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Watch this if you liked: “Tron”

The Grid - a digital frontier. Imagine, a physical representation of cyberspace, where clusters of information move through the computer. Circuits are like highways and programs would travel using ships and motorcycles. A world more beautiful than one could ever dream of, and more dangerous than one could ever imagine. Then one day, Kevin Flynn got in.

This was back in 1982, when a young and gifted software engineer (Jeff Bridges) entered the Grid through laser digitisation. In the Grid, programs would have to fight off in gladiator style games under the evil ruling of the Master Control Program (MCP), using Identity Discs and Light Cycles as weapons. With the help of Tron, Kevin Flynn would fight his way through the Grid, defeat the MCP and return to the real world.

It is an excellent, classic '80s movie and one should definitely watch it before catching "Tron: Legacy". But, it was released during a time when people couldn't tell the difference between a bit and a byte, so it is quite comical by modern standards (especially with the cheesy '80s dialogue).

So how do you create a sequel 28 years later after the original movie? Simple, you gather a top notch team of writers, designers, actors and one film director. "Tron: Legacy" is a first feature film directional debut for Joseph Kosinski, who has previously worked on successful commercials including Halo 3, and Gears of War which won an award for best visual effects. His unique visionary approach translates very well into "Tron: Legacy".

The story is quite predictable, and yet still interesting. Writers Eddy Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (of TV show "Lost") decided make it a story about a son in search for his father, set in a sci-fi environment. What the writers have delivered is a sci-fi adventure with a sense of realism and logic, and rich in character development, for example Sam Flynn's (Garrett Hedlund) issue with abandonment. And to add a bit of mystery, Quorra (Olivia Wilde) has a hidden secret, but you'll have to watch the movie to find out.

The special effects is simply breathtaking, and let's face it, this will be the reason for everyone to watch the movie. The design of the Grid will capture our imagination in ways no other sci-fi film has ever done, since "Tron" first appeared in 1982 with its back-then pioneering 3D rendering. Speaking of pioneering, this is the first 3D movie to use new technology of integrating a fully digital head onto a live action body, thus allowing Jeff Bridges to reprise his role for both Kevin Flynn (in his actual age) and the primary antagonist, CLU (Jeff Bridges minus 30 years).

The film score is composed by the Grammy award winning French duo, Daft Punk, famous for their electronic music. Understanding the scope of the movie, the duo knew that utilising synthesizers was not going to be enough and brought on an 85-piece orchestra to bring the music to a whole new level. This digital/orchestral hybrid music matches perfectly to each scene and compliments the 3D eye candy well for "Tron: Legacy". As a bonus tip, you can spot the cameo appearance by Daft Punk in the club scene.

"Tron: Legacy" has shaped up to become the most anticipated sci-fi sequel of the year. Joseph Kosinski has successfully created an immersive and breathtakingly beautiful movie that is not only immensely entertaining but also family friendly. "Tron" veterans should be additionally pleased with the homage to the original movie, which are plentiful throughout the film if you can spot it correctly. So put on your 3D glasses and get ready to enter the digital frontier. Welcome to the Grid, program. -End of line-

Cinema Online, 15 December 2010