Review: TRON: Legacy Lights Up the Screen

By Michael Lopez

One of the best things about the TRON: Legacy sequel is that you don't have to watch the original 1982 film to enjoy it. Unlike the Harry Potter series, which is almost impossible to keep up with if you haven't seen the latest chapters (or read the books), Legacy doesn't expect its audience to know the characters going in, and does a great job of filling in the backstory while still including extra references for hardcore fans.

Written by two of the scribes behind the show Lost, the story incorporates a number of mysterious elements — a missing father, a secret room in an '80s arcade, even a plot about total world domination. Pretty heavy stuff for a movie you thought was just about flying discs and light cycles, right?

Don’t worry, there’s plenty of fun stuff to geek out on too. When the audience is first taken into the TRON "grid," the 3D imagery translates into an otherworldly experience. The main character, Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), is on a desperate quest to locate his father (Jeff Bridges) in this breathtaking computer universe. But before he can get to him, he’ll have to battle with glow-in-the-dark motorbikes, neon gladiators and other forces you’d have to see to believe.

Garrett Hedlund does a great job as a cyberdude with daddy issues and Jeff Bridges, reprising the role he originated 28 years ago, emits an Obi-Wan-Lebowski vibe as a know-it-all human trapped in this virtual world. One of the more interesting (and controversial) CGI moves Legacy uses is a digital regression process where Bridges actually plays a younger version of himself. The jury is still out on whether Jeff 2.0 looks vibrantly real or synthetically creepy.

Technically, TRON: Legacy delivers. Some may even describe its state-of-the-art landscape as revolutionary (its certainly unlike anything this writer's seen on the big screen). The film's amazing storytelling and technical achievements make it a holiday must-see. So, all of you geeks out there, buy those advanced tickets now!

TRON: Legacy hits theaters Friday, Dec. 17.

Are you a fellow TRON geek? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Garrett Hedlund, Jeff Bridges, Movie Reviews, Movies, Movies & CineMás, TRON: Legacy