END OF LINE….
In 2010, Walt Disney Studios released Tron: Legacy — a long-awaited follow-up to 1982’s sci-fi cult classic Tron — re-opening the neon-lit digital frontier of disc wars and light-cycle duels for a new generation. Directed by Joseph Kosinski, the film starred Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, Michael Sheen, and Jeff Bridges. It followed Sam Flynn, the son of legendary programmer Kevin Flynn, who answers a mysterious message from his long-lost father and is transported into the digital realm known as The Grid. There, alongside his father and the enigmatic algorithm Quorra, Sam must stop the malevolent program CLU from escaping into the real world. Heavily marketed across multiple platforms, Tron: Legacy hit theaters on December 17, 2010, to mixed reviews from critics and audiences alike. Despite earning a respectable $409 million worldwide against its $170 million budget, it became — much like its 1982 predecessor — a beloved cult favorite rather than a mainstream blockbuster. Now, fifteen years later, Walt Disney Studios and director Joachim Rønning return to the grid with Tron: Ares, a new chapter promising another visually electrifying journey of digital warriors and pulse-pounding rhythms. But does this long-gestating third installment recapture the dazzling spectacle and mythic energy of its 2010 predecessor, or does it flatten into a dim afterimage of past glories?
THE STORY
Fifteen years after Sam Flynn ventured into the digital frontier to find his father, the world of Tron has changed dramatically. Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters), grandson of the infamous Edward Dillinger, now leads Dillinger Systems—a powerful tech conglomerate seeking to merge the digital world with reality. His bold initiative involves the creation of weaponized Grid-based soldiers, led by the formidable Master Control Program Ares (Jared Leto) as the face of this new project. However, there’s one critical flaw: these digital beings can only survive in the real world for twenty-nine minutes, casting a shadow over the plan’s viability. Meanwhile, rival CEO Eve Kim (Greta Lee) of ENCOM searches for the legendary “Permanence Code,” a hidden data file left behind by the visionary Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges). This code could stabilize the Grid’s inhabitants, granting them indefinite existence outside the digital realm. When Julian discovers that Eve may have located it, he sends Ares and his loyal second-in-command Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith) to intercept her and claim the prize for himself. But Ares, increasingly aware of his own mortality and questioning his programmed purpose, begins to defy his creator’s orders. Aligning himself with Eve, he embarks on a journey that blurs the boundaries between man and machine—one that leads both of them back into the neon labyrinth of the Grid, where Julian’s obsession threatens to unleash consequences far beyond his control.
THE GOOD / THE BAD
I won’t go into exhaustive detail about 2010’s Tron: Legacy—I already covered that in my recent “Cinematic Flashback” review (linked HERE)—so I’ll keep it brief. In short, I still love Tron: Legacy. I thought it was a strong sequel for its time—one that honored the original film while updating its look and tone for a modern audience. It took the 1980s cult classic and expanded it into a sleek, blockbuster experience, complete with upgraded visual effects that showcased the full potential of the franchise’s iconic staples: the Disc Wars and the Light Cycles.
And of course, there’s the music. Daft Punk’s pulsating, electronic score remains one of my all-time favorites—its energy perfectly amplifies the film’s digital aesthetic. The story itself worked well enough, though it could have benefited from stronger narrative development and deeper world-building. Still, the end result spoke for itself: Tron: Legacy was, in my view, a sequel done right—welcoming newcomers while still rewarding long-time fans.
Which brings me to Tron: Ares, the 2025 sci-fi action film and third installment in the Tron franchise. It’s no secret that Disney had long planned a follow-up to Legacy, even green-lighting an early sequel with Joseph Kosinski set to return alongside Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, and Jeff Bridges. Yet, as years passed and projects like Tomorrowland underperformed, the idea languished in development limbo. Eventually, Disney revived Tron as a soft reboot rather than a direct continuation—introducing new characters and a fresh storyline while still existing within the established digital universe. It was a questionable creative pivot, and like many fans, I had mixed feelings about the move.
When Tron: Ares finally gained traction, it arrived with another surprising headline: Jared Leto would star as the film’s lead. Again, an eyebrow-raising decision, given Leto’s uneven track record with recent big-budget projects. Still, I tried to keep an open mind—he can deliver under the right direction. Marketing ramped up, and the trailers promised a visually striking return to the grid. Yet beneath that glossy veneer, I couldn’t shake a lingering doubt that something might not quite click.
Released on October 10, 2025, Tron: Ares was one of my most anticipated films of the year. I saw it opening day and took a few weeks afterward to collect my thoughts. So—what did I think?
