Tron

“Tron” was officially released in 1982. (same year Blade Runner came out) It received positive reviews from critics and movie goers alike. Plus, it was a modest success at the box office. The film gained a cult following which spawned a franchise ranging from video games, action figures, comic books and a sequel titled, “Tron Legacy.” The first movie is way ahead of its time introducing movie goers to Computer Generated Imagery or C.G.I. for short paving the wave of computer animated film companies. Most notably, Pixar. As of December 2022, a third installment has yet to be announced.

I’ll be covering a few Disney movie during December taking cues from Nostalgia Critic’s Disneycember. Which Disney movie should I review? Please leave a comment and I’ll respond back.

I’m giving some of you a chance to see this classic gem. Feel free to read my non-SPOILER article.

Upgrade & Downgrade

Upgrade: Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner & David Warner all did a fantastic job for their respective performances. To prepare for the role as Kevin Flynn, Jeff actually played arcade games becoming a pro. Perhaps he’s a real life gamer.

Action Sequences are solid. You can’t forget a disc battle and light cycle scenes. Makes me wanna replay “Kingdom Hearts II.” The titular character also accompanies Sora, Donald & Goofy as a guest party member.

Visual Effects introduced Computer Animation. At the time, it was groundbreaking. 11 Years Later, “Jurassic Park” changed Special Effects forever. Look how far we came going from Tron to “The Lord of the Rings Trilogy.”

Wendy Carlos (A Clockwork Orange, The Shining) orchestrated the soundtrack. In 2010, Daft Punk contributed to the sequel’s soundtrack. It’s a darn shame, they disbanded.

Costume Designs and Set Pieces were manually built to create an immersive environment.

Pacing didn’t feel fast or slow for a 90-minute movie.

Disney stated Tron’s influenced by “Alice in Wonderland.” The main character enters an extraordinary world while trying to find a way back home. Another key influence is Stanley Kubirck’s “Spartacus.”

Cinematography captures in-depth imagery of the virtual world.

Sound Design’s spot-on reflecting every single detail within the virtual world.

A pause worthy moment. “Gort, Klaatu barada nitkto” is written on the wall of Alan’s cubicle. The phrase is a reference to “The Day the Earth Stood Still.”

If you have a keen eye, Pac-Man can be seen in one the monitors.

I’m gonna give this movie credit for inspiring one of my favorite shows, “Code Lyoko.” It used to air on Cartoon Network’s former block Miguzi.

If you own a DVD/Blu-Ray copy, the crew provide commentary reflecting on the movie’s production.

Downgrade: I couldn’t find nothing wrong. I’m giving the cast and crew and Extra Point for making a flawless movie as possible.

The Final Verdict: A, FOR APEX!

From my perspective, Tron remains as a corner stone in terms of technical aspects eventually changing Special Effects forever. Without Tron, Computer Animation would never exist. If you’re curious to see this movie, stream it on Disney Plus.