Tron: The Original Classic / Tron: Legacy [Blu-ray]

Tron: Legacy has it’s flaws, I admit. But oddly I can’t seem to pinpoint them. There is something missing from the movie as a whole, but overall it’s an effective Sci Fi/Father-Son/Coming of age movie.For anyone who is a fan of the original (for all of it’s flaws) you should revel in the innovative production value that is a faithful effort to do what the 1984 version was trying to do; make something original. Tron: Legacy offers a beautiful rendition of a computer world that is obviously no longer just a 2.0 version but a fully realized world with life, good & evil, desperation, hope and evolution. The suspension of disbelief chasm is a bit large to imagine computer programs actually living and existing in any way close to our existence but if you can get past that, the reward is plenty.With a brief and informative intro that explains how Flynn re-invigorated the IT Company, Encom that he regained control of in the 1984 version, we are given a glimpse on his relationship with son Sam, which is obviously a strong one. He explains to him how he actually did get into the computer world and discovered how programs ‘live’ and conflict with each other from inside the system. Then Kevin disappears. Leaving him with the question of not only where did he go, but why did he go. Twenty years later, Sam has become a somewhat hostile and rebellious computer genius who still owns a majority share of the Encom company but doesn’t really want anything to do with it. On a request from Alan, the alias of Tron from the original movie, Sam goes to the old arcade and is pulled into the computer world via the same means his father was pulled in. Now the computer world has changed though. It’s deadlier, and CLU, the created servant/custodian created by Kevin to watch over the world when he wasn’t there, has tyrannically taken control and is trying to move into the outside world.The emotional aspects of the movie don’t come into play until much later in the movie, but needless to say, and this is a bit unfortunate, the movie doesn’t really work as well on the first viewing. After 2 or 3, I think it’s easier to see what the director was doing. And even though Tron: Legacy is not perfect, it’s a great piece of entertainment and a great long term sequel to the original. It’s beautiful to look at, the action sequences are incredible, the story is very good, if not great. And Jeff Bridges plays the character with the same loose ‘groovy’ attitude for the most part but now he knows there is a lot more at stake.If you watch this, try to watch it a second time at some point, and then make judgment.

I saw this film in a theater featuring D-Box seating. For those not familiar with D-Box, these seats move like a simulator ride in an amusement park. They are more subtle and don't intend to move you abruptly or beat you up, like theme park counterparts. They are sychronized with the motion on screen. They added an amazing element to the movie. When Sam does a backflip off the Encom tower, the chair suddely tilts you back, a slight thud as he deploys his chute followed by a gentle floating sensation as he floats down to the ground and a knock through the chair when he gets hung up on the traffic light. That was just one example. The movie itself, sensory candy. The visuals and the music, I found to be stunning. I don't buy many soundtrack albums, let alone listen to them on a regular basis. I have found myself walking around humming some of this music, even after a month since I have seen the movie. The story itself was not the greatest, but it held my interest. I noticed they took a Star Trek approach to this movie over the original. J.J. Abrams made his Star Trek film with a non Trekker in mind. He didn't use alot of Star Trek speak. The original Tron had alot of computer lingo and terms that the average person probably wouldn't know or understand. This film didn't have any of it. If you haven't seen the original film, you might have a little trouble understanding some of the events in Legacy until about halfway through.I only hope at some point the good folks at D-Box will develope a home version of their amazing seating that has a price a little more down to earth. I will find it hard to sit through this movie again without the motion seats. I'm sure the Blu Ray will carry the coding for D-Box as part of the package, when someday more people can experience it in a much more engaging way. This title is must for fans of the original.