My earliest memories of the Tron franchise date back to 2010. I was walking through the grocery store and noticed the trailers of Tron: Legacy on the TV. Being an impressionable 10-year-old, I was hooked by the sci-fi visuals, cool suits, and of course, my introduction to the music of the legendary Daft Punk. So, will Tron: Ares be able to live up to the hype?
The world of the original 1982 Tron and its legacy sequel Tron: Legacy opened my eyes to what films could be. Particularly, how far visual effects have come in creating a whole new world beyond imagination. Cut to 2022, and I was excited to hear Tron: Ares would be officially in the works after years of production limbo.
As the trailers and promo images began rolling out earlier this year and Nine Inch Nails were announced to compose the score, safe to say I was pumped. However, with 15 years of baggage to this film, and Jared Leto being Jared Leto, can Tron: Ares deliver a good follow-up? Or will this film be lost in the Grid forever?
Director: Joachim Rønning
Cast: Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Jeff Bridges
Release date: October 9, 2025
Caution! Mild spoilers ahead!
Here’s our review of Tron: Ares
Set years after the events of Tron: Legacy, Tron: Ares follows a Master Control program Ares (Leto) created by Dillinger Systems (the villains of the first Tron film) assigned on a mission to steal an important code from Encom (the company started by Kevin Flynn, the creator of the grid). What ensues is the usual light cycle chases and laser disk fights from the first two films, only this time we’re in the real world now.
The possibility of the Recognizers and light cycles appearing in the real world from the trailers really got my inner child going. Luckily, how the elements of Tron are brought into the real world is done in a very interesting way that is relevant to Artificial Intelligence and laser printing we use today. The way the real world of the film was brought up to date from 2010’s Legacy was timely. However, does Ares explore these themes and deliver a biting commentary? Nope.
The Tron films are known for their visual spectacle and thrilling action sequences, and Ares certainly brings it in spades. However, unlike previous entries, the major action scenes take place in the real world. So, if you want an adventure in The Grid, you will be disappointed. As for me, I enjoyed how director Joachim Rønning put you in the front seat of the exciting chases across New York City. While I did enjoy how they brought the iconic Tron vehicles and weapons into the real world, they could have done much more. I mean, seeing a Recognizer sail through the New York skyline lit up my imagination, but the actual sequence itself fell flat.
Jared Leto does a serviceable job playing a cyber soldier that is devoid of any human emotion. So basically, who he played in Blade Runner 2047, and The Little Things, and Morbius. Leto is awkward in any scene in which he needs to show any human emotion, then again, he is supposed to be a program. Luckily, Greta Lee does a good job with what she’s given playing Eve Kim, Encom’s CEO. Lee is able to bring us into the story with her vulnerability and her quick wits, which made me believe she could be a big-tech CEO.
Evan Peters plays an insufferable one-note tech-bro as the head of Dillinger Systems and Gillian Anderson is entertaining as his mom who gives him cold-hard slaps of reality. Jodie Turner-Smith was also a standout as Athena, Ares’ no-nonsense enforcer heavily embodying The Terminator. Other than that, performances from Hassan Minhaj, Arturo Castro, and yes, even Jeff Bridges were mostly forgettable.
Let’s face it, Daft Punk’s Tron: Legacy score is one of the greatest film soundtracks ever made. So, I was pleasantly surprised that Nine Inch Nail’s grittier and more industrial take on the Tron riff gave the film a great atmosphere. Using heavy synths and a 90’s dark rock sound, the score is also one of Ares’ handful of good points.
After the film ended I couldn’t shake of this undeniable feeling of “Mmm, okay.” Ares isn’t a bad film as other critics say it is, but it’s not a great one either. If I was 10 years old I would think it’s the ‘bestest’ film ever, however I am not. But maybe Ares isn’t for me; it’s for the kids of today that will experience the Grid for the first time just as I did.
Cast: 4/10
Plot: 6/10
Visuals: 8/10
Score: 8/10
Overall rating: 6/10
Tron: Ares premieres in cinemas nationwide on October 9, 2025.
All images by Disney Studios
Note : The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
