Welcome back to the Grid, Programs.
The third installment of the legendary TRON saga is here — TRON: Ares. And yes, there was skepticism. Disney hasn’t exactly had the best track record lately when it comes to not wrecking beloved childhood franchises.
But this time? Spoiler alert: they didn’t mess it up.
⚡ Expectations: Skepticism with Bits & Bytes
When TRON: Ares was first announced, alarm bells went off for many. Was TRON about to be forced into some over-the-top “woke” parallel reality?
But then — Steven Lisberger’s back. Jeff Bridges too. So: disc ready, light cycles charged… time to dive back into the Grid!
🕶️ 3D? Mandatory!
The film in 3D is an absolute visual feast. For the true experience, don’t skip it! The light reflections, the Grid, the return of the classic Light Cycles… chef’s kiss.
🧠 For Digital Natives: Context, Baby!
If you grew up on iPhones and TikTok, you might not immediately get why someone’s creating an orange tree in an ice desert, what a “Bit” is, or why there’s a crack in the Grid wall.
But if you know TRON (1982) and TRON: Legacy (2010), then Ares is a loving continuation packed with easter eggs and subtle callbacks.
Remember?
ENCOM
Flynn’s Arcade
The laser bay test
DuMont / Dr. Gibbs
Sark, the Grid villain
And the bitter legacy of the Dillingers
🧬 The Story: When AI Starts Asking Back
(Spoiler alert!)
Ares, a self-aware program, poses the central question: What is the value of free will when even humans are willingly giving it up?
The dystopia isn’t in the Grid. It’s outside — in the real world, where people have forgotten how to think for themselves.
Literally, it echoes TRON (1982) — the laser bay scene, the conversation between Dr. Gibbs (DuMont) and Alan (Tron):
Dr. Gibbs: “Computers are just machines; they can’t think.”
Alan: “Some programs will soon be able to think.”
Dr. Gibbs: “Well, that’s great. Computers and programs will think—and people will stop doing it altogether.”
⚔️ A Hero with Self-Doubt
Ares isn’t just a digital hero. He’s a mirror — for his creators, and for us. He realizes that his creator (a Dillinger descendant) is blind, obsessed with control, and unable to grasp the consequences of his AI commands. Naturally, that hubris leads to tragedy (yes, there’s even a Scully-style emotional hit — but no, it’s not actually Scully 😅).
🌐 Cyberspace as Refuge?
More and more people are escaping into digital worlds — not because they’re tech geeks, but because the real world has become ideologically uninhabitable for them.
TRON: Ares finally asks one of the big questions again:
“Who is more human — the human, or the program that has learned what humanity means?”
🧓 Flynn Is Watching
Jeff Bridges as Flynn returns in a quiet, almost zen-like state — watching from, of course, the Grid. Humanity stands at the threshold of a new digital evolution. But the question remains: does it deserve it?
🧡 Verdict: Thank You, Disney!
They didn’t destroy a nostalgic cult classic. They expanded it — with love, nerd spirit, and a wink back to 1982.
TRON: Ares isn’t just a sequel; it’s a tribute to the original, a springboard into the AI era… and a monument to critical thinking.
🟩 TL;DR (for Cyberspeed Mode):
3D? Absolutely yes!
Story? Solid, deep, AI-driven.
Nostalgia? Maxed out.
Nerd factor? 💾💾💾💾💾 out of 5.
Politics? Thankfully no woke disaster.
Final verdict: TRONified and approved.
💡 “The Grid. A digital frontier. I tried to picture clusters of information as they moved through the computer…”
→ In TRON: Ares, that quote finally becomes reality.
(MSc)