It has been announced that the latest film in the American "Tron" series, "Tron: Ares" (directed by Joachim Rønning), will be available exclusively on Disney+ for unlimited viewing from January 7th.
The film was released simultaneously in Japan and the US on October 10th of last year. It garnered attention for its unique worldview where the AI world and the real world intersect, and its captivating visuals that retain the DNA of the series. The gadgets and action, such as the luminous lines running through pitch-black space, the light discs where programs clash in a life-or-death battle, and the chase scene with the light cycle that is iconic to the "Tron" series, created a visual impact.
Known as the world's first feature-length film to fully utilize computer graphics (CG), the American film "Tron" (1982, directed by Steven Lisberger) became a social phenomenon, depicting the genius programmer Kevin Flynn, who is sent into a digital world to take on a life-or-death game. Eighteen years later, in 2010, the sequel "Tron: Legacy" (directed by Joseph Kosinski) was released, captivating many fans with its cutting-edge visuals at the time, centered around Kevin's son, Sam.
The latest installment in the series, "Tron: Ares," the first in 15 years, is set in a world where an advanced AI program has been successfully "materialized" in the real world. Ares (Jared Leto), the most powerful humanoid AI soldier developed by Dillinger Corporation, possesses overwhelming combat abilities, but is limited to a mere 29 minutes of existence in the real world. After meeting Eve (Greta Lee), a human who developed a persistent code that solves this problem, Ares begins to question his own existence and undergoes an unexpected change. Eventually, a fierce battle ensues over the persistent code, with humans and programs intertwined. Furthermore, something strange happens to Ares when he learns about "humans" in the real world... This is the story.
Director Ronning stated, "This film is something you feel with your body," and emphasized his emphasis on creating an immersive experience where visuals and sound are integrated. The heavy, aggressive sound of Nine Inch Nails, who provided the music, combines with the sense of speed of the light cycle and the tension of the digital world, successfully enhancing the film's overall sense of unity. Furthermore, in order to bring the world of "Tron" into the real world, the film employed live-action photography as much as possible, rather than relying solely on CGI. A large-scale location shoot was carried out, with downtown Vancouver cordoned off at night, and iconic gadgets from the series, such as a working light cycle, were recreated with realistic textures. The film was completed after a production period of approximately nine years.
By re-examining the details of the light cycle and the digital world, the relationships between the characters, and the structure of the story, viewers will be able to deeply resonate with the vision of the future and themes presented in "Tron: Ares" through its streaming on Disney+.
