Disney’s relentless attempt to make Tron a viable blockbuster franchise continues with Tron: Ares, directed by Joachim Rønning. Starring Jared Leto as the titular AI program who crosses over into the real world, the film is a stunning technical achievement backed by a pounding Nine Inch Nails score. But beneath the neon glow and thumping bass lies a hollow, poorly written story that struggles to justify its existence.
This is a film of extremes. The visuals and audio design are top-tier, especially if experienced in IMAX or HDR theaters. The plot, however, is a “cotton candy” experience—flashy, sweet, but ultimately empty and quick to dissolve.
“It’s a visual feast with an incredible soundtrack, but the story is paper-thin. Jared Leto’s performance is wooden, the chemistry is non-existent, and the plot holes are massive. It’s better than Legacy, but that isn’t saying much.”
If you want to turn your brain off and watch cool light cycles crash into police cars, you’ll have a good time. If you want a coherent sci-fi narrative, look elsewhere.
A Feast for the Senses
The undeniable highlight of Tron: Ares is its presentation. The juxtaposition of sleek, neon Tron technology invading the gritty real world is visually spectacular. Seeing light cycles tear through city streets and “reclaimer” ships towering over buildings looks fantastic on a big screen.
The Nine Inch Nails soundtrack does much of the heavy lifting. It’s industrial, aggressive, and fits the darker, more militaristic tone of the “red” Dillinger grid perfectly. In theaters with advanced sound systems, the bass literally shakes the seats, immersing you in the action even when the script fails to engage you.
Jared Leto and the “Love” Story
The film falters heavily with its characters. Jared Leto plays Ares, a highly sophisticated program sent on a mission to the real world. While he is supposed to be an emotionless AI learning to be human, the performance comes off as wooden and boring.
Worse is the forced romance with the human protagonist, Eve (played by Greta Lee). Ares essentially stalks her by reading her messages and watching her private videos to “learn” about her, which the movie frames as romantic but feels creepy. There is zero chemistry between the leads, making the emotional core of the movie fall flat.
Nonsensical Plot & Wasted Potential
The narrative is riddled with logic gaps. The military witnesses world-altering technology—matter fabrication from thin air—and just drives away with a “call us later” attitude. The bad guys have a strict 29-minute timer to exist in the real world, but they travel vast distances instantly when the plot demands it.
The film teases a massive invasion, but what we get is a small skirmish: “3v3 in the sky.” For a $180 million budget, the scale feels surprisingly small. While there are cool nods to the original Tron (including a cameo by Jeff Bridges as “The Dude” version of Flynn), they feel like fan service rather than integral plot points.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
| Incredible Visuals: The blend of Tron tech and the real world is stunning. | Paper-Thin Story: The plot is generic, predictable, and full of holes. |
| Nine Inch Nails Score: A pounding, industrial soundtrack that elevates every scene. | Wooden Acting: Jared Leto lacks charisma, and the romantic chemistry is zero. |
| Better than Legacy: A more engaging pace and visual style than the 2010 sequel. | Small Scale: The “invasion” feels like a small skirmish, not a war. |
| Cool Action: Light cycles and identity discs in the real world are fun to watch. | Creepy Romance: The AI “stalking” subplot is awkward and unearned. |
| Jeff Bridges Cameo: A fun, nostalgic nod to the original film. | Dumb Military: The government’s reaction to alien tech is laughably casual. |
Tron: Ares: This is the definition of a "popcorn flick." It’s loud, pretty, and completely brainless. It succeeds as a sensory experience, delivering some of the coolest sci-fi imagery of the year backed by a killer soundtrack. However, as a movie, it’s a mess of bad writing, weak characters, and wasted potential. It’s a 5/10 film that gets bumped to a 7/10 if and only if you see it in a premium theater like IMAX. At home, without the wall-shaking sound and massive screen, this will likely be a forgettable disappointment. – Asmodeus
