Joseph Kosinski
Tron Legacy

Ok, some time ago I wrote the review for that questionable album, which is the soundtrack of this questionable movie, Tron Legacy. A couple of days ago, I went to the cinema to see if the film/music combination worked. And sadly, the answer is no. The Daft Punk are far superior to this film which, unfortunately, deviates from what I remember of the first Tron. I am still unable to judge and make a fair comparison between the two chapters, since I watched the first film several years ago, and maybe not even in its entirety.

But now let's abandon preambles and excuses and focus on Tron Legacy. The feature film directed by architect Kosinski, I think, disappointed a bit 'everyone. Tron Legacy is a flimsy film that wrongly focuses on the story, trying to insert into it a lot of elements and inputs that are not resolved in the end. It starts well, with the right atmosphere and the right scenes, then brutally moves away from what in the first film was 'the game'; just see that there is only one challenge with the famous bikes. There is nothing innovative, the screenplay by 'the guys from Lost' treads paths already approved by millions of other sci-fi or fantasy films, proposing stereotypes that are seen and overstressed. Let me explain it briefly. Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), a technology expert and the son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), seeks his mysteriously missing father and finds himself catapulted into the same world populated by ferocious programs and gladiator games - where his father had lived 25 years. Along with his loyal confidante (Olivia Wilde), father and son will embark on a journey through this world that has totally changed over the years. C.L.U., or Bridges' alter ego, has turned evil and is determined to eliminate all ISOs (i.e., errors, spontaneous forms of life within the computer system). Ok, from here one could start with an original and exciting script, perhaps with less action and more meaning, but instead, no. Eddie Kitsis and Adam Horowitz stuff this flimsy plot as much as they can, create a megapanettone full of countless wasted cues, and they are happy with it. Lucky them. Not us.

Kosinski makes a weak movie from almost every point of view. The actors' performances are mediocre because they have to follow a mediocre script. What stands out are the scenic features (the director's past as an architect is especially seen here) and the music which, paired more with environments than with scenes, gives the right effect to immerse in this new world. However, we are tired of these huge film productions, where they go in search of the already seen and approved. The considerable increase of 3D films in theaters is the peak of the poor cinematic climate that is felt at the moment, where producers increasingly try to develop visual effects, the glossy cover effect. Yes, because that's what drives people to the cinema, that's what makes parents buy tons of merchadising for teenagers who have been passionate about science fiction for fifteen minutes. It's the DAFT PUNK written on the poster, it's the name Jeff Bridges, it's the LED lights on a black background... Just calculate how many interesting independent films still do not have a producer either in Italy or abroad. What a pity.

In any case, leaving aside this outburst of mine, it is not a terrible film. Tron Legacy is still a film you can watch with pleasure, although it does not live up to any expectations. And still, there are far worse movies out there that are, at this time, much more successful in Italy. Isn’t that right, Massimo? Isn’t that right, Christian?