TRON: Legacy Dir. Joseph Kosinski Year: 2010 Aus Rating: PG Running Time: 120mins
What is the legacy of TRON? Steven Lisberger’s 1982 original revolutionised special visual effects (it was deemed ineligible by the Academy Awards because they felt its use of computers was “cheating”!) and has been an inspiration for Pixar’s John Lasseter and French dance musicians Daft Punk. 28 years later and we finally get the sequel that comes as technology has finally caught up with the ideas. First time director Joseph Kosinski may have brought TRON into the 21st century, but he also brought along the clunky dialogue, confusing exposition and hokey acting. TRON: Legacy is as sleek and snappy as they come, but the parts are rusty.
I honestly wanted to give this higher grade for the visuals and that amazing music score by Daft Punk, because I truly did think it was second-to-none in those areas. The costumes, the art direction, the visual effects? I'd give them all Oscars if I could (beating out Inception, which I think a lot more people will be pulling for) and I think the film would be an easy rewatch because of them. However, I also reckon the story stinks. It stunk in 1982 and it still stinks now.
I think the most apt aspect of TRON: Legacy is that the character of Sam Flynn (son of Jeff Bridges' Kevin Flynn) has absolutely no awe whatsoever at what he is seeing and experiencing. He just seems to shrug his shoulders and go "yeah, okay, this seems right." Like... huh? How can they expect the audience to be blown away by this story of technology's take-over of civilisation if the lead character can't even get all that worked up over it (unless he's shooting a big gun... ugh, GUNS? Guns in the world of TRON? That was the most offensive aspect of it. I hate when sci-fi/fantasy movie resort to using guns, it's like giving up!) In fact, one of the nicer moments was Olivia Wilde's face at the very end. She had awe, he had constipation. C+
Many in the movie-watching game have claimed 2010 was the "year of the woman" (don't tell Meir Zarchi, he may get the wrong idea!) or the "year of animation" or the "year of the auteur", but I'd like to put forth my own suggestion:
Reznor and Rose especially feel like a crime to omit from my roster of five best original scores of the year when in most other years I would be handing them my Gold Model, but I gave them the flick because, as spectacular as their music is, it's the one that seems to least bring me back to the movie itself. If that makes sense. It's fantastic to listen to (and I've included two of my favourite tracks below) but when I listen to it I don't go "Oh man, I need to watch The Social Network again!"
"Hand Covers Bruise" | "Magnetic" from The Social Network (Trent Reznor and Atticus Rose)
Bear in mind I have not seen Black Swan, True Grit or The Ghost Writer yet so this upcoming top 5 (in alphabetical order) could change once again when I do, but these next five scores are one of the things that has made 2010 so good for me. I covet them and want to wrap them around me like a warm blanket.
I was as surprised as anybody to discover How to Train Your Dragon was, ya know, not shit! My history with DreamWorks Animation is hardly positive, but Dean DeBlois, Chris Sanders and the rest of the team behind it really pulled it off with aplomb. Let's just be thankful there weren't any pop culture jokes, okay! Best in show for me was John Powell, whose score felt suitable grand and mythic. Chock full to the brim with powerful brass, delightful wind instruments, bombastic drums and big strings, it's been one of my most replayed film scores of the year. That recurring "Test Drive" (below left) theme (and the marching band version in "Coming Back Around", below right) won my heart forever and a day.
"Test Drive" | "Coming Back Around" by John Powell (How to Train Your Dragon)
About 15 minutes into Sylvain Chomet's The Illusionist at MIFF earlier this year I thought to myself "this is the best music score of the year!" And now that I've been able to hear most of the much-praised/buzzed music from other movies I reckon I can still say that Chomet's own music for his stunning animation is indeed the best film music of the year. What I was saying about The Social Network's music not transporting me back to the film itself? I can't say that about this music (or any of the other four in my top five, which is why they're in the top five and not Reznor/Rose). So bittersweet and whimsical without being twee. Even if you haven't seen the film the below piece of music will probably break your heart.
"Illusionist Finale" by Sylvain Chomet (The Illusionist)
Everyone seems to think that Hans Zimmer's score for Inception is all about those giant, thunderous explosions of horn instruments (that may or may not actually be "Non, je ne regrette rien" being played a glacial pace), but there is so much more going on. I love the fast-paced raver electro of "Mombassa", the ever-building tension of "Time" and "Dream is Collapsing", which is a fabulous piece of thriller music that, yes, climaxes with those thunderous horns. It is such a change of pace for a big budget action movie to feature a score that isn't either identical to everything else and/or a cheap imitation of Star Wars/Batman/etc.
