Tron Legacy Gets Reviewed
Disney surprised nearly everyone by premiering a teaser trailer for the project (which was actually a test created to convince Disney not make the film) at last years Comic Con. The footage was easily the most talked about thing of last years con. The Tron crew returned to Hall H this year, but unfortunately werent able to live up to their last appearance. That is not to say that what we saw of the film was not impressive, it is just they didnt have a lot to show since the film just wrapped production and they have a year of post production ahead of them. Disney finally revealed the title to the Tron sequel at the Disney 3D panel at Comic-Con 2009 ” TRON Legacy. Jeff Bridges explains that the title is in reference to the storys theme: Its basically a story about a sons search for his father. It was also revealed that Tron Legacy will be released in both Digital Disney 3D (old news) and IMAX 3D (new news).. And the first Tron, when we made it in 81, there was no internet, explained Jeff Bridges. Cell phones were things you carried around in a suit case, and what you saw was so new and fresh, and the same thing is true with this one.
The world of tron has been sitting on a server for 20 years, not connected to the internet, evolvoing. The scale is much larger, a photo real or photo surreal enviorment. We were shown a shot of the mile high tower in the center of the city, which were sure is an important location in the films plot. Another piece showed a scene on the streets of tron city, where we get to see what its like to be a program in this world. TRON is a 3D high-tech adventure set in a digital world thats unlike anything ever captured on the big screen. Sam Flynn (GARRETT HEDLUND), the tech-savvy 27-year-old son of Kevin Flynn (JEFF BRIDGES), looks into his fathers disappearance and finds himself pulled into the same world of fierce programs and gladiatorial games where his father has been living for 25 years. Because none of the footage from inside the computer world was finished, they premiered some cool concept images from the production. Art included the recognizer, which is a bit evolved from the original film. Along with Kevins loyal confidant (OLIVIA WILDE), father and son embark on a life-and-death journey across a visually-stunning cyber universe that has become far more advanced and exceedingly dangerous.
A few concept photos were shown of Disc wars, which has also evolved from the original film into a 16-game tournament. The arena is set-up so that the game court organically evolves. All 16 games are going on at the same time, and the boards combine in real time, until the last two Disc warriors are connected. Very impressive. The footage was shown in super slow motion, having been shot with the phantom camera in 3D (a first) at 1000 (?) frames a second. Another piece of concept art shows the solar sailer, a freight train in the world of tron, which travels on a beam of light. But most impressive were the new vehicles, which included: Second Generation Light Cycle: Designed in 1989 by Kevin Flynn and rumor has it its still the fastest thing on the grid It looks like an in between model in the evolution of light cycles, incorporating some of the look of the first film and the realness and slickness of the new design. We were shown some test footage of an athlete who uses a form of martial arts athleticism Ive never seen before called luke kicking or tricking. The disc warrior was jumping around doing insane flips while chucking a disc.
What got me excited was footage from a rough assembly of a scene from the begining of the film, which takes place in the real world, and was not presented in 3D. The scene involved Kevins son being told in voiceover that someone received a page from his fathers old office, which has been abandoned for over 20 years. Flynns son shows up on a motor cycle. Flynns arcade has been long abandoned. He opens the door to reveal a room full of arcade machines, all covered with sheets. He inspects the old shut down arcade, and it is clear no one has been here in ages.
Director Joseph Kosinski promises that the film has 3 or 4 things that have never been done before, and we were doing them at the same time. He promises that next year at comic con youll see something youve never seen before. He switches on the power and all the arcades turn on, as does a jukebox, which is playing retro 1980s music. He goes up stairs to Flynns old office, which also looks untouched, everything covered. The next shot was kinda magical. He walks down an isle of games which ends with the Tron arcade game. He uncovers it and we see the retro 80s graphics. He sticks in a quarter but the machine rejects it. He pulls out the machine to take a look at the back, and discovers a secret door. He opens the door and enters the darkness. Cut to black. Watch the latest trailer of Tron Legacy
