The Legacy of Tron: Legacy

On the eve of Joseph Kosinski's newest 30-years-later sequel #TopGunMaverick, let's take a look at the movie that jumpstarted the career of one of this generation's most idiosyncratic and effective action directors.
The Legacy of Tron: Legacy is a complicated one. The film is a gorgeous testament to a singularly slick vision of cyberspace, but it also kicked off a decade of lazy, hollow "legacyquels," a genre that became more about our relationship with a piece of media than it was about the media itself.
But there's something in Tron: Legacy that breaks that mold and manages to resonate beyond the slapdash legacyquels of the 2010s: a thematic core that's surprisingly deep, a forward-thinking style that goes beyond the aesthetic limitations of the original, and a real willingness to experiment in both tone and form.
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[@nuria91]

You're doing an outstanding job with these video essays. As a Kosinski fan from day 1, I really appreciate how you explain what makes his filmmaking style so special.

[@Axolotl_Mischief]

I loved Oblivion, super underrated flick and Kosinski is a great director.

[@Izelikestea]

I ignored tron legacy for a long time. Figuring it was just another style over substance ip reboot as the critics said. But then I caught it on TV one day and was captivated by it. Though I couldn't articulate why till I watched this. A masterpiece of an essay!

[@sidearmsalpha]

It's a shame that this didn't blow up considering how much of it is tech-driven. It's still one of my favorite movies and I was so glad I got to see it in IMAX 3D when it came out. The soundtrack is so amazing as well. The end left me wanting more then Disney let us down.

[@kettleworks]

stills stuns me that a first-time movie director was able to make such a solid film centred on the idea of Legacy and a mix of it as regret, achievement, and shame all at once also, regarding your point about Young Jeff Bridges needing digital retouching, i do agree but mainly only for the first scene where it’s set in the real world. i know Clu is meant to be a perfect clone of Flynn, but i do think the extremely digital look of Clu as a Young Jeff Bridges works well, enhancing the divide between Flynn The Real and Flynn The Program

[@BazilRat]

Agreed. I would only touch up Real World Young Jeff, and leave Clu alone.

[@cazory2147]

It's great more and more people are getting older and realizing just how great this movie is.

[@poneill65]

I think that Joseph Trapanese had quite a lot to do with the quality of "Daft Punk's" soundtrack. He paired with M83 on Kosinski's Oblivion in a very similar manner. Both films have beautiful emotive soundtracks and their common denominator is the pairing of Trapanese/Kosinski.

[@norrieee9219]

Was, and always will be 10 years ahead of it’s time.

[@KennethWrites]

The description by critics of Tron: Legacy over and over again of being a "video game movie" or "more style over substance" drove me absolutely insane when it first came out. The Games are about 20 minutes of the entire movie. You know what else is 20 minutes? The time in between when Sam shows up to his Dad's house/hideout to the time he leaves back to the city. We have a touching reunion, an awkward dinner, Flynn speaks about regrets, achievements, hopes, dreams and discoveries. Later on, in the midst of running towards the Portal and away from danger, they mention Kevin's parents and his old Ducati. Sam gets to know Quorra more through just a short story. Films in the genre just don't do this. I would kill for a current Marvel movie to let me know the smallest intimate detail about one of their main characters that would flesh them out beyond the black and white. And OMG, the amount of critiques that don't even bring up the soundtrack or downplay it are INSANE lol. I'm just glad this movie has got it's second wind. Too bad that Disney doesn't realize it and a fully expect the 3rd movie to fall into all the old traps of IP exploitation that you mentioned.

[@Pocosebas]

I wish most people see Tron Legacy as a masterpiece in their own, I watched the film in 3D when first go out, with a discount because it was wednesday and pure luck that I choose this film into 3 others films, going into the cinema knowing noting about it and when the film ended it blows my mind and I exit with a feeling of awe, the score, the cinematography, the world building, everything (except clu's face XD), it was really awesome, I'm gonna subscribe mate, nice video essay

[@ReleaseThaPressure]

The framing of Gem as she removes the disc from its plinth is so beautiful.

