‘Tron: Legacy’ Premieres In Hollywood

Tron: Legacy, the long-awaited sequel to the 1982 film Tron, won’t open in theaters until this coming Friday but last night Hollywood Blvd. was transformed into the digital world of Tron for the World Premiere of the film at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, CA. Stars Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde were joined by a host of guests — including music maestros Daft Punk — at last night’s premiere event for the film. As I blogged last week, I loved the film but read on to find out what IGN thinks of Tron: Legacy:

After almost 30 years, Disney has made the bold move to continue the story of Tron rather than reboot the original film. Yes, they’re claiming that Tron: Legacy is a film that new eyes, who’ve never seen the clunky-yet-pioneering original film, can latch onto, but I honestly can’t imagine seeing this new film without some sort of context. Sure, we’re all overly familiar with the idea of a virtual world, but the Tron world needs a little more explanation than that and I fear that some things might get lost in translation, but I suppose that’s not my job to worry about. What viewers will get, regardless of their relationship with the 1982 film, is a thrilling, moving 3D adventure that will leave you wanting more. Whereas 3D has quickly become a dirty, corporate word, Tron: Legacy’s use of the new technology to bring the audience directly into this very specific and unique world makes this movie a completely immersive experience. Jeff Bridges, who anchors the entire experience by playing both the hero and the villain of the piece, is predictably capable stepping back into the shoes of ENCOM CEO Kevin Flynn, a man who we learn has disappeared on the night he tells his young son Sam that he’s discovered a miracle within his new creation. Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) eventually grows up into a stubborn underachiever who loves to make bold corporate espionage plays against the very company that he stands to inherit. Bruce Boxleitner (the OG Tron) returns as the now-weary Alan Bradley, a man who’s always remained at Sam’s defiant side in an almost apologetic manner due to Sam’s abandonment. From here, the story kicks off the basic “hero’s quest” as Sam enters the digital world of The Grid that his father created and discovers that Kevin’s been trapped inside his own creation, by his own jealous in-world avatar CLU, for decades … But even though we’re being presented with a surprisingly effective “passing the torch” family saga, there’s simply no escaping the breadth of this new Tron world. Tron: Legacy almost delivers double the dividends considering the fact that the original film was disqualified from Oscar special effects consideration because using computer technology to enhance you movie was considered cheating back then. The new Tron world that director Joseph Kosinski has delivered, which is still mostly filled with negative space, is a frightfully hypnotic … The character of CLU, which Bridges himself plays with the aid of motion capture technology and a body double, is an ingenious touch, but the effects just aren’t quite there yet to fully justify the idea. I was a little more forgiving of the dead eyes and the overly reflective cheek bones when I was actually watching CLU than when I was watching the younger Kevin Flynn in flashbacks and news reels. Since CLU is artificial and represents the exciting new-age technology that inadvertently comes between human beings, I didn’t mind the artifice, but this new mo-cap face tech, no matter how revolutionary, just didn’t work when it had to portray real people … First time feature director Kosinski delivers thrills and a touch of heartache inside a very impressive palate of colors and noise. And I’m not afraid to admit that, as completely muddled and incomprehensible as modern action sequences have become, I enjoyed the fact that our heroes and villains were color-coded.

You can read the full text of this IGN review HERE. I posted excerpts because they convey pretty exactly my opinion of the film. It’s deffo a movie you MUST see on the big screen and in 3D. To be honest, I can’t wait for the film to open this weekend because I want to see it again in IMAX. I’m so anxious for all y’all to see it because I’m dying to hear what other people think of it. David and I have discussed the movie at length, I’m ready to hear other opinions. It won’t be long now … altho we’ve had to wait 28 years, Tron 2 is almost here.

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]