There is more than one paradox integrated in the “Tron: Ares” program. While the 1982 Disney film Disney on which it was based seemed to be ahead of its time-both conceptually and in terms of its then avant-garde visual effects-Sean Bailey’s last attempt to franchise the “Tron” brand is mainly read as an exercise in nostalgia. Like the high definition cheekbones of the main actor Jared Leto, it looks great, but the film is responsible for reminders in the previous film (and in the 1980s as a whole) which suggests that it is addressed more to generation X than to alpha children which could launch property in the future.
Directed by Joachim Rønning, who has already made too complicated consequences of “Caribbean pirates” and “evil” for society, “Tron: Ares” introduces two great ideas. The first seems alarmist: what if things designed in the virtual field (what is called “the grid”) could be transferred to the real world? Thus, instead of the character of Jeff Bridges, Kevin Flynn, disappears in the digital arena, all these elegant vehicles and sophisticated programs (like Ares de Leto) could be printed in 3D.
Where it seems banal in the fear of the direction that technology leads us, the second theory is a refreshing alternative to the kind of anti-innovation hysteria that feeds so many science fiction films: what if AI could really be a force for good? Or, as Eve Kim says (Greta Lee), CEO of Encom: “What if its major dysfunction was only benevolence?” “The villain in” Tron: Ares “is not ARES-the new Master Control security software designed to defend the grid-but its creator, Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters), the unscrupulous chef of a rival technological business which tries to develop Ares like a super-soldier (artificially) intelligent, obedient and entirely consumable.
Although Leto looks cool in the role of Arès with his dark beard of Thor and his long hair straightened back – everything in “Tron” is supposed to look cool, and most of them succeeds – the role forces the actor to reduce humanity to such a degree that he reads as a Manichean model: almost unidimensional in a film that uses more and more sophisticated 3D technology. (See “Tron: Ares” in stereoscopic 3D if you can, because Rønning clearly recognizes the potential of the format. It also exploits the electro bass partition by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, attributed here to their group, Nine Inch Nails.)
The same goes for his secondary commander, Athena. In this role, the star of “Queen & Slim”, Jodie Turner-Smith, seems to channel Grace Jones: confident, fierce and devoid of emotion, at least on the surface. Unlike “Terminator”, who presented the character of Arnold Schwarzenegger naturally, “Tron: Ares” keeps the flesh and largely hidden feelings (it is in Disney that we are dealing, after all). Ares, Athena and the other programs appear in tight black bodysuits, with red or blue luminescent accents, depending on the company for which they work: Dillinger or Encom, respectively.
During a demonstration intended for military customers, Julian uses brilliant scarlet lasers to represent Ares and an intimidating strike truck in his private hangar. “Conjure” could be a better word for that, because there is a strict limit of 29 minutes on the duration during which anything that comes from the grid can last in the real world before disintegrating. In order for his business plan to work, Julian must find the “permanence code”, a hack that Flynn hid somewhere before his disappearance, probably to protect people from the type of technology that Dillinger Corporation develops.
Dressed in a visor helmet and a combination of blue and white snow (in contrast with the red and black motorcycle equipment of ARES, plus daft punk), Eve is in fact the first to find the permanence code, which she wishes to use for good. With this, it can produce harvests to feed hungry and houses for all those who need them, while Dillinger only wants power and profits.
This is where another paradox of the film resides: “Tron: Ares” preaches charity, but as in “Tron: Legacy” of 2010 (in which the son of Flynn essentially hacked the operating system of his company in an act of anti-corporative activism), the reason why the film exists is because Disney sees the opportunity to profit in unnecessary consequences- In a series of insane details for a future film. Manage, wasting all the alchemy that was prepared between Eve and Ares.
Artificial intelligence is so easily corrupted in the “Tron” films that Julian should know that you should not place so much autonomy in Ares’ hands (his mother, interpreted by Gillian Anderson, clearly understands it). His new master control begins to rebel almost immediately, unhappy that Julian treats it as “100 % disposable”. This recalls another film from the 80s for children, “short circuit”, or the much better “The Iron Giant” by Brad Bird, in which war machines disobey their programming.
We should consider ourselves grateful that the scriptwriter Jesse Wigutow was not forced to invent a childish character so that Ares is friends, rather trusting an adult relationship between Eve and Ares. Technically speaking, Ares has at the beginning the emotional maturity of an infant, but quickly develops empathy and other sophisticated feelings. The scenario refers to both “Frankenstein” and “Pinocchio”, offering a more relevant exploration of these two archetypes (at least with regard to the development of the AI) than the recent adaptations of the two books by Guillermo del Toro-if only the film was more engaged in the existential journey of Ares.
As president of production at Disney, Bailey actually looted the company’s catalog (he was responsible for many live-action remakes, restarts of franchises and adaptations of theme parks). Even if it was exciting to see what “Tron” could look like in the 21st century, the brand is obstructing the internal evolution of Ares. As fascinating as it may be to “go to the next level”, what the public expects – and what Rønning offers – they are cycling races and dynamic gladiator battles.
The new, broader light skimmers look incredible in the real streets of the city, while the view of a recognizer bordered by red hovering towards the Encom tower is just as exciting as the three -minute short film “Pixels” by Patrick Jean (released the same year as “Tron: Legacy”). But we have the feeling that “Tron: Ares” has too much nostalgia to serve, recreation in spider canvas from the Arcade office of Flynn to the prolonged camée of bridges (as a dragging and relaxed guy who looks less like Flynn than his character “Big Lebowski”).
What Bailey has rarely dared too much is to create an original intellectual property, where this film could have been more effective as a no “tron”. After all, Tron himself-as in the character of Bruce Boxleitner-is not found. Again, the public is mainly interested in seeing how Disney has improved the franchise in the past 15 years since “Legacy”, so maybe it is better to do like Eve Kim and follow the program.