[@SomeHarbourBastard]

Of all the movies that came out in 2010s, this is the one I most regret not seeing in the cinema. I had never seen _TRON_ and knew nothing about the sequel. Then months later (March - July, 2011), I blind bought _TRON: Legacy_ on DVD... I liked it immediately. It made me want to see _TRON_ which ended up becoming the first Blu-ray disc I ever bought, I didn't even own a player at the time. I got so impatient that I also imported the DVD from America... I loved it even more than the sequel (though I do adore both).

[@LeUberTroll]

I’ve been a stan of this movie for a long time. At the time I thought the special effects looked better than Avatar did. Glad people are starting to talk about this positively

[@cyrollan]

Avatar couldn't mix the CGI with the real like TL did

[@nicokanakaris]

Thanks for telling what i have felt for over 12 years so brilliantly! Tron is a masterpiece!

[@blizzard270]

-I am pretty late, but this video was fantastic! I have an unmesrable love for Tron: Legacy. I think it is single-handedly the most underrated action movie ever made. If not one of the most lost movies of this century. A movie about a world inside a computer is one of the most human stories ever told. By far one of the best-looking movies (yes the face whatever.) I am a band kid, there is nothing I can say about the soundtrack. It is perfect. -Kosinski understands the world, he understands what a movie can, should, and realistically will be. As you will never have all three and have a great movie. -The "legacy" IP point is great one. Once more Kosinski knows the difference between money and art. Games and movies are at the same issue. The fear of telling a new story. While yes tron has a lot like the movie that came before, there is a reason that people know Tron Legacy and not Tron.

[@GordonWolters]

I still listen to the score, its so epic.

[@AlamRigotti]

Tron is my favorite movie. Quorra opens a lot of possibilities for a possible new movie. I hope Disney have kindness with Tron franchise and surprise all of us with a Third movie!

[@boomshakalaka656]

Tron Legacy is a gem

[@Somanous]

It is so satisfying to see these wonderfully produced essays with so much understanding of the source material. TRON Legacy deserves all the love, and you too for making this video about it.

[@smeagollumartin]

This is so beautifully put. This movie is something special.

[@thediamondgear]

Holy cow! The writing of this essay is so descriptive and well written! Definitely gonna subscribe

[@dynaguy3]

This movie still looks better than most current computer graphics

[@Do_not_at_me_bro]

Can't beat a mix of gloss, neon and glass!

[@WilliamCheng]

Loved this analysis! Tron Legacy continues to be one of my favorite movies, and I've never understood why critics dismissed it so easily. I think there was some kind of bias that the Tron universe was just too nerdy, and therefore it wouldn't be cool to enjoy it. I'm also glad that Kosinski is finally getting the recognition he deserves after Top Gun Maverick. I really enjoyed his followup to Tron Legacy, Oblivion, which was similarly dismissed by critics for unclear reasons.

[@cyrollan]

Tron Legacy 3d blu-ray was the reason I purchased a 3d tele back in 2012(ish). No joke. I bought the TV, rented a uhaul, and brought it home hoping that a friend could help me unload it. I love how the grid sequences are in 3d but not any of the real world ones. Real Wizard of Oz move. I still have my 2011 era 3d plasma television, which has survived a few repairs. I won't give it up for some 2d OLED tele which costs 3x as much for picture quality. You can't beat the blacks on plasma.

[@silassnell1815]

I’m already excited for this!

[@micahbeckner2274]

This is literally my favorite movie

[@cyrollan]

In my 20's I was continually drunk. A buddy bought me a ticket for this in IMAX 3D on opening night. I passed out for a good 30 minutes (towards the end) and thought it was just okay. Months later I saw the actual film and was blown away, now it's one of my top 10 of all time. Life is weird.

[@copykon]

1980s storytelling and magic brought into the modern age, this is very inspiring. I was just 12 when the original was released.

[@jasoncamps77]

A beautiful tribute to the film. I do have to note that there were 3D scenes that took place outside the Grid, including the opening long zoom into Flynn's home. Regardless, while the original film blew my mind and reset my imagination, the sequel took that new world and gave it depth and meaning. It was worth the wait.

[@duffwuff]

The writing, narration, and editing in this video are phenomenal. It deserves ten times as many views as it's received. Keep up the great work, you have a fantastic format! TRON: Legacy is one of my favorite films of all time. I was enthralled from the moment I bought the soundtrack ahead of the film's release. While all my friends were nonplused by it, I was obsessed. You've done the movie and it's talented creators wonderful justice in your video essay. You've certainly earned my subscription! I also totally agree that we need a TRON: Legacy Remastered with modern-day CGI technology to fix uncanny valley Jeff Bridges.

