I have never seen the original Tron (Steven Lisberger, 1982) when I was a kid so I don't have the nostalgic imprint that makes me appreciate it on some emotional level; because it sure isn't easy to do on a technical one. I watched it a few months back, having found an HD version on my brother's PS3 and having seen enough adds for the sequel to remind me that i'd never seen this Disney 'classic'; might as well watch it in HD. It didn't help much. Tron (1982) is one dated movie if I ever saw one, its special effects made even more obsolete in a world where technology becomes so in a matter of months. On that front, Legacy is obviously impressive, the techno-world of the grid transformed into a neon infested cyberpunk-like universe where women programs wear tight one-pieces and the rest try to kill each other off by ramming their helmet-covered heads together while riding aboard bright, swerving motor-bikes that leave a deadly wall in their wake. All of this can be argued to be present in the first one; except this time it looks good. As for how it sounds...well, it depends on what you're listening too. The dialogue is laughable, even (especially) when it's not meant to be. Cheesy one-liners and uninspired drama fail to shed any light on what seems to be a deliberately confusing narrative that includes many existential intricacies irrelevant to the essence or understanding of the quest at-hand. Furthermore, the performances suffer by consequence, even Jeff Bridges failing to bring any credibility to the heaviness the situation is built-up to call for. On a good note however, Legacy has one of the most fun and engaging soundtracks I've heard in a while, the choice of having Daft Punk in charge of the music being a stroke of genius. Powerful yet subtle when they need to be, they add groove to action sequences and make them more exciting, brilliantly setting the mood for this incursion into this strange and bright cyber-world. Its just a shame that shoddy writing constantly threatens to pull us out of it.
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