Submitted by Dwemer 
(Apr 17, 2006)Tron’s premise is that a computer hacker, Flynn, is sucked into the computer world by the evil Master Control Program. While in the computer he finds an oppressive society composed of computer programs being imprisoned and forced to take part in gladiatorial combat in the form of video games. If you win, you get to live, but must fight another day.
I won’t ruin the ending, but while in the computer Flynn meets up with Tron, a program created by a friend of his from the outside world. Together they band together and vow to bring down the MCP and restore freedom to the system.
When Tron came out in 1982 people weren’t sure what to make of it. Instead of regular Star Wars/ET special effects, they were shown computer graphic effects. What seems commonplace to us today was something completely new and unexpected at the time. Tron did poorly at the box office and has been considered a “failure” ever since. Recent attempts to resurrect the genre (The Tron 2.0 video game) have been made, but it still remains a relatively cult movie.
The good thing about Tron is the computer graphics hold up to this day. You will have a hard time believing that this film was made 23 years ago. There’s enough of a feel of being actually inside the computer with innovative and interesting visual effects and concepts, to make you believe that there may be little worlds inside your own network and make you think twice about deleting a program.
Here is a PSP UMD/ 20th Anniversary DVD breakdown
Sound 5/5
The sound is spectacular. The immersive sound effects sound like nothing you’ve heard out of the movie before, very clean and crisp and multi-layered.
Film Quality 5/5
Simply excellent. The colors of the computer graphics are vibrant and sharp as they ever were. All of the reds and blues jump off the screen at you and you’ll quickly forget that you’re not back in the theater.
Story/Acting. 3/5
Let’s face it. The star of this show is the computer graphics. The story is interesting, sticks to the original intent, but is basically one man going against the system. Been done before, sure, but not really this way.
Bridges is probably the best actor of the bunch, with David Warner giving it all as the baddie Sark. What is probably most alluring for people my age is that this took place during the early 80’s when computers and networks were still in their infancy. It’s great to look back and see how far we’ve come, but also have a little nostalgia over the video game arcade and the culture of the early 80’s. For those who haven’t seen this film yet, the archaic feel to the “Real World” sequences might bring them down a bit, but they will be rewarded amply when the focus shifts to the computer world.
Bonus Material/Format. 5/5
The 20th anniversary DVD is loaded with extras including concept art and interviews.
Overall:
If you’ve never seen it and may have the propensity to dislike it and think it is 80’s kitsch, you may want to consider renting it first. It’s not for everybody, but anyone who is a computer/video game geek at heart can’t help but love this movie. I, of course, think this is the best movie ever made.
|
(5 ratings)