[@michaelguernsey1206]

Absolutely great video my guy! I’m glad to see someone talking about this movie’s story. Yes the visuals and world design is immaculate, and the soundtrack slaps hard, but even as a little kid, the ending paid off so hard with Flynn giving himself up to get his children out of the grid always resonated with me and stuck in my head (especially thanks to the score). I’ve always loved the father son dynamic. The story of how tron got corrupted was really interesting and his return to the user’s side at the end really hit hard. The movie just has such a nicely wrapped up story with so many emotional pay offs by the end that have just solidified in my heart. I’ll never forget this movie. Beyond that, the movie is just so fun and has so much charm. I know I’m pry in the minority here, but I never minded clue’s look. Zeus and rinzler/tron are entertaining to watch. I don’t know many of the legacy sequels you brought up (except the Star Wars sequel trilogy. That was shit), but I’d say that the new Halloween trilogy did bring a lot of new stuff into it. Exploring truama and community and how evil spreads and infects. Showing us an older, far more brutal and destructive Michael. I’d also say that it deserves major props for simply…. Making Michael fucking scary and cool again. After years of sequels getting worse and worse, michael and Halloween became a joke. Rob zombie’s movies were hated for being way too different and his style not fitting halloween whatsoever. So Halloween was a dead franchise that had become stale and a joke. David Gordon Green brought it back on track and showed us what Halloween as a franchise is capable of doing with its premise. The atmosphere and tension and violence and the character of Michael Myers is finally brought back to its much needed former glory. Are they perfect movies? Fuck no lmao. But do they at least deserve recognition for revitalizing a franchise that had been run into the ground and reminding us how cool Halloween can be? Imo, he’ll yea.

[@Matt42MSG]

I'd just like to congratulate you on your analysis of this film. It's both intelligent and thoughtful. I'm just surprised that you had a tape of it!

[@retiksingh9123]

Spectacular video mate! Such a detailed and well written script with such great expressionism and articulation. Thanks for such an amazing 22 mins and 36 seconds.

[@ReleaseThaPressure]

I never twigged on why Clu batted away the plate of apples until now. He sees the beauty of its shape yet his reflection on it's material only reinforces neither he or it are natural.

[@Sleeepehead]

i’ve loved this movie since i was a kid, so great

[@tajeemitchell7073]

Love your video. I think Tron Legacy is underrated and deserves more than it got. However for some of the Legacy sequels you shown, I will think Ghostbusters Afterlife brought something new to the IP. If told a story about a family who did not know their father/Grandfather but found that he was doing his best to protect them and everyone from harm. Yes the movie was an Easter hunt but it was a fun Easter hunt and it made Egon, the unlikely hero of movie. I just love what the Ritmans did for Egon, Remis deserved this tribute. Thank you for the video.

[@torikazuki8701]

