--- title: "TRON: Legacy" year: 2010 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/tron-legacy" fi1m_id: "tron-legacy" imdb_id: "tt1104001" tmdb_id: 20526 wikidata_id: "Q18954" fi1m_score: 60 critics_score: 53 critics_reviews: 21 published: "2026-10-05T11:52:10.875833+00:00" updated: "2026-10-05T11:52:17.243682+00:00" region: "PT" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # TRON: Legacy (2010) Directed by Joseph Kosinski · 2h 06m · IGAC M/12 · Adventure, Action, Science Fiction ## Identity TRON: Legacy - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/tron-legacy - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** tron-legacy - **IMDb ID:** tt1104001 - **TMDB ID:** 20526 - **Wikidata ID:** Q18954 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104001/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/20526, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q18954 **Fi1m score: 60** · Critics 53 from 21 reviews *In a sentence:* The most beautiful nightclub ever built, and everyone in it is explaining the plot > Joseph Kosinski’s world of black glass and neon is worth the ticket on its own, and Daft Punk score it as if their lives depended on it. The people walking through it have a thin story and tell it to each other slowly. ## Synopsis Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) is the son of Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), the games designer who ran the software company ENCOM and vanished when Sam was a boy. Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner), his father’s old partner, receives a page from a number at Flynn’s Arcade that has been dead for twenty years, and sends Sam to look. Behind the TRON cabinet is a hidden office, and a laser that puts Sam inside the Grid, a computer world of black glass and lines of light. He is seized, suited up by Gem (Beau Garrett) and thrown into the disc games, where a masked enforcer called Rinzler (Anis Cheurfa) does the ruler’s dirty work. Quorra (Olivia Wilde) is watching from the stands. ## Review Steven Lisberger’s *Tron*, from 1982, was a clunky, sincere film about a man who fell into a computer, and it has been loved out of proportion to its merits ever since. Twenty-eight years on, Lisberger produces and Joseph Kosinski directs a sequel that sends the man’s son in after him. The script, by Lee Sternthal, Brian Klugman, Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, wants this to be a story about a father who stayed away too long. The film itself is better at being a showroom. It is a fine showroom. Darren Gilford’s Grid is a city of black floors and black towers with every edge picked out in white or orange light, and Claudio Miranda lights it almost entirely from what is in frame: the glowing strips on Michael Wilkinson’s suits, the headlamps of the vehicles, the lines on the ground. The actors are the lighting rig. When the first of the hovering police craft drops out of the sky to collect Sam and the music comes in underneath it, low strings and a synthesiser pulse, we sat up straight, and we did not slump again until the light cycles were over. That score is by Thomas Bangalter and Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo, the two men who are Daft Punk, and it is the best thing in the film by a distance. The light cycle match is the sequence everyone remembers, and it earns it. The bikes leave solid walls of light behind them, the arena is built on several levels of glass, and James Haygood cuts it so that we always know where the walls are and who is about to hit one. It lasts a few minutes. The disc games before it are nearly as good. Then the film takes Sam off the Grid proper and into a long middle section of people sitting in rooms, and that is where it stays. Jeff Bridges plays both the missing father and Clu, the program Kevin built in his own image, and the two performances are on different planets. Kevin is an ageing hippy in a white robe who has spent twenty years meditating in a house out in the dark and talks like a man who has read half of one book about Zen; Bridges is plainly enjoying himself, and so did we. Clu is the Bridges of 1982, rebuilt digitally, and he does not work. The eyes are dull, the mouth is a beat behind the voice, and the skin has the finish of a candle. Kosinski puts him in close-up often, which does him no favours. We found that whenever Clu spoke we had stopped listening to him and started watching his upper lip. There is an argument that a flawed copy of a man ought to look like one, but meaning it to look slightly wrong is not the same as it looking right. Garrett Hedlund has the shoulders for Sam and little else to work with. The script gives him a grievance and a motorbike and no interior, and he reads his lines as if someone off camera is holding them up. Olivia Wilde is better as Quorra, Kevin’s apprentice, who reads Jules Verne and looks at Sam with the open curiosity of someone meeting her first stranger. James Frain’s Jarvis fusses about at Clu’s elbow to decent effect. And Michael Sheen, as the club owner Castor, arrives in a white suit with a cane that lights up and a laugh like a cash register, and for ten minutes the film has a pulse that is not coming from the speakers. We were grateful to him. He is on screen for one scene and a bit. The trouble is the writing, and it is the trouble in every room. Characters explain the history of the Grid to each other over dinner. They explain it again on the long ride afterwards. The second half takes a turn we will not describe, but we can say that at 126 minutes the film has time for perhaps three conversations too many and one chase too few. The tagline says the game has changed. The plot is the old film’s with a son swapped in for the father, and a new coat of lacquer. Most critics landed somewhere in the middle, half dazzled and half bored, and so did we. See it on the biggest screen you can find, with the sound up, for the Grid and for the score; it is a PG, and children who like machines will be happy. At home it becomes an album with slides, and the slides are good ones. *Fi1m score 60, published 5 October 2026.