Second Opinion - TRON: Legacy

As a fan of the original Tron movie, I was looking forward to its then-upcoming sequel, Tron: Legacy, last year. It was around this time that I discovered Daft Punk, and their involvement with the project got me even more excited for it. When I first saw this sequel in the theater, I left with the same feeling of amazement that I had when I saw the original when I was younger. Recently I watched this movie again, and I still enjoy it as much as I did the first time.

The story here is easier to follow than the first, though it admittedly has a few holes in it. For instance, they make the portal to the real world out to be difficult to reach, yet there's a Solar Sailer, a means of transport in the Grid, conveniently headed straight toward it. Otherwise, while it was a little predictable the first time around, I still liked the simplicity of the plot compared to the original.

The visual effects are among some of the best I have ever seen in a movie, especially one from 2010. Parts of the Grid felt more organic and free than in the first Tron, especially the beams emitted by various vehicles such as the iconic Light Cycle. On the other hand, the effects used to make C.L.U. appear as a younger Jeff Bridges dipped into uncanny valley quite a bit, but the effort shouldn't go unrecognized.

What really carries the movie is the music, made entirely by Daft Punk save for a couple existing songs. Their appearance in the actual film as a pair of DJ's in the End of Line Club makes their contribution a little more amazing, and I was really excited to see them on the big screen for the first time. The soundtrack by itself is a must-have for any Tron or Daft Punk fan, though I find it amazing how hard it is to acquire every track. In any case, it matched the events on-screen, especially inside the Grid, perfectly.

Tron: Legacy is a simply amazing sequel that outshines its predecessor in just about every way. The story and effects work really well, even with a few setbacks, and the music is a perfect blend of old and new that is a stunning listen by itself. If you are a fan of either Tron or Daft Punk, this a movie that should not be missed.