I agree with much of your analysis of 'TRON- Legacy'. I was disappointed that the quality of the film was not appreciated on release, but since that's been the case with so many good films over the years, I was not surprised. Films that push limits often do so in a way that the culture of the time simply doesn't have the tools/structure/ability to *See*. Regarding the original film, taking the special effects of both it and Legacy off the table, Legacy IS a stronger film in writing. It's more character-driven, which is always a good thing, it's more entertaining, the composing of the story, re: the editing, is VASTLY better. Simply as a movie, Legacy is a better experience overall. However, when it comes to the Philosophical Ideas presented, the original TRON stands at least as tall as the sequel. I think that the fact that it dealt with similar topics, only 30 years earlier, meant even more people couldn't see them. (This is a repost of something I wrote elsewhere, but it fits just fine here.) Now, to back up a bit, I miss the Internet of the 1990's tremendously. Most people on it now, have no idea what it was like. Some more experienced users have categorized the Internet of the early 2000's as 'The Wild West', and using that analogy, the 90's Internet was like 'Lewis and Clark'. A journey into a completely new land. Next to nothing was hidden behind a Paywall, it was not dominated by Corpos and Bots, people would put up almost anything, communicating information trivial, silly and, not as rare as one might think, ideas of tremendous value. I sadly, did not copy this article as I should have. It wasn't until around 1999 that I started archiving things I thought worth keeping, as well as data I was pretty sure was going to get scrubbed. While being a Techie since the 1980's and understood the theoretical impermanence of the 'net, it took me a few years to grok it on a personal level. However, I remember the core of the article very well- This was an essay by a Film & Media reporter, who was posting some of his stranger encounters in the world of Hollywood. He was recounting an interview he had around 1989, with a Hollywood Mogul who was leaving the industry. It was a kind of biography/retrospective on his career. At one point, on a whim, the Reporter asked the Exec what the most religious film Hollywood had ever made, was. Expecting something straightforward, like 'The Ten Commandments' or 'Ben-Hur', he was completely shocked when the Exec leaned back in his chair, stared off into space for a bit, then, sitting up and looking the Reporter squarely in the eye & said gravely, without a hint of humor- "TRON." The Reporter said he was so flabbergasted that he couldn't think of a response. He had seen the film, liked it, but the idea was just so left-field to him. He wanted to laugh, but the Exec was SO serious, he was sure the man would be deeply offended. So he just mumbled an 'Okay', wrote it down, and moved on. While brief, the Reporter said this was one of the most standout experiences he had had. Now, in the 2020's, the idea of our World being a Simulation is far more common. Back then though, it would be almost unheard of, especially outside of Scientific Circles. Was the Executive just a really imaginative guy? Or had he learned something that very few people, even to this day, have discovered? Just as a Thought Exercise, watch the Original Film, but take the perspective of the Grid being OUR world & see if you learn anything new.

[@chasethevioletsun9996]

Eh, I disagree, they found a really good way to work the uncanny valley into Clu and I thought that it actually made the character better. Of course he wasn't a young Kevin Flynn. He was a weird, unsettling, plastic version of Kevin Flynn. That was the point.

[@sidearmsalpha]

I think it's handled better in some scenes than others but I don't think it's as bad as it's made out to be. It really only looks bad in the end when he's reaching out to get to the portal and Flynn is pulling him back but for me it's just his body being distorted as he's trying to force his way into the portal while Flynn is drawing him back to reintegrate him.

[@KeithMoon1980]

Thank you! I've been saying this since the film came out!

[@saikou5401]

Loved the video!

[@amp888]

4:32: "For instance, the 3D portion of TRON: Legacy doesn't start for almost half an hour. The real-world segments are all presented in traditional 2D."

[@Ailsworth]

Wow what a beautiful essay.

[@akshaytrayner1960]

Great video

[@BrianSFischer]

Best movie ever.

[@ZeNatoto]

I still can’t believe they made this all on a Nintendo GameCube

[@granddan825]

I really appreciate you making this video, sometimes it's nice to know there's people that love this movie as much as I do PS. I'm trying to hunt down the song that starts around 9:53, if you happen to remember the name, I'd love to know

[@granddan825]

It took an eternity to find, but it was Jack Rabbit by Geographer

[@stetbro]

I agree. We all knew CLU was a bad digital version, but it was easy to just dismiss it as he was just from the metaverse instead of the current gen tech going on on the Grid.

[@sidearmsalpha]

I honestly don't see it being as bad as it's made out to be. The only time it looks off to me is when Flynn stops him from entering the portal and is about to reintegrate him but I just took that as his face being distorted as Flynn was pulling him back forcefully and he was fighting back to reach the portal.

[@RobBernard]

Disney could fix Bridges for probably the cost of 5 minutes of 1 episode of Secret Invasion...

[@chrono1924]

i got to pre screen the 3d version because i worked at the theater......... it was sick (edit) i didnt know you were gonna talk about the 3d version, glad i mentioned it

[@Armand-ue7om]

when I first watched this movie on the theaters (in 3d) I wasn't expecting much but I was happy to see the stuff from the original shown here in more modern effects but that it... it just improved slightly on the old and nothing more new. I remembered the games adapted from arcade machines back then and I slightly imagined that I wished they adapted to the modern games of today. like mmorpgs, Clue could be forcing to maintain his Utopia (unchanging) but once you get off the grid you could realize they are a dystopia. Just a thought to not only get the older fans but new ones too.