Unfortunately, much like many of my fellow reviewers, I found Tron: Ares to be the weakest entry in the franchise. Despite its hefty budget and dazzling visuals, this third chapter ends up feeling clunky, uneven, and hastily assembled. There are moments that work, but overall, it lands at the bottom of the barrel for this cult-favorite sci-fi saga.
Tron: Ares is directed by Joachim Rønning, whose previous works include Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, and Young Woman and the Sea. Given that all three were Disney productions, Rønning seems like a natural fit to helm this latest entry—someone who understands the studio’s expectations and can deliver a polished, brand-friendly final product.
To his credit, Rønning partly succeeds. He approaches Tron: Ares with a familiarity that will feel instantly recognizable to longtime fans while maintaining enough accessibility for newcomers. The latter is perhaps one of the film’s more commendable qualities—it doesn’t require a crash course in Tron lore to follow what’s going on. The script provides just enough exposition to keep audiences grounded, making this a relatively easy entry point for first-timers. Still, that accessibility comes with trade-offs. In trying not to alienate newcomers, Ares often oversimplifies its world-building and mythology—an unfortunate “double-edged sword” that leaves the story feeling both approachable and hollow.
Of course, what most fans came to see are the action sequences—and on that front, Tron: Ares delivers. The franchise has always been defined by its kinetic visual spectacle: digital disc battles, breathtaking light-cycle chases, and the sheer exhilaration of its glowing, high-tech world. Rønning successfully channels that same energy, pushing the visual effects a step beyond what Tron: Legacy achieved. The action set pieces here are stylish, fluid, and often dazzling to behold. There’s a palpable thrill in watching the screen light up with color and motion—a reminder of why this franchise’s aesthetic remains so iconic.
Yet, while the movie itself is undeniably flawed, there’s still a certain fun to be had in simply watching it for the spectacle. Even when the story falters, Tron: Ares manages to keep the pulse racing through its stunning visuals and electric action sequences.
The presentation of Tron: Ares is easily one of its strongest achievements. Drawing clear inspiration from what Tron: Legacy accomplished fifteen years ago, this new installment once again dazzles through its visual design—creating a digital playground that takes full advantage of today’s cutting-edge filmmaking tools and rendering technology. While this chapter spends noticeably more time in the real world than inside the Grid, both settings are impressively realized. The blend of grounded realism and sleek sci-fi aesthetic strikes a satisfying balance, and the film’s visual effects stand among its most polished elements—colorful, luminous, and consistently eye-catching throughout.
Credit goes to the film’s talented behind-the-scenes team: production designer Darren Gilford, set decorator Elizabeth Wilcox, costume designers Christine Bieselin Clark and Alix Friedberg, and the entire art direction and VFX departments. Together, they bring this world to life with a sense of scale, texture, and vibrancy that feels both futuristic and tangible.
The cinematography by Jeff Cronenweth is also top-tier. His dynamic camera work captures some truly stunning moments of visual tension and atmospheric beauty, elevating the film’s more dramatic beats. Cronenweth’s crisp framing and use of light make Tron: Ares a visually immersive experience, even when the story wavers.
And of course, music remains a defining aspect of this franchise. Rather than emulate Daft Punk’s legendary work from Legacy, Tron: Ares opts for a bolder, darker sonic identity with a score composed by Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. While I personally prefer Daft Punk’s soundscape for its ethereal, cinematic quality, Reznor and Ross deliver a powerful and driving accompaniment that perfectly suits the film’s moodier tone. Their score hits harder, amplifying the intensity of the action and emotional undercurrents with pulsing industrial energy. It may not reach the same iconic resonance as Legacy’s soundtrack, but it’s an undeniably strong and fitting addition to the Tron universe.
Unfortunately, Tron: Ares is no Tron: Legacy—and it certainly doesn’t reach the cult-classic heights of the 1982 original. This threequel is a far cry from the thrilling digital adventure it could have been, weighed down by glaring narrative and structural issues from start to finish.
For starters, the story is weak and predictable, wasting the potential of what could’ve been a proper Tron 3. The screenplay—co-written by David DiGillo and Jesse Wigutow—feels more like a “middle piece” that never quite finds its direction. It’s a simple plot stretched too thin by unnecessary subplots, resulting in a film that feels both bloated and shallow. Despite a few intriguing ideas, the narrative quickly becomes muddled and formulaic, following a by-the-numbers trajectory that never surprises or engages for long.
