I expected Disney to be a little more profound with “TRON: Ares.”
Given its history with CGI and animation, you’d think it’d have something bold or meaningful to say about artificial intelligence. Instead, what we get is a slick, overproduced sequel that looks amazing but feels hollow.
“Ares” plays out like a two-hour Nine Inch Nails music video; great sound, cool visuals, and almost nothing behind it.
The movie definitely looks good. The effects are sharp, and the soundtrack by the aforementioned Nine Inch Nails practically carries the whole film, setting the pace and mood better than the writing ever does.
But the film leans too much on that style. It all feels like a presentation. It gives you something nice to look at and listen to but never gives you a reason to care.
This should’ve been Disney’s moment to say something about technology and what it means today. The first “TRON” in 1982 broke new ground and turned digital space into an idea —something mysterious and full of potential. “TRON: Legacy” in 2010 did the same with a more emotional spin, pairing Daft Punk’s score with sleek, dreamlike visuals.
Both films had personality and curiosity. “Ares” borrows their look but none of their meaning.
Disney is a studio known for doing Animation and CGI the hard way, which is a large reason why they’re a leader in CGI innovation, which is why this one stings a bit. It’s empty when it should’ve been thoughtful, especially during a time when people need guidance on technology, and the stakes on the usage of artificial intelligence are higher than ever.
I understand that “TRON” isn’t known as the most provocative franchise of all time. But the first “TRON” inspired questions and exploration of technology. “Ares” just sells vanity and false hope.
The story is thin and repetitive. It’s basically a loop of chase scenes, quick pauses, and resolutions before another chase starts. It’s energetic for a bit, but these chase scenes take up the majority of the film.
The characters go through the same emotional patterns, but nothing deeper ever develops from it. It’s simple, predictable filmmaking that depends on action to distract from the lack of substance.
The whole thing is stitched together without care for continuity, built entirely on a mountain of nonsense.
It’s also careless with how it shows AI. The film gives this false sense of hope, showing AI doing impossible things like instantly growing crops and trees out of thin air. It’s random and unrealistic and represents AI as a sort of false idol.
That kind of messaging is dangerous right now, especially when we’re still figuring out how to handle everything responsibly. The movie could’ve said something about control, or ethics or creativity. Instead, it paints AI as a miracle.
Jared Leto’s performance fits the tone of the movie. He’s a digital program brought into the real world, and he acts like one: flat and robotic.
Greta Lee actually performs fairly well, though she can’t help her character being poorly written as one of two tech CEO’s fighting over Leto. Not a very relatable plot no matter how hard they try to make these characters feel vulnerable and human.
Jeff Bridges’ return is a nice bit of nostalgia, and a nice reprise from the visual fatigue you start to feel towards the end of the film. The visuals are strong, sure. It’s the kind of clean, detailed work Disney is known for. But it’s shallow, serving a story that never connects.
Disney’s “TRON” franchise used to stand for creativity and risk-taking. 40 years later, it feels stuck in a loop, chasing its own reflection instead of breaking new ground. “TRON: Ares” has the look, the score and the budget, but not the innovation.