[@alfor2721]

Best movie ever made

[@cyrollan]

I Can't place it higher than 2001, but it sure rules

[@lizardlover7283]

respect!

[@DuaneVoth]

Been praying for a third (provided the studio again gives the director space), and since Legacy was based on an isolated server cut off from the world, there is an insane body of plot material ... just a web connection alone creates mind boggling possiblity, not to mention starlink, the dark web, white grey and black hat hackers, state (gov) actors, power grids, industrial control systems, and finally artificial intelligence... Just please no more dystopian remake trash (cough-abrams), Tron 1&2 can be the prequel to THE human/machine singularity story - let's not mess this up!

[@numberbndl3763]

I think one of my friends might be related to the director of Tron legacy

[@Axolotl_Mischief]

I'd watch it just for how jaw-droppingly hot Olivia Wilde is with that black hair and black skin-tight suit.

[@cyrollan]

My neighbor called her the "sexiest sex bot there ever was" and I think he nailed it.

[@survivalistboards]

Tron Legacy was great.

[@stuartleckie]

IS 😜

[@Matt42MSG]

Tron Legacy is unexpected good. It's not an especially deep movie, but the puddle isn't quite as shallow as you might think. If you're not expecting profound thought, the development arc is both entertaining and gives you something to consider.

[@TronLegacy7]

Funny to think that I was coaxed into watching this movie by a toothpaste box when I was 6

[@sidearmsalpha]

LOL! How's that? Did you like it at least?

[@TronLegacy7]

Nice video man, also top gun maverick stays true to its predecessor and it might even be much better than it imo

[@cyrollan]

The original was melting with cheese. Hard to put a price on that.

[@bwburks]

This is great! I will say, however, there was nothing effortless about this movie. heheh

[@Vednier]

Oh well, i love this movie. Visual part is excellent. Sountrack - above being excellent. Cast? Well, i'm more Ok with digital Jess then actor who played main hero, Sam Flynn. Olivia Wilde? Good. Michel Sheen? Nice too. Old Jeff is nice too :). Plot if weakest part, yes, but imho Tron was so much of fairytale in first place so its pointless to criticize plot. If you accept idea of programs being peoples living in computer, just like child believed there is people living in TV- its fine. Still, i like how many people call Tron Lgacy "Duft Punk music video". Shame, shame they never made sequel!

[@sidearmsalpha]

I think there's just not enough time to flesh out the plot in two hours with so much that needs to be explored. I think that's where Uprising comes in but it was not finished unfortunately.

[@Vednier]

@@sidearmsalpha Uprising was actually quite nice series. Its somewhat strayed away in term of world building (for example in Tron Legacy its strongly suggested that system = city and city is one and only while Uprising have very different ideas), its also dangerously close to make programs too human like (i mean, seriously, why program have sexual attributes like tits and different sex in first place?). Tron story in Uprising contradicts (is it?) with movie but it was not bad. I wish they made second season at least, cause first one ended pretty abruptly. Thing i kinda dont understand is what Disney seems to be Ok with burping hordes of Star Wars sequels and prequels but they completely silent with Tron, why?

[@joshuaelan]

No matter how good the production design, no matter how great the direction, the music, etc etc etc... none of that can make up for a central actor/character/performance that is the most blank slate nothingness seen in a movie in a long time. It's not bad, it's just so bland as to not connect with audiences. Or to put it another way: I've only ever met white guys from a certain background that found this protagonist even slightly compelling (enough to enjoy the visuals and the music). Great video!

[@josepharcher9620]

I didn’t like you dissing the first Tron 🤨

[@The_Toonami-AdultSwim_fan2002]

I love Tron Legacy, heck I even started to prefer both Tron and Tron Legacy alot more than those 2 overrated cartoon movies Peter Pan and Roger Rabbit 😂

[@peterd3215]

Nope it was always shit hot.

[@topicarchives]

A phenomenal video. Let us speak about TRON: ARES some time soon, TMT 🥏 - Albert

[@ericdesilva6127]

Great video. very intelligent comments. I LOVED Tron Legacy, but it had it flaws, Sam was a forgettable character/difficult to like (bad characterisation?bad actor?) And Tron/rinzler was reduced to a mcguffin. GEM, Zeus and Khorra were incredible characters (so was Kevin & Clu, but you covered that amazingly well!!)