The characters fare no better. Most of them feel underwritten, with personalities so thin they barely register beyond archetypes. (I’ll get to them in more detail below.) The script also leans too heavily on nostalgia—tossing in familiar visual nods and references that add little substance to the story. These callbacks feel less like thoughtful homages and more like leftovers from an early draft that should’ve stayed on the cutting-room floor. Ultimately, the writing squanders nearly every opportunity to evolve the franchise, resulting in something wooden, clunky, and forgettable.
From a directorial standpoint, Joachim Rønning seems torn between making a spiritual successor to Tron: Legacy and crafting his own vision. While he nails the visual spectacle and embraces the franchise’s signature style, he falters where it counts most: narrative cohesion and emotional grounding. The film often drifts without focus, its pacing uneven and its tone uncertain. Rønning’s handling of the characters mirrors the script’s weaknesses—they feel one-dimensional, their arcs half-formed. The result is a movie that looks polished but feels hollow.
It’s hard not to wonder if studio interference played a part. Disney’s heavy hand in shaping its blockbuster brands is no secret, and Tron: Ares bears the marks of corporate compromise—too safe, too restrained, and too unwilling to take creative risks. Whether that’s on Rønning or the studio, the end product feels like something designed by committee rather than born from inspiration.
Adding to the frustration, Tron: Ares connects only loosely to Tron: Legacy. While marketed as a continuation, it plays more like a soft reboot or standalone spin-off. A few passing references acknowledge Sam Flynn and Quorra, but their storylines are largely ignored—an unfortunate omission given how Legacy ended with such narrative promise. For all its nostalgic gestures and visual mimicry, Ares ends up feeling like Tron 2.5: a placeholder rather than a true sequel. And after its lukewarm reception, it’s hard to imagine Disney green-lighting a proper Tron 3 anytime soon.
The cast of Tron: Ares is a bit of a mixed bag. No one gives a truly bad performance, but with such a weak script, few of the characters feel engaging or memorable. Whether due to poor writing or limited direction, the ensemble is given little room to make their roles dynamic or emotionally grounded. The result is a lineup of capable actors trapped in generic, underwritten parts.
Front and center is Jared Leto as Ares, the film’s titular protagonist. Known for his eclectic roles in Suicide Squad, Morbius, and House of Gucci, Leto has built a career on divisive performances and method-acting extremes. His casting as the lead of Tron: Ares understandably raised eyebrows, yet within the film’s limited scope, he ends up being its most consistent presence. The character of Ares—a sentient digital entity slowly awakening to human awareness—doesn’t demand much range, but it plays neatly to Leto’s strengths. His restrained, almost mechanical delivery fits the part, and he conveys the gradual evolution from cold program to self-aware being with subtle precision. To his credit, Leto also handles the film’s dry humor surprisingly well, earning a few genuine chuckles during his deadpan moments. Ares’s arc—an artificial creation discovering emotion and identity—isn’t new, either for the Tron franchise or the sci-fi genre at large, yet Leto’s performance gives it just enough nuance to work. In the end, he stands out as the film’s best and most fitting element, even if that says more about the movie’s shortcomings than his brilliance.
Opposite him is Greta Lee as Eve Kim, the CEO of ENCOM who seeks to recover Kevin Flynn’s legendary “permanence code.” Lee, known for Sisters, Past Lives, and The Morning Show, is a talented actress, but the role gives her little to work with. Clearly intended as the film’s emotional and narrative anchor—mirroring Sam Flynn’s role from Legacy—Eve never escapes the bounds of exposition and function. She exists largely to explain plot points or move the story along, rarely revealing depth or personality. Lee’s performance is perfectly serviceable, but her character feels underdeveloped and forgettable, lacking the screen presence to stand alongside her co-stars like Leto, Jodie Turner-Smith, or Evan Peters. Whether due to the direction or the script, Eve Kim ultimately fades into the background—a would-be co-lead who never steps out of the shadow of stronger, more defined characters.
Evan Peters steps into the role of Julian Dillinger, the grandson of Edward Dillinger and current CEO of Dillinger Systems. Known for his work in Monster and X-Men: Days of Future Past, Peters is a capable actor with undeniable screen presence—his chilling performance as Jeffrey Dahmer proved he can command attention. That’s why it’s disappointing that his portrayal of Julian ends up being so middling.The script clearly aims to paint Julian as a slick, arrogant tech mogul—the archetypal “young corporate disruptor” who serves as the film’s main antagonist. Peters leans into the role with energy, and you can tell he’s having fun, but the character itself is thin. Julian’s motivations are vague and ill-defined. Does he want to surpass ENCOM? Seek power, money, or dominance? The movie never makes it clear. Even previous Tron villains like the Master Control Program or CLU had distinct objectives, but Julian’s remain frustratingly nebulous. The result is a generic, forgettable villain—one whose personality never matches his potential.
