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Update: October 8, 2025
Dragonlord’s Review of TRON: ARES (No Spoilers)
Bottom Line: Despite a simple, straightforward plot, Tron: Ares is a fun, breezy chase action spectacle that oozes a stylish 80s sci-fi vibe thanks to the amazing score by Nine Inch Nails.
Tron: Legacy (2010) was underwhelming and I didn’t really have high expectations for this third movie especially since Jared Leto was the lead (it’s Morbin’ time!). But surprisingly I ended up enjoying Tron: Ares. The plot is pretty simple and straightforward but it’s the vibe that it was projecting that won me over. The film exuded a vibe that reminded me of those simplistic (ala cheap) 80s sci-fi actioner. That nostalgic atmosphere is in large part due to the marvelous score by Nine Inch Nails, individually known as Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor. Their pulsating industrial and electronic synth music is the unequivocal MVP of the film.
The film follows Ares (Jared Leto), a super-intelligent security program created by Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters), CEO of Dillinger Systems. Ares is created to be a weapon and the ultimate indestructible soldier. Dillinger Systems has acquired the technology to materialize the digital content into the real world but it only lasts for 29 minutes before it de-resolutes. Julian sends Ares to capture Eve Kim, CEO of ENCOM, who has successfully crack the Permanence Code, a program to make the digitization permanent. Ares soon begins to question his commands and the purpose of his existence.
Under Norwegian director Joaquim Ronning, the movie is pretty breezy, moving at a very fast-paced. The whole film is filled with exciting chase sequences one after another. The way they convey the break-neck speed and the electronic score create a sensory experience for the audience. Tron: Ares doesn’t pretend to be a deeply, philosophical story or doesn’t aspire to create a complex worldbuilding universe. It is what it is and that’s why I like it. It’s like sci-fi version of the John Wick films. Story is secondary, you just immersed yourself in the action, the artistry and the vibe.
The cast was fairly good, none of them were outstanding though except for one and I felt that they could have been replaced by any other actors. Jared Leto was likable enough as Ares and believable enough as an action star. Story-wise, I question why they designed Ares to look Jesus or a homeless person in the first place. Greta Lee as Eve Kim was good as the competent heroine of the film. Evan Peters did an okay job as the antagonistic asshole CEO. But the one that really stood out was Jodie Turner-Smith as Athena, the program second-in-command to Ares. The British actress just had a powerful, imposing presence. She would also be a great Dora Milaje.
Part of the fun of the film for me was seeing the vehicles like the light cycles, the light jets, the armored vehicle and the Recognizer interacting with the real world. When they activate their batons to generate their light cycles or light jets or when the light cycles are zipping through the city streets and then you combine that with Nine Inch Nails’ infectious music, you can’t help but find the execution very cool.
Ares at one point compares Mozart and Depeche Mode. Ares acknowledges Mozart was a genius and his music was objectively better but he still prefers Depeche Mode because it evokes a feeling. And that to me is why I liked Tron: Ares, it gave you a feeling.
PRELIMINARY RATING: 7/10 or 7.5/10
IS IT WORTH SEEING IN CINEMAS?: A tepid yes. For me, Nine Inch Nails’ awesome music blaring from the cinema walls was an experience by itself. Tron: Ares is one big chase movie and a blast to watch.
(Please leave a Like if appreciate my reviews and want to see more reviews in the future.
)
Dragonlord’s Review of TRON: ARES (No Spoilers)
Bottom Line: Despite a simple, straightforward plot, Tron: Ares is a fun, breezy chase action spectacle that oozes a stylish 80s sci-fi vibe thanks to the amazing score by Nine Inch Nails.
Tron: Legacy (2010) was underwhelming and I didn’t really have high expectations for this third movie especially since Jared Leto was the lead (it’s Morbin’ time!). But surprisingly I ended up enjoying Tron: Ares. The plot is pretty simple and straightforward but it’s the vibe that it was projecting that won me over. The film exuded a vibe that reminded me of those simplistic (ala cheap) 80s sci-fi actioner. That nostalgic atmosphere is in large part due to the marvelous score by Nine Inch Nails, individually known as Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor. Their pulsating industrial and electronic synth music is the unequivocal MVP of the film.
The film follows Ares (Jared Leto), a super-intelligent security program created by Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters), CEO of Dillinger Systems. Ares is created to be a weapon and the ultimate indestructible soldier. Dillinger Systems has acquired the technology to materialize the digital content into the real world but it only lasts for 29 minutes before it de-resolutes. Julian sends Ares to capture Eve Kim, CEO of ENCOM, who has successfully crack the Permanence Code, a program to make the digitization permanent. Ares soon begins to question his commands and the purpose of his existence.
Under Norwegian director Joaquim Ronning, the movie is pretty breezy, moving at a very fast-paced. The whole film is filled with exciting chase sequences one after another. The way they convey the break-neck speed and the electronic score create a sensory experience for the audience. Tron: Ares doesn’t pretend to be a deeply, philosophical story or doesn’t aspire to create a complex worldbuilding universe. It is what it is and that’s why I like it. It’s like sci-fi version of the John Wick films. Story is secondary, you just immersed yourself in the action, the artistry and the vibe.
The cast was fairly good, none of them were outstanding though except for one and I felt that they could have been replaced by any other actors. Jared Leto was likable enough as Ares and believable enough as an action star. Story-wise, I question why they designed Ares to look Jesus or a homeless person in the first place. Greta Lee as Eve Kim was good as the competent heroine of the film. Evan Peters did an okay job as the antagonistic asshole CEO. But the one that really stood out was Jodie Turner-Smith as Athena, the program second-in-command to Ares. The British actress just had a powerful, imposing presence. She would also be a great Dora Milaje.
Part of the fun of the film for me was seeing the vehicles like the light cycles, the light jets, the armored vehicle and the Recognizer interacting with the real world. When they activate their batons to generate their light cycles or light jets or when the light cycles are zipping through the city streets and then you combine that with Nine Inch Nails’ infectious music, you can’t help but find the execution very cool.
Ares at one point compares Mozart and Depeche Mode. Ares acknowledges Mozart was a genius and his music was objectively better but he still prefers Depeche Mode because it evokes a feeling. And that to me is why I liked Tron: Ares, it gave you a feeling.
PRELIMINARY RATING: 7/10 or 7.5/10
IS IT WORTH SEEING IN CINEMAS?: A tepid yes. For me, Nine Inch Nails’ awesome music blaring from the cinema walls was an experience by itself. Tron: Ares is one big chase movie and a blast to watch.
(Please leave a Like if appreciate my reviews and want to see more reviews in the future.
)
