ARTHUR'S MOVIE RATINGS

I don't presume to tell you whether or not you're going to like a movie or not--people have different tastes and like different things. The main purpose with the ratings given for movies here is to give you an idea of whether or not you should see it in the theater, wait for it to hit DVD, or skip it altogether. So if you want to break it down...

*****: AMAZING! Everyone should see this as soon as they possibly can!
****: GREAT! Worth every cent to go see it in the theater.
***: GOOD! May or may not be worth seeing in the theater, but definitely a solid choice for a rental.
**: DECENT. Not a horrible movie, but it's not a bad choice for a rental.
*: BAD. Do not watch this movie. Well, you could, but I wouldn't advise it.

19 December 2010

TRON: Legacy

RATING:**** (4 stars)

Twenty-five years after the disappearance of Kevin Flynn, his son Sam goes to investigate his old office where apparently a call was made from a line that has been disconected for years. Sam is transported into the virtual world his father created and has been trapped in, and fights to escape and save them both.

The sequel to the popular cult favorite from 1982 about the virtual reality program, and to the films benefit the major actors are back reprising their roles: Jeff Bridges as both Kevin Flynn and Clu, and Bruce Boxleitner as both Alan Bradley and Tron. This time we are also introduced to Kevin's orphaned son Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) and Quorra (Olivia Wilde), a program within the virtual world that has allied herself with Kevin Flynn while he lives in exile.

Noticeably the visuals for TRON: Legacy have gotten quite the upgrade since the first film, and they really make everything come alive. Perhaps even better than the CGI was the very clever use of 3D in this film, much as color was used in The Wizard of Oz--the film does not switch to 3D until we are in the virtual world, and helps to further differentiate that otherness from reality. Everything about the TRON universe has been given a similar kind of slim, barely noticeable makeover that just makes a huge difference on the large scale that the whole world really just jumps off the screen.

The same things that people didn't like about the original film are present here as well, namely character development and plot. With the exception of in this case a single character, all of the characters are very static throughout the film. The plot is nothing fancy either, just another take on the reunion with estranged family with a "save the world" twist thrown in. To detract from TRON:Legacy on those two points, however, is silly because this is not a film pretending to masquerade as a powerful drama. From beginning to end, this is merely a fun film with some spectacular use of CGI and creative use of 3D. Obviously to fully enjoy the 3D, you'll have to catch it in theaters.

Trailer