* ## What the critics say The reviews lean mixed, and they agree almost to a critic on what works: the look of the Grid, with its neon architecture and the Light Cycle race, and Daft Punk’s score, which several single out for praise. The 3D is widely described as clean and immersive. Jeff Bridges draws warm notices for his presence, and Michael Sheen earns a mention or two. Where they part is on whether any of that is enough. Most find the story thin, the exposition heavy and the characters without arcs, and a number complain the film is so reverent towards the original that it never does anything of its own. The digitally recreated young Bridges is repeatedly singled out as unconvincing, most sharply by The Guardian. The spread is wide: /Film calls it an exhilarating adventure despite its flaws, while Digital Spy finds it soulless and frustrating, and the bulk sit in the middle on three stars. ## Straight answers **Is TRON: Legacy worth watching?** *TRON: Legacy* is worth watching for the Grid and the Daft Punk score, and we scored it 60. Darren Gilford's city of black glass and neon and the light cycle match are worth the price on their own, but the story is thin and the characters spend the long middle section explaining it to each other. See it on the biggest screen you can, with the sound up. **How long is TRON: Legacy, and what is it rated?** *TRON: Legacy* runs 2h 06m and is rated M/12 by the IGAC in Portugal. It is an adventure and action film. **Where can I watch TRON: Legacy in Portugal?** *TRON: Legacy* is streaming on Disney+ in Portugal, and it is also available to rent from Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV from €3.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service. **How does TRON: Legacy compare to Ghost in the Shell?** *TRON: Legacy* and [*Ghost in the Shell*](https://film.one/film/ghost-in-the-shell) both build a digital world, but only the Oshii film puts ideas in it. *Ghost in the Shell* is melancholy, sometimes needlessly opaque, and asks real questions about identity; *TRON: Legacy* is a better spectacle with far less to say. Choose Kosinski's film for the ride and the music, Oshii's if you want something to think about afterwards. ### Reviews we read (21) - **RogerEbert.com**, Roger Ebert (3/4): Ebert finds the film visually impressive but limited in substance. He singles out its eye-catching imagery as its main strength. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/tron-legacy-2010) - **Empire**, Nick de Semlyen (65/100, inferred): The review finds the film an impressive but uneven event movie, with its story and dialogue dragging down the later sections. It especially praises the art direction, sound design, and Daft Punk soundtrack. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/tron-legacy-review/) - **Variety**, Peter Debruge (65/100, inferred): Debruge finds the film a visually dazzling ride whose story feels old-fashioned and underdeveloped. He especially praises its immersive design and Daft Punk’s score. [Read](https://variety.com/2010/film/reviews/tron-legacy-1117944151/) - **Screen Daily**, Brent Simon (64/100, inferred): The review’s verdict is unavailable because the article text is behind a paywall. Its specific praise or criticism cannot be determined from the visible page. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/tron-legacy/5021280.article) - **Little White Lies**, Tom Seymour (4/3/2): Seymour finds the film visually striking but emotionally cold and thematically vapid. He praises its immersive, dazzling use of 3D while criticizing the performances and lack of substance. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/tron-legacy) - **Slant Magazine**, Chris Cabin (3/5): Cabin regards the film as a pleasurable spectacle despite its clunky story and shallow writing. He singles out its extraordinary visuals and Daft Punk’s score, and praises the Blu-ray’s picture and sound. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/dvd/tron-legacy-bd/) - **Time Out**, Tom Huddleston (3/5): The available page identifies this as a review but provides no review text from which to report the critic’s verdict. No specific praise or complaint is discernible in the available material. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/tron-legacy-1) - **Total Film**, Jonathan Crocker (3/5): Crocker finds the film an alluring but flawed adventure, with its story and exposition undermining its momentum. He praises the spectacular visuals and imaginative design of The Grid. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/tron-legacy-review/) - **The AV Club**, Scott Tobias (D+): Tobias judges the film dry and over-serious, with its mythology and exposition obscuring the fun. He praises the original’s sense of adventure, while noting the sequel’s updated game showdowns amount to little more than homage. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/tron-legacy-1798166809) - **The Hollywood Reporter**, Todd McCarthy (42/100, inferred): McCarthy finds the sequel visually striking but ultimately overlong and only moderately entertaining. He particularly praises its inventive design and high-speed race sequence, while faulting the latter half for repetitive confrontations and multiple endings. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/film-review-tron-legacy-56783/) - **Los Angeles Times**, Betsy Sharkey (35/100, inferred): Sharkey finds the film visually impressive but ultimately an average player, held back by its overreliance on the original and lack of emotional depth. She especially praises the grid’s carefully designed architecture and mesmerizing 3-D light effects. