NOTE: This article contains spoilers from the ‘Tron: Ares’ movie.
Disney’s Tron franchise has always held a unique place in science fiction and cinematic history. The original 1982 ‘Tron‘ film, directed by Steven Lisberger, introduced audiences to a world inside the computer, where programs were as real as the people who controlled them. While it became more of a cult classic than a blockbuster, its influence on visual effects and digital storytelling remains undeniable. ‘Tron: Legacy,’ in 2010, continued that vision, combining Joseph Kosinski’s direction with Daft Punk’s unforgettable score, creating a futuristic yet human-centered story. Nearly three decades after the first film, ‘Tron: Ares‘ arrives as the franchise’s third chapter, carrying enormous expectations and aiming to push both narrative and visual boundaries.
Set fifteen years after Legacy, Tron: Ares explores what happens when digital life collides directly with the physical world. Jared Leto plays Ares, a highly sophisticated program created by Julian Dillinger, the new CEO of Dillinger Systems. Julian aims to weaponize the Grid and harness its power for profit and influence, echoing his grandfather Ed Dillinger’s ambition from the original film. ENCOM, under Eve Kim (Greta Lee), represents the opposite by using advanced technology for human betterment rather than destruction. The rivalry between the two corporations drives the story, rooting it in the franchise’s legacy while opening new questions about morality, free will, and the consequences of technological advancement.
Ares’ Journey: From Digital Soldier to Self-Aware Hero
Ares is designed as the perfect digital soldier, but develops self-awareness and empathy, betraying Julian to team up with Eve. Together, they seek the “Permanence Code,” Kevin Flynn’s secret creation that could allow programs to exist permanently in the real world. This journey takes them into multiple versions of the Grid, including Kevin Flynn’s original “Retro Grid,” which ties the new story back to the franchise’s roots. The film presents a fascinating evolution of the digital world, showing how it has grown, adapted, and begun to interact with human reality in ways that were only hinted at in the previous films.
Visually, Tron: Ares makes a bold choice. Where Legacy presented an elegant, neon-soaked digital environment, Ares leans into tangible, physical effects. Light cycles and disc battles have a weight and presence that make them feel real, anchored by constructed sets, practical elements, and tactile costumes. Industrial Light & Magic’s effects work seamlessly with this approach, making the Grid feel like a place where the digital and physical collide. This grounding strengthens the story’s stakes because the danger of the Grid’s expansion into the real world becomes something the audience can feel.
The film’s soundscape continues the franchise’s tradition of iconic electronic music but with a distinctive twist. Through Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Nine Inch Nails provides a score that contrasts the sterile perfection of digital life with raw, chaotic energy. Their compositions give the movie a sense of tension and unpredictability, reflecting Ares’s struggle between programmed purpose and human-like autonomy. The music is not just accompaniment; it drives the narrative, underscoring moments of action, discovery, and emotional revelation.
The performances balance spectacle with humanity. Leto’s Ares is both powerful and restrained, embodying a digital warrior with the capacity for compassion. Greta Lee’s Eve Kim anchors the story with her moral clarity and quiet determination, making her the emotional center of the narrative. Evan Peters’s Julian Dillinger brings ambition, charm, and menace, while Gillian Anderson’s Elisabeth Dillinger provides a grounded, humanizing counterpoint. The supporting cast, including Hasan Minhaj as ENCOM’s CTO Ajay Singh, adds depth to the corporate and technological conflicts, even if some subplots feel underdeveloped.
The Grid Evolves, and So Do Its Stories
The plot of Tron: Ares resonates with the franchise’s earlier themes. The Dillinger-Flynn rivalry continues, the ethical dilemmas of artificial intelligence are explored, and the Grid evolves. Ares’s journey mirrors Quorra’s from Legacy, asking what it means to exist beyond programming and to choose a path independent of one’s creator. The Permanence Code serves as both a plot device and a philosophical question about the intersection of digital and human life. Kevin Flynn’s influence remains central, guiding characters even in his absence and connecting past, present, and future.
Ares ends with open possibilities. Julian escapes into a damaged Grid, hinting at a new antagonist in the form of a reimagined Sark. Ares goes into hiding, exploring what it means to be fully human while leaving traces for Eve to follow, including references to Sam Flynn and Quorra’s survival. The story does not tie up every thread, allowing viewers to consider the consequences of programs in the real world, the responsibilities of creators, and the potential for future encounters between users and their creations.
Tron: Ares is imperfect, ambitious, and layered. It respects the franchise’s legacy while expanding its boundaries, showing how digital life can intersect with our own. It invites discussion about free will, technology, and morality, while leaving some questions unanswered. The result is a film that, like the Grid itself, continues to expand and evolve, and whose impact will likely be discussed as the franchise moves forward.
