4K Digital Review of TRON: ARES

 

I am one of those people who have grown up with Tron and have been a huge fan since watching the first one on the big screen. I was eight when the first one hit theaters. The visuals and the story drew me in. Then I had to wait twenty-eight years for the sequel. Disney seemed geared up to take the franchise to the next level. Promotion for Tron: Legacy was everywhere from shoes, to clothes, to Daft Punk on the soundtrack to elecTRONica, a night party in Disney California Adventure Park. The movie opened and the box office return was less than stellar. So, here we are, fifteen years later, and while we don't get the exact sequel to Legacy, we get another Tron movie.

ENCOM and Dillinger are still going back and forth with one another for control of the digital world. They are using The Grid to try to advance their companies forward. They have both figured out how to bring digital items from The Grid into our world. The only problem is that the digital programs can only exist in our world for 29 minutes. Now the search is on for the permanence code that Flynn (Jeff Bridges) hid in his original code. ENCOM CEO Eve Kim (Greta Lee) finds the code before Dillinger CEO Julian (Evan Peters). Julian sends his security program, Ares (Jared Leto) after Eve.

Video:

The 4K video stream is stunning. In the real world, the colors are dark and moody. In The Grid, the bright colors really shine. There are so many fine details to point out. Facial details, skin tones, and materials all look amazing. The digital world looks clean and believable. Blacks are so deep and inky. Colors and shadows all look impressive. A demo worthy visual experience.

Audio:

The Dolby Atmos audio track matches the gorgeous visuals. The Nine Inch Nails score matches the moody visuals of the film perfectly. Dialogue is crisp and clean. The surrounds get a good workout. 

Bonus Features:

• Deleted Scenes
• Seth’s Date
• Burning Man
• Lisberger Cameo
• Featurettes:
• The Journey To Tron: Ares: Go on a personal journey with Jared Leto, director Joachim Rønning and other cast and crew members for an in-depth making-of look showcasing the stunning visuals, incredible stunts, cool (but heavy) costumes, and next-level sets of Tron: Ares.
• Lightcycles On The Loose: Join director Joachim Rønning as he peels back the layers of one of the most action-packed sequences in the film. Discover what ILM and the artists who grew up loving the franchise contributed, and what other iconic film the sequence pays homage to.
• The Artistry Of Tron: Ares: Director Joachim Rønning and actor-producer Jared Leto sit down to discuss their journey creating Tron: Ares. The pair unpack key moments and the striking visual, sonic and artistic philosophies that drive the storytelling both in and out of the Grid.
• Cast Conversations: Join the cast in candid conversations as they reflect on stepping into character, memorable on-set experiences, funny anecdotes and personal insights. Get a glimpse of the off-screeHi [NAME],
• n camaraderie that shines in their electric on-screen synergy. 
• The Legacy Of Tron: Decades after Tron first took the world by storm, and with Tron: Legacy in between, there’s loads of nostalgia to mine for Tron: Ares. Catch some clever easter eggs and noteworthy cameos as this enduring franchise continues to leave its mark

Conclusion:

A fun, solid, well-told Tron movie that seriously under-performed at the box office. We will probably never see another Tron movie again. Good bonus material along with incredible audio and video will still make this one of 2025's top demo discs. A welcomed addition to your library if you are a Tron fan like myself.