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-dec-16-la-et-tron-20101216-story.html) - **The Guardian**, Peter Bradshaw (30/100, inferred): Bradshaw finds the film dull and laborious, arguing that its reverence for the original leaves it creatively paralysed. He singles out the digitally recreated young Jeff Bridges as especially unconvincing. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2010/dec/16/tron-legacy-review) - **/Film**, Germain Lussier (85/100, inferred): Lussier finds the film an exhilarating, entertaining adventure despite its flaws. He especially praises Daft Punk’s score and the immersive visuals, while noting that the characters lack meaningful arcs. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/512531/movie-review-tron-legacy/) - **The Playlist** (64/100, inferred): The URL indicates a review that praises the film’s visuals while criticizing its narrative. The page is blocked, so the critic’s full verdict and specific praise or complaints cannot be verified. [Read](https://theplaylist.net/review-tron-legacy-is-a-sonic-visual-delight-but-lacks-soul-narratively-empty-20101208/) - **Den of Geek**, Ryan Lambie (3/5): Lambie finds the film a mesmerizing, worthwhile follow-up despite its many storytelling faults. He praises its vivid visual design and Jeff Bridges’s performance, while criticizing the plot and digital recreation of Clu. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/tron-legacy-review/) - **HeyUGuys**, David Sztypuljak (3/5): The critic calls the film a must-watch for fans of neon and the original, despite a weak storyline. They praise the striking visuals and Jeff Bridges and Michael Sheen’s performances. [Read](https://www.heyuguys.com/tron-legacy-review/) - **The Skinny**, Thom Atkinson (★★★): The review finds the film visually impressive but emotionally and narratively disappointing. It praises the neon world of The Grid and Daft Punk’s score, while faulting the story and lead performance. [Read](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/tron-legacy) - **Eye for Film**, Anton Bitel (45/100, inferred): Bitel finds the film visually impressive and timely, but ultimately weighed down by formulaic storytelling and underwritten characters. He particularly praises Jeff Bridges’s presence while faulting Tron’s poorly motivated role in the climax. [Read](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/tron-legacy-film-review-by-anton-bitel) - **NME**, James McMahon (25/100, inferred): The critic finds the film visually impressive but ultimately disappointing. The crisp neon visuals stand out, while formulaic storytelling and uncertain performances undermine it. [Read](https://www.nme.com/reviews/reviews-movie-11774-321158) - **The Wrap** (25/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel disappointing despite its impressive opening, saying its spectacle cannot make up for a thin story and lifeless characters. The Light Cycles battle earns praise for its exhilarating action and clear 3D, while the de-aged Jeff Bridges effects are singled out as especially poor. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/review-tron-legacy-dont-believe-hype-23016/) - **Digital Spy**, Ben Rawson-Jones (10/100, inferred): The critic finds the sequel a soulless, frustrating disappointment, with weak writing and characters undermining its spectacle. They single out Daft Punk’s evocative soundtrack and the upgraded visuals as highlights. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a291545/tron-legacy/) ## Details - **Director:** Joseph Kosinski - **Director:** Joseph Kosinski - **Screenplay:** Edward Kitsis, Adam Horowitz, Brian Klugman, Lee Sternthal - **Story:** Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis - **Cinematography:** Claudio Miranda - **Editor:** James Haygood - **Music:** Thomas Bangalter, Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo - **Production design:** Darren Gilford - **Costume design:** Michael Wilkinson - **Producer:** Sean Bailey, Steven Lisberger, Jeffrey Silver - **Cast:** Garrett Hedlund as Sam Flynn; Olivia Wilde as Quorra; Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn / Clu; Bruce Boxleitner as Alan Bradley / Tron; James Frain as Jarvis; Beau Garrett as Gem; Michael Sheen as Castor / Zuse; Anis Cheurfa as Rinzler - **Runtime:** 2h 06m - **Certificate (IGAC):** M/12 - **Release (Portugal):** 13 January 2011 - **Genres:** Adventure, Action, Science Fiction - **Budget:** $170 million - **Box office:** $410 million - **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9CTGwEZiPk ## Where to watch in Portugal - Disney+: streaming, uhd - Amazon Prime Video: rent €3.99, uhd - Apple TV: rent €3.99, hd - Amazon Prime Video: buy €11.99, sd - Apple TV: buy €11.99, sd *Checked 2026-10-05.* Also available in: AE, AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, IE, IL, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## Awards - Academy Awards 2011: Best Sound Editing (nominated) ## If you liked this - *Tron* (1982): The original: cheaper, odder and sincerer, with Bridges young for real this time - *Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem* (2003): Daft Punk’s animated album film, and the better argument for letting them score pictures - *Speed Racer* (2008): The Wachowskis’ candy-coloured races, dismissed on release and far livelier than this - *Ghost in the Shell* (1995), Fi1m 83: A digital world with actual ideas in it, and a city you could live in — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ghost-in-the-shell.md) - *Oblivion* (2013): Kosinski again, with clean white surfaces, another thin script and a better lead --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/tron-legacy