‘Tron: Ares’: Sequel goes off-grid

The 1982 sci-fi action adventure movie ‘Tron’ was a CGI marvel with a cult following. The belated sequel, ‘Tron: Legacy’, which arrived 28 years later, also had cutting-edge visuals that wowed the fans. This issue, which comes 15 years on, again tries to dazzle us with visuals, but the story doesn’t carry much weight, with the characters being largely forgettable.

‘Tron: Ares’ is positioned as a direct sequel to 2010’s ‘Tron: Legacy’. Taking over from Joseph Kosinski, director Joachim Ronning takes us back to the events following ‘Tron: Legacy’.

Dillinger Systems’ CEO Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters) unveils a highly sophisticated AI programme, Ares (Jared Leto), to be sent on a dangerous mission from the digital into the real world.

The narrative makes use of several throwbacks and linkages to connect this story with the previous edition. This film revolves around “the Grid”, with competing companies ENCOM and Dillinger controlling it.

Jesse Wigutow’s script is rather formulaic in its efforts to marry the real and the digital worlds. The two mesh together and Julian, in order to prevent the AI from going rogue, programmes Ares to dematerialise back into cyberspace after a certain time.

Since former ENCOM CEO Kevin Flynn went missing, the advancement of technology has been rapid. It is now possible to transfer objects from cyberspace and 3D-print them into our world, thanks to the genius of Julian Dillinger, the grandson of the first film’s antagonist, Ed Dillinger (David Warner).

Before he went missing, Flynn (Jeff Bridges briefly returns to his iconic role) managed to create a code that allowed AI beings to belong to the real world. That code was recently found by incumbent CEO Eve Kim (Greta Lee), but Julian gets alerted to her presence. Eve must outmanoeuvre Julian, Ares and his deadly second-in-command programme, Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith).

The ‘Tron’ mythos involves humans being sucked into digital worlds and vice versa. In ‘Ares’, digital beings exert a strong influence over physical reality. This film concentrates on the visual, but it compromises storytelling.

Brief spurts of pulsating energy are experienced, thanks to the score by industrial metal band Nine Inch Nails, but the corporate drama central to this telling is rather dull and characters fail to come alive.

Greta Lee seems to be the only one trying to leave a mark as Eve and she happens to be the saving grace in a film that’s more than likely to become imminently forgettable. The director tries to channel nostalgia to gain fan affection, but it doesn’t work.

CGI and special effects aren’t the novelty they once were and the neon-red light bands streaking across the screen fail to provide the awe required to override a shoddy narrative.

The narrative sticks with the generic and is fragmented, disjointed and confusing, making it a rather mediocre entry into the franchise. The signature neon graphics are, no doubt, showcased in state-of-the-art IMAX 3D visuals and the energetic score manages to throw up some interesting moments. But for that, there’s very little here to keep you ensnared.