Movie Review: TRON: Ares (2025)
The latest installment in the long-running sci-fi franchise, TRON: Ares, brings the high-tech world of the Grid into the real world, a shift in direction that proves to be a double-edged sword. While the film is a visual spectacle that delivers on the aesthetic promise of the TRON universe, it is critically hampered by an unbalanced soundtrack and a severely underdeveloped screenplay.
A Visually Stunning but Incoherent Experience
Aesthetically, TRON: Ares is exactly what fans expect; visually stunning, particularly when traversing the familiar cyber-landscape of the Grid. The action sequences—including unique extended scenes like a dynamic water sequence and the integration of Light Cycles into the real world Scenes such as this are both long and captivating. The evolution of the visual mechanics, weapons, and vehicles within the digital realm is a high point, offering a compelling progression from TRON: Legacy.
However, this visual strength struggles to compensate for significant flaws. The movie’s concept of an AI rapidly evolving is intellectually neat for a tech-minded audience, but the transition of the Grid elements into the real world is largely unsuccessful, it felt too gimmicky and cartoonish at times.
The Sound of Discord
Perhaps the most contentious element of the film is the Nine Inch Nails soundtrack, which was tasked with filling the massive shoes left by Daft Punk’s iconic score for Legacy. Unfortunately, the composition is widely criticized for its technical and creative execution. I felt like the sound mixing was off and unbalanced.
The final score was somewhat incoherent and failed to leave a lasting impression. The music often felt forcefully loud and was more akin to Nine Inch Nails’ aggressive style rather than the nuanced, atmospheric work of composer Trent Reznor seen in other films.
Wasted Talent and a Weak Script
The most damning criticism is leveled at the plot, character development, and acting performances. The screenplay is consistently called dull, silly, and repetitive, failing to provide an engaging story or a necessary emotional connection to the previous films.
The cast, which includes Oscar-winner Jared Leto, Emmy-winner Evan Peters, and the acclaimed Greta Lee, is considered largely wasted. Jared Leto has played many characters over his time, but Ares has to be my Favorite and is definitely a character I would love to see them revisit, Evan Peters’ character is relegated to a stock villain role, a massive underutilization of his talent. Overall, the film struggles to make the audience care about the character motivations.
Final Verdict
TRON: Ares was fun and a good film to sit back and relax to as it provides a spectacle and nostalgia, making it a source of “mindless fun” for those seeking a visually cool cinematic experience. However, its narrative and audio flaws prevent it from achieving the lasting quality of its predecessors.