<p>The first two 'Tron' films lived inside the Grid (a virtual world in the film) exploring what it meant to enter a digital world. 'Tron: Ares' flips that idea. This time, the Grid spills into reality. Programs walk, talk, and breathe alongside humans. It’s a bold premise, though the execution never matches the imagination.</p>.<p>Directed by Joachim Rønning, 'Ares' expands the world 'Tron: Legacy' (2010) built, swapping curiosity for corporate warfare. Jared Leto plays Ares, a sentient program created to cross into the real world, surviving for only twenty-nine minutes at a time. Greta Lee grounds the film as Eve Kim, Encom’s sharp CEO whose secret 'Permanence Code' could make Ares last forever. Evan Peters plays Julian Dillinger, a tech heir whose ambition borders on parody.</p>.<p>Visually, the film is striking. The 'light-cycle chases' still steal the show, merging digital physics with real-world chaos. The cinematography gleams with colour and symmetry. The score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is relentless, layering industrial rhythms with emotion. It’s the kind of soundtrack that almost convinces you the film is deeper than it is.</p>.<p>Beneath the glow, 'Ares' struggles to connect. Its characters feel schematic, its dialogue mechanical. The story raises questions about identity and creation, yet rarely sits with them long enough to find meaning. Leto’s performance is more presence than personality, and the tone feels too cold to move you.</p>.<p>In the end, 'Tron: Ares' delivers. It’s a sleek, loud, hypnotic and sensory ride. The Grid may have broken into the real world, but what it finds is familiar: beauty without warmth, light without life.</p>
<p>The first two 'Tron' films lived inside the Grid (a virtual world in the film) exploring what it meant to enter a digital world. 'Tron: Ares' flips that idea. This time, the Grid spills into reality. Programs walk, talk, and breathe alongside humans. It’s a bold premise, though the execution never matches the imagination.</p>.<p>Directed by Joachim Rønning, 'Ares' expands the world 'Tron: Legacy' (2010) built, swapping curiosity for corporate warfare. Jared Leto plays Ares, a sentient program created to cross into the real world, surviving for only twenty-nine minutes at a time. Greta Lee grounds the film as Eve Kim, Encom’s sharp CEO whose secret 'Permanence Code' could make Ares last forever. Evan Peters plays Julian Dillinger, a tech heir whose ambition borders on parody.</p>.<p>Visually, the film is striking. The 'light-cycle chases' still steal the show, merging digital physics with real-world chaos. The cinematography gleams with colour and symmetry. The score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is relentless, layering industrial rhythms with emotion. It’s the kind of soundtrack that almost convinces you the film is deeper than it is.</p>.<p>Beneath the glow, 'Ares' struggles to connect. Its characters feel schematic, its dialogue mechanical. The story raises questions about identity and creation, yet rarely sits with them long enough to find meaning. Leto’s performance is more presence than personality, and the tone feels too cold to move you.</p>.<p>In the end, 'Tron: Ares' delivers. It’s a sleek, loud, hypnotic and sensory ride. The Grid may have broken into the real world, but what it finds is familiar: beauty without warmth, light without life.</p>