given to the gladiator games, a major action point, before Sam was rescued by the sleek Quorra, the last remaining Iso.
The tone is a bit over-serious. It didn't need to compete with today's Inception, yet some of the concepts presented to us somehow manage to level. More video game in-jokes would have made this more enjoyable and genre appropriate. An 80s sci-fi classic needs 80s tough-in cheek.
Its a good effort with over-done gloss. Quorra is a great addition. Tron:Legacy fittingly ends with Quorra on the back of Sam's motorbike as she sees her first sunset in the real world.
A classic sci -fi ending on par with AI's finale. Both films deploy the Pinocchio myth. In Tron 2, Quorra fulfils the myth from artificial life to flesh and blood. Still its hard to emulate 80s sci-fi in the 00s and this, while inevitably losing some of its 80s sci-fi charm is as good as it could have been, reverent, plus a terrific ending.
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