I didn’t care much for TRON: Legacy after watching it in theaters and I’ve never been a huge fan of “the original classic,” but I had a lot more fun working my way through this 5-disc set than I anticipated. Sure, the story (speaking of Legacy) has some major issues as things aren’t explained in “the grid” as often as they just simply happen, but upon second viewing it becomes apparent that the film’s biggest problem is with its underwritten lead. Garrett Hedlund clearly wasn’t given enough direction and had no idea what approach to take with his character. His awkward, inconsistent shifting between cocky, tortured, brooding and snarky leaves the character with no identity.
I actually prefer the film’s first 20 minutes (the ones that take place outside “the grid”) to the rest of the film. There’s a heart there that gets lost once Sam Flynn (Hedlund) enters the nonsensical mess of neon lights, car races and disc wars. It builds a level of anticipation that our time spent in “the grid” never meets.
Still, this is one of the nicest looking and sounding Blu-rays you’ll find. From Daft Punk’s pulsating score to the eye-popping visuals, it almost feels like it was made for those looking to get the most out of their home theater. The film alternates between the 2.35:1 and 1.78:1 aspect ratios. It might be distracting, but it keeps the IMAX-altered sequences consistent with the way they looked in theaters.
This review is for the 2-film, 5-disc combo pack, which basically amounted to a lot of extra plastic for me since I don’t own one of those new fangled 3D Blu-ray players and really have no use for the DVD or Digital Copy. Still, the Blu-ray discs for both TRON: Legacy and the original Tron are chalk full of more extras than you’ll likely know what to do with. And in most cases, these supplements are more exciting than the films themselves.
Among those on the Legacy disc are a couple of short videos focusing on Comic Con’s importance in the film’s development. “Launching the Legacy” tracks the sequel from early development, beginning with the original trailer that got the film green-lit after an overwhelming response at the 2008 Comic Con, while “Disc Roars” shows how director Joseph Kosinski recorded the crowd chants at Comic Con for use as background noise in the film. These features, as well as the “The Next Day” Tron 3 teaser video (available here) and several others, are all Blu-ray exclusives.
HINT: Additional teasers can be found as “Easter Eggs” if you enter the initials that appear on the “high score” list following the “The Next Day” short.
The groundbreaking “Disney Second Screen” feature allows you to sync the film with your computer or iPad, offering looks at concept art, storyboard drawings and filming locations as those scenes appear in the film. I can’t say it adds a lot to the experience, but it does show Disney’s aim to stay on the cutting edge of home entertainment and give you the most bang for your dollar.
The Tron disc is loaded with even more extras than the Legacy one, with the most substantial piece being a 90-minute “making of” documentary that covers practically everything from Tron‘s conception its release and beyond. While there is no commentary track on TRON: Legacy, the original Tron offers one from director Steven Lisberger and others. We’re talking ultra-technical nerd stuff here, but it’s pretty informative. This, like most of the features here, has been carried over from the 2002 “20th Anniversary Edition” DVD. One of the few new features is “The Tron Phenomenon,” a 10-minute piece with TRON: Legacy cast and crew members reflecting on the original film’s lasting impact on pop culture.
TRON: Legacy does play better at home, if for no other reason than being able to chuckle at Hedlund’s flat delivery of cringe-worthy one-liners (spoken largely to himself) like “I’m all over this!” or “this can’t be good” without feeling guilty about ruining the experience for the seven-year-old in front of you. Appearance wise, the blacks look glossier and the colors pop off the screen even more without those annoying 3D glasses giving everything a dark grayish tint.
This set is certainly the definitive collection and an unquestioned must-own for fans. While I don’t suspect TRON: Legacy is a film the rest of you will return to very often, it is probably the one you want if you’re looking to show off the new home theater system you just dropped a couple thousand bucks on.
