Ok. So, I finally got to get into the private screening of Tron:Legacy with the lovely folks at Oakley. Thanks to Marvin and the crew for a great night. As with most 1980's kids, I was and still am a nerd when it comes to video games, electronic music and sci-fi music. Don't let that jade the review though. I take a lot into consideration when critiquing movies and music in general. 


The story: It was deeper than I thought it would be. I love any story about a father and his son. Its real life and seeing Sam and his Dad go over some past wounds and present challenges was great. It wasn't forced or can'd and I was actually interested to see how it would turn out.

The Look: Unreal. Absolutely unreal. There were so many parts you are asking:" Is that CG or real?". Great job guys. There were moments I got a goosebumps when there were certain transitions from scene to scenes. Love the "flybys". 

The Music: The Daft boys nailed it. I was concerned. I know their music well and I know production studios well. I wanted them to have freedom to be "them" while still making is a musical cinematic score. They did. Again, moments where I got goosebumps when the visual and music came together perfectly. Love their cameo in the club Dj'ng. The score really nailed it the way Vangelis nailed the transition scene as Deckard fly's in the police car to Tyrell Corp in Bladerunner. There are some of those moments that are cinematic beauty and you look at the person next to you and say, "dude!!"

I am an art direction critic when it comes to these sort of movies trying to do things in a time period piece or way in the future. Tron:Legacy actually made it believable. To the point that I actually felt I was watching some of the sort of dreams I have had. Lots of black and white but future. Almost a heavenly world. Very cool.

A lot of people are becoming finicky about CG movies in general. You can have all the bells and whistles and a great looking film but if your story sucks then your movie is going to suffer. Take for example Avatar: It was Dances with Wolves in Space. We've seen the story and it was a new look on an old story. Great visuals and all the bells and whistles. You gain some new fans by making it about "mother earth" and the "environment" but what I want is a story that I've never heard about before. No problem. You can do it however you want. The props I will give to Disney and Tron is that its original. A story about a guy being taken into a computer world. Part 2, his son goes to rescue him. It had me wondering. That's "fun". That's why Pixar does so well. Story, story, story. Then add the best CG Artist ever and you get amazing results. If I told you 5 years ago they were spending millions on a movie about an old man, a kid and a dog with a weird bird that were traveling to South America you'd probably laugh in my face. Look how that turned out.

The boys who were handed Tron:Legacy had a lot of work and challenges: Resurrect a story from 1989 and make it believable and "now" while still keeping the integrity of the bigger picture. I walked away totally entertained and a smile on my face. I remember the voices behind me in the theater saying things like: Dude! siiiiick, 









