Tron (1982)

David Warner

Watch the Tron trailer

Writer: Steven Lisberger (screenplay and story), Bonnie MacBird (story)

Director: Steven Lisberger

Notable Actors: David Warner

Twenty eight years later and the visuals still wow, even to a man like myself who scoffs when he recalls the day he was awed by the graphics on the PS2. Yeah it looks pretty clunky compared to what can be achieved these days, but there’s a charm in there similar to early Doctor Who. The retrospect awfulness of then-state-of-the-art technology is endearing, true, but even without placing it in the context of its time I was pretty enthralled those first few seconds in the game grid, I’ve gotta say.

Before that short moment of awe, however, was a lot of waiting around wondering what girl’s scratch when it feels like there’s nothing on TV. The lead up to Flynn hitting the game grid is long, boring, and feels longer. When he actually enters there’s a glimpse of Open University programming, and then things just take a headfirst dive into bloody confusing.

I surmise the best age to first watch Tron is around twelve. For all my immaturity and adolescent jokes (which often, shamefully, fall into the ‘that’s what she said’ category), I’m not twelve anymore. Then again, I was an odd twelve-year-old. I was already reading Nick Hornby by then, gleefully discovering what swear words meant as books didn’t have age ratings like films did.

So maybe everything would make a lot more sense if taken by hand on this twelve-year-old’s flight of fancy by a kid that age. Or just to watch it for the first time while smoking weed, whichever you’d prefer. As it is it took me two thirds into the film to realise Tron and his girlfriend were the same actors as Flynn’s ex and her bloke, and at that point the puzzling dialogue hinting how Flynn knew their users and thus could predict their actions made sense.

Those two actors, in the lead up, just didn’t make enough of an impression upon me for me to recognise either without their hair showing. To be completely honest I only figured it out when the old man showed up. Which left me wondering if the third programme introduced soon after Flynn entered the game was anyone in the ‘real’ world. I wasn’t curious enough to bother to rewind the thing and see, though.

Erasure of programmes seriously irked me. We’re shown from the beginning that programmes are inhuman nothings. How we’re supposed to sympathise is beyond me. I’m not a child. This was brought painfully to the surface often in my viewing of this film. I am not a child. I cannot sit back and be taken on a ride. I need to digest it, understand it, release it into the roots of consciousness.

The most grating thing about Tron was how nothing was really explained. How the film could’ve perhaps been better if longer, and yet would’ve danced with death on the same blade seeing as how the shortness works in its favour, but I in no means mean that derogatorily. Why write a novel when the story can be told as a novella? But personally, I need explanations. Pure, unadulterated sci-fi action is a poor substitute. I was brought up on The Prisoner. I need explanations.

Hell, it took me a good while just to work out which colour racer Flynn was. I didn’t get this film. I enjoyed it, but I didn’t get it. It was not made for me. No matter how much I like to scream otherwise, my childhood ended long ago. If only the wonder hadn’t gone with it. I’ll still see Tron 3D if I find the time, though – but only for Michael Sheen and curiosity at the visuals.