Blu-Ray Review: ‘TRON: Legacy’ Offers Spectacular Package For Hit Film

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CHICAGO – “TRON: Legacy” may be a bit too long and pretty goofy but it delivers what one should expect from it — bright colors, inventive action, and a compelling enough story to keep viewers interested. I’ll admit to having pretty low expectations for the film, but I was surprised at how well it works on Blu-ray with a stellar HD transfer and accompanying audio mix along with fascinating special features, including an HD version of the film that inspired it.

HollywoodChicago.com Blu-Ray Rating: 4.5/5.0
Blu-Ray Rating: 4.5/5.0

The story of “TRON: Legacy” deals with advanced technology, identity problems, and even daddy issues. It is about a man whose creation betrays him, imprisons him, and keeps him trapped away from his son for decades. That man is Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) from the original “Tron,” a man who becomes betrayed by his own creation Clu (a young-looking, computer-generated Bridges that I’m afraid will age very poorly in the world special effects), a being that feeds on Kevin’s own resistance and takes over the digital universe that now traps him.

Into this world drops the rebellious son of Kevin, Sam (Garret Hedlund). Sam is first thrust into the combatant world that keeps the A.I. of this universe entertained and the filmmakers deliver a few spectacular action scenes that look particularly impressive on Blu-ray. The sound design here is also particularly notable. The film becomes somewhat mesmerizing when it’s doing what it does best and Daft Punk’s score is pounding through your surround system.

TRON: Legacy was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on April 5th, 2011
TRON: Legacy” was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on April 5th, 2011
Photo credit: Walt Disney Home Video

Sadly, the dialogue has to kick back in every now and then. A few scenes of exposition sound written by a 14-year-old fan of the first film trying to impress his friends and Hedlund is never a very believable hero (although Olivia Wilde is so beautiful that she almost seems perfectly cast as a digital creation…she’s practically unreal). The storytelling in “TRON: Legacy” could undeniably be stronger and the lead could have been a bit more charismatic, but I found that I didn’t care. “TRON: Legacy” is a sensory experience as lights flash, the score pulses, and the sound design overwhelms criticism. I often rail against the idea that you should turn your brain off to enjoy a movie but that’s really the best way to appreciate “TRON: Legacy,” as a visceral experience for the senses.

TRON: Legacy was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on April 5th, 2011
TRON: Legacy” was released on Blu-Ray and DVD on April 5th, 2011
Photo credit: Walt Disney Home Video

And there’s no better way to do that than with HD video and audio. The 5-disc special edition of “TRON: Legacy” is one of the best to date in terms of technical presentation. It’s stunning. And the fact that Disney has seen fit to include a 3D Blu-ray, 2D Blu-ray, DVD version of the film, digital copy of the film, AND a Blu-ray version of the original “Tron” in one package just makes it even clearer that there’s no better studio for fanboys. They deliver every time they have a product like this and satisfy fans.

The special features are extensive and notable, including a piece that is supposed to take place after the film called “The Next Day: Flynn Lives Revealed,” a feature that allows the user to simultaneously explore interactive content if they’re watching on iPad or similar device, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and a first look at “Tron: Uprising,” an upcoming Disney XD animated series. Fans couldn’t ask for much more.

And despite falling a little short of the high box office expectations (although it has made a pretty-impressive $400 million worldwide), “TRON: Legacy” definitely has diehard fans. When we review Blu-rays, one must take into account not only the quality of the film itself but how the overall product delivers for its target audience. With that in mind (and noting that the movie is much better than I expected), the 5-disc set release for “TRON: Legacy” is one of the best of 2011 to date.

Special Features:
o The Next Day: Flynn Lives Revealed
o Disney Second Screen: Tron Legacy
o First Look At Tron: Uprising The Disney XD Animated Series
o Music Video - “Derezzed”
o Launching The Legacy
o Disc Roars
o Visualizing Tron
o Installing The Cast
o The Tron Phenomenon
o Digital Copy
o Plus Over 5 Hours of Bonus

TRON: Legacy” stars Garrett Hedlund, Jeff bridges, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, and Michael Sheen. It was written by Adam Horowitz & Edward Kitsis and directed by Joseph Kosinski. It was released on Blu-ray & DVD on April 5th, 2011. It is rated PG and runs 126 minutes.

HollywoodChicago.com content director Brian Tallerico

By BRIAN TALLERICO
Content Director
HollywoodChicago.com
brian@hollywoodchicago.com

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