Tron

[slyc_willie]

Several years ago, when I heard the rumor that the classic 1982 sci-fi film Tron was going to be redone/re-imagined/recooked, I groaned inwardly and quickly dismissed it. You can't simply remake Tron. The film was groundbreaking on several levels, including special effects and the first glimpse of a virtual world previously unimagined by film makers. There was no way to recapture that sense of novelty and originality now. All you would end up with is a Matrix knock-off.

Well, the other night, Secret and I finally got the chance to go out for an evening, and decided to catch a movie. While waiting for the feature, we waited through the obligatory series of trailers, some of which were interesting.

And then . . . .

I sat bolt-upright in my chair. This was freaking awesome. It's not a remake, and not really a sequel, either. It's Tron almost thirty years later. From visiting the website, it seems the story is that Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) returned to the virtual world several years after the end of the original storyline, in which the MCP (Master Control Program) was apparently destroyed and all was made well in the (virtual) world. But, it seems Kevin has been trapped inside for twenty years now.

Enter Sam Flynn, Kevin's son, who is contacted by Alan (Bruce Boxleitner, who also played the character Tron) and subsequently is transported into the virtual world. From there, CGI carnage ensues. Kevin appears to be something of a prisoner in the world (like an imprisoned guru, from the looks of it), while either a duplicate or perhaps a split of his own personality is running the show for the bad guys.

The virtual world is remarkably similar to the original (or so it looks to me), only enhanced and more detailed -- just what you would expect in a virtual world that has been evolving for three decades. The light bikes and "tanks" are so familiar it's eerie, and the chase scenes promise to be worthy of rising your most stubborn neck hairs.

December 17th can't come soon enough.

 

[Belegon]

On the whole idea of aging the characters and doing a sequel as opposed to a remake...I think this is the right way to do it.

Without getting into the merits and faults of a different film, I felt it was one of the things they did right with the recent Indiana Jones chapter... setting the story so that an equal amount of time had passed, thus eliminating the need for age-defying make up.

I'm looking forward to sharing this world with my children.

 

[CharleyH]

December 17th can't come soon enough.

I don't know much about the re-visioning, but I can tell you that at 16, I spent hours and many a quarter playing that game. I almost beat it, too, but my acid trip wore off.

 

[slyc_willie]

I don't know much about the re-visioning, but I can tell you that at 16, I spent hours and many a quarter playing that game. I almost beat it, too, but my acid trip wore off.

Did you see the trailer for the Tron game on the site? Now I really need to get an Xbox 360

 

[slyc_willie]

On the whole idea of aging the characters and doing a sequel as opposed to a remake...I think this is the right way to do it.

Without getting into the merits and faults of a different film, I felt it was one of the things they did right with the recent Indiana Jones chapter... setting the story so that an equal amount of time had passed, thus eliminating the need for age-defying make up.

I'm looking forward to sharing this world with my children.

I still haven't seen the last Indiana Jones movie, but I liked the apparent passing of the torch idea as implied by the trailers. Having Karen Allen (I think that's the actress) reprise her role of Marian Ravenswood was a good touch, too.

Movies like this are a better solution than the remake frenzy that seems to be gripping Hollywood. I cringe every time I see a Nightmare on Elm Street preview.

 

[CharleyH]

Did you see the trailer for the Tron game on the site? Now I really need to get an Xbox 360

Saw the trailer in the theatre, but thanks for posting again. Looking forward to something darker than the original game and Disney film.

 

[3113]

I sure hope it has a better storyline than the original Tron (come on! "groundbreaking" in CGI it might have been, but the story sucked!). That said, I did get excited by the trailer when I saw it in theaters...It elicited many fond memories of how exciting it was to go to such cool new movies with friends....

I'll be with you in spirit in my own theater for Tron II, the Saga Continues...don't forget your 3D glasses. This time you're really going to feel like you're riding those bikes.

 

[CharleyH]

...don't forget your 3D glasses. This time you're really going to feel like you're riding those bikes.

Yes, on microdot, raspberry, I think.

 

[AngeloMichael]

This was one movie I never thought would get a sequel/remake/reimagining but after seeing the preview I am so glad it has! Double glad that Captiain Sheridan and The Dude are going to be in it too!!!

I still haven't seen the last Indiana Jones movie, but I liked the apparent passing of the torch idea as implied by the trailers. Having Karen Allen (I think that's the actress) reprise her role of Marian Ravenswood was a good touch, too.

Movies like this are a better solution than the remake frenzy that seems to be gripping Hollywood. I cringe every time I see a Nightmare on Elm Street preview.

One thought after seeing the preview and the initial "Holy Shit! Kewl!!" reaction was thank the gods that Shia Lebeouf isn't playing Flynn's son.
That little shit has ruined too much of my fond childhood memories as it is, from playing Sam/Spike in Transformers to being in the new Indiana Jones movie and being cast in the Wall Street sequel.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

December seventeenth? Just in time for us to be back from Europe.


We . . . will not . . . miss . . . THIS ONE!!

 

[3113]

We . . . will not . . . miss . . . THIS ONE!!

Geek.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Who you calling Geek, Geek?

 

[3113]

Who you calling Geek, Geek?

That sounds like a challenge! Blue & Gold are the UCLA (bear) colors. Which do you want?

Fuck! This is sooooo Star Wars!

 

[voluptuary_manque]

They're also the UCR (Highlander) colors. Blue it is!

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii177/1volupturary_manque/UCRiverside.jpg

 

[3113]

They're also the UCR (Highlander) colors. Blue it is!

Eat my light trail, blue boy!

http://www.fantasysfblog.com/pics/tron_bike_streaking.jpg

 

[cloudy]

I remember watching Tron in the theater, the first week it came out, and being amazed at what they'd done (even though, as 3113 says, the plot was simple-minded).

How cool that Jeff Bridges is back playing the original character! Yeah, I'll have to see this one in the theater, too.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Geek.

Great. Now I want to go out and buy the DVD (that I should have already ).

My family has always made fun of me for enjoying this movie, but I don't care anymore.

And the sequel is one of the few movies I plan to see in theaters this year

 

[slyc_willie]

I sure hope it has a better storyline than the original Tron (come on! "groundbreaking" in CGI it might have been, but the story sucked!). That said, I did get excited by the trailer when I saw it in theaters...It elicited many fond memories of how exciting it was to go to such cool new movies with friends....

I'll be with you in spirit in my own theater for Tron II, the Saga Continues...don't forget your 3D glasses. This time you're really going to feel like you're riding those bikes.

I'm not gonna argue that the plotline of the original Tron was simplistic and contrived. But, honestly, did it really have to be intricate?

While you're being tongue in cheek about the 3D aspect, I have to say that sometimes, the gimmicks are worth the inflated price of a movie ticket. Secret and I saw Alice In Wonderland in 3D, and while I can't say it helped the convoluted plot, it certainly helped our enjoyment of the film. 3D has become the saving grace of Hollywood. They've been losing money to big-screen TV owners who would rather pay twenty bucks to own a DVD and watch it at home, so they had to come up with something.

Personally, I weigh the monetary value against "brag factor." There are some movies I want to be able to say I saw in the theater. The new Tron is one of them. Besides, no six-foot-wide screen with surround-sound stereo can yet replace an immense IMAX which literally bombards your senses to one iota beneath unbearable.