Tied to Julian is his mother, Elisabeth Dillinger, played by Gillian Anderson (The X-Files, The Crown). Anderson brings her usual gravitas and serves as the film’s most seasoned acting presence. Unfortunately, her role as the “concerned mother” archetype is written far too simplistically. Despite Anderson’s effort, Elisabeth never rises above being a narrative device, a missed opportunity for a richer family dynamic within the Tron universe.
Jodie Turner-Smith (The Last Ship, Queen & Slim) fares slightly better as Athena, a programmed soldier and Ares’s second-in-command. Turner-Smith captures Athena’s icy composure and intensity well, giving the film some much-needed edge. The character, by design, is restricted to her function—a loyal enforcer who cannot see beyond her programming, much like CLU in Tron: Legacy. It’s a straightforward role, but Turner-Smith’s commanding presence makes it work. Athena may not be deep, but she’s effective, serving as both an antagonist and a mirror to Ares’s growing self-awareness.
As heavily teased in the marketing, Tron: Ares also marks the return of Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn, the former ENCOM visionary and creator of the digital world. It’s undeniably great to see Bridges reprise his iconic role—he still embodies the same easy charisma and philosophical tone that defined Flynn in both the 1982 original and Tron: Legacy. Sadly, his appearance is brief and largely symbolic. Reduced to a glorified cameo, Flynn’s inclusion feels like another instance of nostalgia bait rather than meaningful storytelling. He contributes one key plot beat and then vanishes from the narrative, leaving fans wishing for more.
As a side note, Cameron Monaghan (The Giver, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order) appears as Caius, a soldier program and member of Ares’s elite task unit. His role seems like it was once larger—there are traces of a deeper subplot—but in the final cut, Caius is little more than background dressing.
The rest of the supporting cast—including Arturo Castro (Broad City, Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk) as Eve’s friend Seth Flores, Hasan Minhaj (It Ends With Us, No Hard Feelings) as ENCOM’s CTO Ajay Singh, Sarah Desjardins (Yellowjackets, Riverdale) as assistant Erin, and Selene Yun (The Recruit) as Eve’s late sister Tess—are all serviceable but forgettable. Each fills a specific archetype, yet none leave a lasting impression, blending into the film’s formulaic structure.
Lastly, Tron: Ares does feature a mid-credits scene. Without giving anything away, it teases an intriguing setup for a possible sequel—though whether Disney will pursue it after this installment’s reception remains to be seen.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Worlds collide as Eve Kim races to recover Kevin Flynn’s elusive “permanence code” before corporate rival Julian Dillinger can seize it first—enlisting the formidable program Ares to intervene in the real world. Tron: Ares, directed by Joachim Rønning, aims to reignite Disney’s neon-drenched sci-fi saga for a new generation, introducing fresh characters and concepts that blur the boundaries between the digital and human realms. While the film impresses with its sleek visuals and pulsating score, much of it falls flat when compared to its 2010 predecessor. Despite its technical polish, Tron: Ares struggles to revitalize the brand name, weighed down by uninspired direction, a formulaic and often convoluted plot, forced nostalgia, and a roster of cookie-cutter characters. Personally, I found Tron: Ares to be a disappointment. The potential was there—especially after what Tron: Legacy accomplished in blending cutting-edge design with emotional storytelling—but the execution simply doesn’t deliver. The visual effects are stunning, and the Nine Inch Nails score adds a visceral punch, yet those strengths can’t overcome the film’s narrative emptiness and lack of character engagement. It’s a frustrating reminder of how great this sequel could have been. Ultimately, Tron: Ares is a visually spectacular but hollow blockbuster—one that dazzles the eyes while leaving the heart untouched. My recommendation: a disheartening “skip it.” Longtime fans may find fleeting enjoyment in its action and aesthetic flourishes, but for most moviegoers, it’s likely to be a letdown. Though the ending teases another potential chapter, the odds of seeing it realized seem slim given this installment’s lukewarm reception. In the end, Tron: Ares proves a massive missed opportunity—an ambitious but misguided continuation that extinguishes much of the franchise’s spark. In essence, this movie didn’t just dim the Grid’s glow… it may have ended the Tron saga for good. End of line.
2.4 Out of 5 (Skip It)
The Official Website for Tron: Ares Link: HERE
Released On: October 10th, 2025
Reviewed On: November 9th, 2025
Tron: Ares is 119 minutes long and is rated PG-13 for violence / action
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