Tron: Ares Reboots Franchise for AI Era with Mixed Reception
The long-awaited "Tron: Ares" reboots Disney's classic for the AI era, featuring a robot's quest for free will, though critics note underdeveloped themes and visuals.
‘Tron: Ares’ Review
The Bulwark
Overview
- "Tron: Ares" is the third film in the four-decade-spanning Tron franchise, serving as a robotic reboot and an upgrade for Disney's intellectual property in the AI era.
- The movie introduces Ares, a robotic program that evolves into a more understanding and empathic human, driven by his desire for free will.
- Despite being an upgrade for the AI era, the new "Tron" sequel reportedly fails to enhance the impressive visual advancements seen in 2010's "Tron: Legacy."
- Critics suggest that "Tron: Ares" struggles with a lack of depth in exploring its central themes, leading to underdeveloped characters within the narrative.
- This long-awaited installment aims to modernize the classic "Tron" universe, but its execution regarding visual enhancement and thematic exploration receives mixed reviews.
Report issue
Read both sides in 5 minutes each day
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame 'Tron: Ares' as a visually dazzling but narratively underdeveloped reboot that struggles to make the franchise relevant for a new generation. They highlight the film's intriguing premise regarding AI and humanity but critique its "serviceable script" for missing opportunities to explore deeper themes, often settling for action over substance, despite strong performances.
"Tron: Ares certainly isn’t the worst film I’ve seen this year, but it’s one of the weirdest in that it actively resists accepting what makes the series so fun when it’s at its best."
The Bulwark"Now, the best thing you can say about the flagging sci-fi franchise is it sounds pretty cool."
USA TODAY"Tron: Ares is fun. It’s fine. Like a good, solid Disney movie, it may not be extra special, but it doesn’t let you down."
Gizmodo"The idea behind it is what was most intriguing, that being the budding real-world relationship between AI and human beings."
DeadlineArticles (6)
Center (4)
FAQ
The central plot of "Tron: Ares" follows Ares, a highly sophisticated robotic program that evolves into a more empathic human-like being, driven by his desire for free will and humanity's first encounter with AI beings from the digital world.
"Tron: Ares" is the third film in the four-decade-spanning Tron franchise, serving as a reboot that updates Disney's intellectual property for the AI era.
Critics note that "Tron: Ares" suffers from underdeveloped themes and characters, and that it fails to enhance the visual advancements achieved in the 2010 film "Tron: Legacy".
The film explores artificial intelligence through the character of Ares, a robot evolving toward understanding and empathy, highlighting his quest for free will and the first contact between humans and AI beings from the digital world.
The goal was to modernize the classic "Tron" universe for the AI era, rebooting the franchise with a new story centered on AI themes, although its execution received mixed reviews especially in visuals and thematic depth.
History
- This story does not have any previous versions.