7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 4.4 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.3 |
The son of a virtual world designer goes looking for his father and ends up inside the digital world that his father designed.
Starring: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, James FrainAdventure | 100% |
Action | 86% |
Sci-Fi | 69% |
Thriller | 8% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 MVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1, 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (320 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Thai: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Indonesian, Korean, Malay, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional), Thai, Vietnamese
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Four-disc set (2 BDs, 2 DVDs)
Digital copy (on disc)
DVD copy
BD-Live
Blu-ray 3D
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
In there is our destiny.
In 2011, Tron might look more than antiquated. Released at a time when the
merging of computer effects and cinema was only in the beginning stages, the film might have visually dazzled a few decades ago but to say it looks
rough by today's standards is indisputable. Still, movies like Tron and The Last Starfighter not only pioneered the effects most audiences
take for granted anymore, they also did something that many of today's films fail to achieve: build the effects around the story, in these two cases
stories with great characters, quality scripts, and a fair bit of heart. Those values carry a movie more than any other element, whether a film hails
from the silent era; is one of the early talkies; was filmed in black and white; dazzles with stop-motion special effects; or now, is constructed on hard
drives and computer screens. When, nearly 30 years after its release, a sequel to Tron was announced and subsequently hit theaters,
interest was piqued but expectations
were uncertain. Tron was a pioneering film, a picture with an important place in cinema history but also one with a unique look and feel
that's
so simple it might not really translate all that well into 21st century standards. How could the filmmakers possibly ramp things up and keep the
world
of Tron looking clean and simplistically efficient while still taking full advantage of the horsepower of today's films and, just as important,
keep the storyline going and
re-capture the essence of the original? Somehow, they accomplished all of it; Tron: Legacy is one of those rare special effects films that can
have its cake and eat it too. The picture is a dazzling tour-de-force of visual wonders, but it's also a good bit entertaining and, more important, finds
a soul that grounds the entire thing in basic human emotions, even in a world where the heartless digital reigns supreme.
Disney has dusted off an old favorite, and the results are remarkable.
Tron: Legacy's 1080p Blu-ray 3D release is a stunner. Though the disc regularly shifts between aspect ratios (2.35:1/1.78:1 IMAX) and
2D/3D
content, the transitions are seamless; most viewers caught up in the film probably won't notice the changes. That said, the shift between 2D and 3D
content is
the more subtle of the two. Though one must leave the 3D glasses on for the duration, the 2D-only images are in no way degraded through the 3D
lens
prism. On the contrary, there's a seamlessness to the presentation that just makes sense at some subconscious level considering how well it's all
integrated. The 3D elements are of the natural kind; the film limits the amount of "pop out of the screen"-style visuals to a few well-implemented
effects, generally in the form
of
discs appearing to fly out of the screen. The image thrives on creating a highly dimensional, very real-looking world; even the overwhelming darkness
that surrounds it simply cannot mask the natural shaping of the various landscapes and vehicles. The light cycles, transparent as they may be, still
take
on a very real-looking volume that does appear capable of carrying a rider. Likewise, other, more solid digital vehicles manage to appear large and
voluminous, and even the glass-like remnants of shattered digital combatants take on an amazing shape as the pieces fall into a pile on the surface.
Tron: Legacy's 3D elements suit the film well; through far from underwhelming, they take on something of a reserved but still readily-evident
appearance that's the perfect compliment to the picture at large.
Just as important, the remainder of the image is incredibly stable and handsome. Although the picture is bathed in an overbearing darkness that
emphasizes blacks, blues, and grays, the image still manages to generate some eye-catching color; the white, orange, and yellow neon accents that
line on-the-grid clothing deliver stunning vibrancy against the darker backdrops. Fine detail is quite good, though it's sometimes a bit obscured simply
due to the film's sheer darkness. That doesn't mean black crush is a problem; the film is simply so dark by its very nature that viewers won't be able
to see some of the finest textures generally revealed on the best 1080p transfers. Indeed, shadow detail is excellent and objects situated under
better lighting conditions look fantastic. Skin textures are quite good, flesh tones appear spot-on under the picture's favored lighting conditions and
backdrops, and it's easy to see the intricacies of both digital CGI and real-world objects when the darkness drifts away in favor of some of the film's
brighter backdrops. Some moderate banding is visible around a few very bright light sources, but the picture is otherwise incredibly accurate and free
of unwanted artifacts. The source is immaculately clean and looks fresh from theaters in every shot. Disney's 1080p Blu-ray 3D image is a stunner;
neither the shifting aspect ratios nor sometimes-on, sometimes-off 3D visuals are cause for alarm, making Tron: Legacy a standout Blu-ray
3D release.
Tron: Legacy's DTS-HD MA 7.1 lossless soundtrack is of reference-quality in every facet. The track makes continual use of surrounds; whether in support of the fastest and most energetic on-grid action sequences of simply capturing various ambient nuances -- distant thunder, a crackling fire, buzzing insects -- that are so often the overlooked heroes of these sorts of soundtracks in adding the finishing touches to a seamlessly realistic experience, Disney's latest lossless endeavor serves up a perfectly enveloping 360-degree sound-field that remains active throughout. Sound effects traverse the soundstage with ease, whether zipping light cycles, the heavy rumble of larger flying vessels, or the beeps and chirps of Flynn's old arcade powered up for the first time in years. The picture's music is wonderfully robust yet incredibly clear; it flows so effortlessly that the speakers melt in favor of a practically transparent audio presentation that perfectly integrates with the picture. The track's many lower notes belt out some tight and aggressive bass that's of the good old ribcage-rattling type, but it never morphs into a sloppy mess of heavy sounds. Clarity is astonishing; even those sounds meant to have something of a digital tinge to them are played with every slight nuance of the sound perfectly audible. Needless to say, dialogue reproduction is spot-on in its center-focused delivery. Tron: Legacy's soundtrack isn't defined by raw power, but this is a seamless, smart, and sophisticated sort of soundtrack that's sure to dazzle the listener at every turn and no matter the audible circumstances.
Tron: Legacy features a nice assortment of extra content, all of which is found on the included 2D-only Blu-ray disc.
Tron: Legacy is a surprisingly wonderful film that got it right on all accounts. It walks that very fine line of staying true to the look and feel of the original Tron while also paving its own way and serving as a showcase of visual effects that are the equal of anything out there today. Even in that light, the film smartly tones things down to stay true to the digital "grid" world as it was first envisioned in 1982. The effects play well with the picture's dark and subdued overlay, and it's made complete by a quality story, a fine script, and great characters. Tron: Legacy isn't a perfect movie; it get bogged down by a few slow stretches and some of the dialogue could use some refinement, but otherwise, it's winner and a worthy followup to a 1980s favorite. Disney's Blu-ray 3D release of Tron: Legacy is superb. Sporting a wonderful 1080p image that seamlessly fluctuates between not only 2D and 3D but its dual aspect ratios; a lossless soundtrack that's every bit the video's equal; and a nice array of 2D-only extras; this release, or better even Disney's ultimate Tron/Tron: Legacy Blu-ray 3D bundle, comes highly recommended.
Special Edition
1982
2018
2013
Director's Cut
2009
1999
2013
2014
2009
1986
20th Anniversary Edition
1996
1993
2009
IMAX
2013
2003
2014
2016
1999
2002
Live. Die. Repeat.
2014
2013