‘Computers and the programs will start thinking and the people will stop...’
This will be a review of caveats. First off, I’m not particularly keen on sci-fi. Secondly, I understand that the effects here were groundbreaking back in 1982 when the film was originally released. And lastly, I also understand that Tron has been influential both in terms of cinema and video games. Now, having stated all that, I can also confidently state that I didn’t get it…
This is possibly the most incoherent, incomprehensible film I have ever seen. There was never a moment in which I had the faintest clue what was going on. There was a lot of talk of users and programs but none of it made any sense to me. I enjoyed David Warner’s stern performance as who I presume to be the antagonist and it’s always nice to see Jeff Bridges, but I found the whole thing incredibly disorientating and unusual. The effects, whilst being occasionally visually striking… have not held up. I get that if viewed as a child of the 80s this may have been impressive but surely anyone coming to the film with fresh eyes would admit that it mostly looks terrible now.
It is perhaps telling that writer-director Steven Lisberger never created anything of note outside of the world of Tron. This strange little film is an anomaly, a blip on the cinematic landscape, and I guess that’s why some people like it. For me, I was utterly baffled from start to finish. I say this not to be controversial or to tear down something that other people love but simply because it is true.