"Mombassa" | "Dream is Collapsing" by Hans Zimmer (Inception
My absolute favourite film of the year - nothing can take that title away, nothing - is Monsters. The first time I saw it I didn't notice the music so much, I was far more taken by the visuals, but when I saw it for a second time I loved the way Jon Hopkins' jangly strings, whirling synthesizers, delicate piano and throbbing bass add to the sense of unease. The way it allows otherwise routine sequences to hang precariously close to the edge and adds a layer or drama that may not have otherwise been there. That Hopkins has worked with Brian Eno and Massive Attack is not a surprise to learn.
"Campfire" | "Encounter" from Monsters (Jon Hopkins)
Of course, everybody was talking about Daft Punk's score for TRON: Legacy from the very day the film was announced and, having just seen it last night (I didn't listen to the music beforehand, I wanted it to be experienced in the way it was designed to on first inspection), I can say that it didn't disappoint (me). Fans of the French muso's music will immediately leap towards "Derezzed", "TRON Legacy (End Credits)" and "The Son of Flynn", but I also love the Blade Runner styles of "Armory", the almost John Carpenter like pulse of "Arena", the strings of "Adagio for TRON", the panpipes of "Outlands" and the futuristic war epic grandoise music of "Disc Wars" help give the score a real claim on legitimacy. But those pulsating synths of "End of Line" (with 8-Bit sound effects to boot), "The Game Has Changed" and "Nocturne" will make you want to rush out, purchase the soundtrack, start playing and turn the volume up the glass-shattering levels.
"The Game Has Changed" | "End of Line" by Daft Punk (TRON: Legacy)
Of course, if I was able to choose by absolute favourite score of the year it would have to be I Am Love. While it's not an original score, but instead a collection of famous John Adams pieces that have been collated and assembled by director Luca Guadagnino for his Italian film, there was still no more harmonious collaborations between visuals and sounds than I Am Love. I could listen to this soundtrack all day long, even the big, bombastic, melodramatic pieces that turned some people off. I found it delicious and one morsel of music from the soundtrack is never enough.
"Lollapalooza" | "Harmonielehre: Part III - Meister Eckhardt and Quackie" by John Adams (I Am Love)
My mind can, at times, act like a jukebox. Random songs randomly popping up in quick succession with no rhyme or reason. Daft Punk has, for some reason on the inner-workings of my brain synapses could explain, have been on a repetitive loop for several days now. They're very good, aren't they? Blood excellent would be a more apt descriptor.
While I've hammered out Homework, Discovery and even the underrated Human After All quite a bit these past few days, it is Alive 2007 that has gotten the most repeat action on the speakers. The only thing better than "Superheroes" (my favourite Daft Punk track) is the Alive 2007 mashup between "Superheroes" and "Human After All" in a near six-minute bass-thumping extravaganza of ever-mounting beats. Below is a poorly-filmed video of the concert sequence - Alive 2007 is a live concert album, but better than most others since they actually rework all the tracks and give them new life - that makes me wish the concert had been filmed and released theatrically in 3D. I can imagine that light show flying at me at 180bpm like the "I Love New York" sequence in Madonna's equally-addictive Confessions Tour.
I've also included the Alive 2007 single release of "Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger" which single handedly returned Daft Punk to the charts and clubs. It's anthemic, isn't it?
Speaking of Daft Punk, I cannot wait to hear the material they have written for TRON Legacy. The movie is out in December, but hopefully we will get to hear the soundtrack earlier than that. I am hoping it is incredible and that they get nominated for Oscars and get to perform on stage in their giant rave pyramid. That'd certainly shake things up, wouldn't it? I didn't like the original Tron from 1982, but I hold out hope for this sequel. It looks a lot like Speed Racer, which I enjoyed greatly because of how deranged it was and because I felt like my eyes were being stood on by leprechauns.
What is the legacy of TRON? Steven Lisberger’s 1982 original revolutionised special visual effects (it was deemed ineligible by the Academy Awards because they felt its use of computers was “cheating”!) and has been an inspiration for Pixar’s John Lasseter and French dance musicians Daft Punk. 28 years later and we finally get the sequel that comes as technology has finally caught up with the ideas. First time director Joseph Kosinski may have brought TRON into the 21st century, but he also brought along the clunky dialogue, confusing exposition and hokey acting. TRON: Legacy is as sleek and snappy as they come, but the parts are rusty.
