Tron

Rating:
Summary: If TRON confused you, here's a helpful summary
Review: While TRON was a groundbreaking movie, I didn't understand the story back in 1982, when I was all of 12 years old. Part of the reason was the confusing terminology and concepts -- just what exactly was the MCP (the Master Control Program), the gatekeeper, and the IO port? Another confusing thing is the costumes -- in some shots, I couldn't tell if I was looking at Jeff Bridges or Bruce Boxleitner. To add more confusion, each character has either zero, two, or three representations in the film (Dillenger's alter egos are both SARK, and the MCP, yet RAM corresponds to nobody, and Alan Bradley is called "Alan1", as well as "TRON"). And the explanation of Flynn's mission is explained in only three fleeting minutes on the screen. Also, it seems as if there's a gap in the film, when Yori, TRON, and Flynn traverse past the "spider" field. Bad sound dubbing in the videotaped version also made it difficult to understand. But I LOVE the phenomenal visuals, which look awesome to this day!!

After having rented the movie and seen it about 8 times, I FINALLY understand what the movie is about.

The following is a "Cliff Notes" for those who were similiarly confused. Don't read it until you've seen the movie.

Encom's brilliant programmer, Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), wrote some great arcade games on the company mainframe in his spare time. His older colleague, the English accented Dillenger, stole the games -- and the credit for creating them. Encom got rich off of marketing the games in the arcades (to the tune of $8 million a week), and as a result, Dillenger briskly climbed up the coporate ladder to become senior VP. He fired Flynn, who now owns a video arcade. As vengeance, Flynn wants to break into Encom's computers to retrieve evidence that HE created the games -- not Dillenger. Unfortunately, he runs up against Dillenger's Master Control Program (MCP), which is a security program that manages the execution of other programs, similar to an operating system. Enter "TRON", a program written by Flynn's colleague, Alan Bradley. "TRON" is a program designed to kill off unscheduled tasks, but its secret mission is to disable the MCP. Teaming up together, Flynn, Bradley, and Bradley's girlfriend Lora (Flynn's ex-girlfriend) enter Encom to shutdown the MCP and get Flynn's evidence. In the process, Flynn gets zapped into the computer by the MCP. Flynn is then pitted against his own old arcade game programs, and survives. Teaming up with Alan's "TRON" program, and RAM (who corresponds to nobody), the trio escape, but become separated in battle. TRON makes his way to the input/Output port (like the keyboard port) of the computer, so that he can speak to Alan (aka his login name of "Alan1"). On the way, he picks up his girlfriend, Yori. Eventually, TRON is able to communicate with Alan to get the final code to shut down the MCP entirely and rewrite it, thus enabling Flynn to get his evidence. Flynn reunites with Alan and Yori, and take control of a solar-sail simulator program to get close to the MCP. But once again, the group becomes separated. TRON confronts SARK directly in disk-to-disk combat; TRON almost succeeds in destroying SARK, so the MCP grants more computer cycles to empower SARK -- thus weakening itself. From high above in the solar-sail program, Flynn jumps into the MCP and stalls it, allowing TRON direct access to destroy the MCP entirely and replace it with a kinder, gentler MCP. The SARK program dies, the choir sings, Flynn's evidence is revealed, Dillenger gets fired, and Flynn becomes the VP (if not the CEO) of the company.

In the final brilliant scene, a time lapse view of bustling city lights provides a perfect analogy of the city as a computer, with its own datapaths (highways) and programs (you and me). For essentially, aren't we all just programs doing the incomprehensible biddings of our great, unseen, omniscient, and powerful USER?

Enjoy the film!

Rating:
Summary: Fabulous family oriented movie
Review: This movie utilized advanced technical strategies for the period. The first time I say the film, I did not understand it because computer technology was not a household term. Now I understand what CPU means and enjoy the entire movie. What an imagination - this is a video for young children. It has action, mystery, and low violence. I'd see it agan and again.

Rating:
Summary: A classic. Released finally in a format worth of it.
Review: This movie deserved to be viewed this way. All the audiovisual special effects and music are truly appreciated in DVD format.

Rating:
Summary: A SUPERB MOVIE!
Review: This movie, I think, was great! The people who did the computer graphics out did themselves. I bet those same people didn't know that computer graphics is a gold mine. The actors did a good job too! Anyways, the movie was great because of the actors and computer graphics. Disney hit a jackpot when they did TRON!

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Summary: finally...
Review: I am so happy to have found this movie on dvd, and (thankfully) in widescreen format. For years I watched this classic on vhs tape, poor color, standard format, and bad sound diluting the whole experience. When I watched the DVD version, all the sudden I was back in my youth recalling how I would race around on my BMX bike pretending it was a lightcycle. I forgot what this movie felt like. Now, I know it is not the best transfer possible for dvd's capabilities but if you're not a thecnicial superfreak NONE of this will bother you in the least. I am happy.

Rating:
Summary: THE MOVIE WAS JUST ALRIGHT!!!!!!!
Review: I watched this movie as a child and got very interested... but today if I saw it again I'd probably throw something at the TV, but my husband likes it so I'll probably wind up buying it. This movies for you if you are into "video game" type movies..... One good thing I have to say is this movie would be great for children- teen age people. A clean video with action & drama without all the 90's cussing that ruins some films today!!!!!!

Rating:
Summary: A+
Review: My husband and I saw this film ages ago and watch it everytime we can find it on TV. Our son is now into video games and we are buying it to show him. Can't wait to watch it with him!!!

Rating:
Summary: For its' time, unparelled special effects, a step up.
Review: Very few films from my youth bring back such memories as Tron does. I was always a Disney fan, although this particular film departed from the norm for them in many ways. Disney has always been about timeless stories, fairy-tells. Tron was a step towards the future, not only in the jaw-dropping special effects, but in the plotline. This was one of the first big movies that dealt with the idea of computers taking over the world and some children's obsession with video games, which has grown even more today. Computers have almost taken over the world. Look around you. Computers are everywhere and have become an integral part of society. Perhaps Tron's vision was not far off. Some of the acting is cheezy. Some of the plot a bit contrived and predictable, but the special effects and story were groundbreaking. For any die-hard sci-fi fan, this is a great addition to your DVD library.

Rating:
Summary: Good Movie Could have been better
Review: The quality of this movie needs a vast improvement. I noticed immediately that it needed a Direct Digital Remastering. They could have even added a special edition to highlight the characters of the movie.. I hope Disney will get it right!

Rating:
Summary: This is a great film.
Review: For some reason, I passed up on seeing Tron as a kid and only saw it for the first time last year. I must have seen it 10 times since. It is one of my all time favorites at this point. The animation has such style, and the whole look of the film is so unique. Jeff Bridges is wonderful as usual, and contrary to the previous review, the actors do NOT look bored. I don't know where you got that from, perhaps "You've Got Mail" is more your speed...