Tron: Ares

Tron: Ares

Released October 10, 2025

Directed by Joachim Rønning

Original Score by Nine Inch Nails

* No Spoilers *

Full of sound, fury, and visual flair, Tron: Ares is the long-overdue follow-up to 2010’s Tron: Legacy, starring Jared Leto, Greta Lee, and Evan Peters. Extending beyond the premise of the previous films, we see programs come out of the Grid into the real world rather than humans going into it.

1982’s Tron and its sequel were far from perfect, but this newest entry lacks the magic, spark, and wonder that made the series so resonant. Where it does deliver is the full-octane audio visual assault on your senses. It’s grittier and more forceful than its predecessor, with a fantastic Nine Inch Nails soundtrack and several explosive chase sequences.

Legacy has one of my favourite film scores of all time. Ares’ music may not live up to the high bar set by Daft Punk, but Nine Inch Nails’ relentless score is the best part of this movie. Their signature textured, electronic, industrial grunge matches perfectly with the rougher take on the franchise.

Most of the action scenes are experimental and unique, utilizing the 3D depth effects well and full of creative camerawork (particularly in an exhilarating mid-point chase sequence). Unfortunately, that same flair is sorely lacking throughout the rest of the film. Dialogue drags, and the shifts in pace are jarring. It’s especially noticeable in comedic moments, where, aside from a side character named Seth, the humour does not work. With the exception of an early adrenaline-fuelled chase sequence, scenes outside of the Grid do not land as well. Fight choreography and stunt work are impressive, but the cinematography for the final fight is too tightly framed, overly shaky, and obscures what’s going on. It also happens to be the one fight scene where Jared Leto is not wearing a mask.

The story is not deep, but it does raise several themes: using technology for warfare rather than curing disease or preventing starvation, the importance of empathy over callousness, and the implications of an AI program defying its directive. However, these ideas lack depth. On the nose and spelled out a bit too directly, it doesn’t feel bold so much as it does sloppy. The dialogue is abysmal and not much better than a Saturday morning cartoon or fan fiction written by an edgy high schooler. Heavy on exposition and full of cringey lines, Ares does not give its cast much to work with, leading to lacklustre performances from otherwise solid actors.

Jared Leto (Morbius) should not have been cast as the lead character of Ares. Centring the story around him feels forced, and many of his scenes exist solely to justify giving him more narrative focus. He dominates this movie’s runtime and not in a good way, Leto is insufferable. The character and his performance are far better suited to be a supporting character (or even a villain). Leto’s comedic timing is awful, and serious moments feel far too stiff, even for someone playing an artificial intelligence.

Greta Lee (Past Lives) plays Eve Kim, the altruistic and dedicated CEO of Encom. Lee is talented, but you wouldn’t know it based on her appearance here. Despite being the lead human character, she is severely under-utilized (likely to focus more on Leto), and far too much of her dialogue is boring, clunky exposition. Although I was happy to see how well she handles the action scenes, as a co-lead with Leto she lacks development and substance.

Evan Peters (Mare of Easttown) plays Julian Dillinger, the ambitious and morally compromised grandson of the first film’s antagonist. Peters is accomplished and tolerable compared to the rest of the cast, but his talents are wasted with far too much over-the-top screaming, and little character depth. I don’t need my villains to be sympathetic, but some motivation behind what they’re doing can go a long way. There are seeds of deeper character moments, but unfortunately he is one dimensional and disappointing.

Jodie Turner-Smith (Queen & Slim) as Athena is imposing, forceful, and driven, with a strong physical and dramatic presence. Jeff Bridges (Hell or High Water) returns in what’s little more than a glorified cameo, but still brings that laid back vibe as Kevin Flynn. And Gillian Anderson (The Crown) appears briefly, but is excellent as always. Cameron Monaghan (Jedi: Fallen Order) also has a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo, that left me wanting more.

There’s a wonderful sequence where we revisit the classic ’80s Grid. It’s a huge dose of nostalgia, and seeing a modern presentation of that world is stunning, proving how rich the design was for that first film..

The original Tron was pioneering by giving us a visual rendition of the digital world. Its programs had faces, bodies, and most importantly, personalities. In Ares, even the human characters feel devoid of any soul. The programs are intentionally more “robotic,” but something about that choice feels incongruous with the series. There are glimpses of character development, but nothing goes deeper than the surface, leaving little to feel attached to or root for as an audience. The final moments try to do this, but it feels cringey and forced.

Flashy visuals and an unrelenting Nine Inch Nails soundtrack can’t make up for the lacklustre story, dull performances, and insufferable presence of Jared Leto. With the exception of some excellent nostalgia and a few pulse-pounding action sequences, Tron: Ares is nowhere near as fun, philosophical, or interesting as it is trying to be.


 

5/10 – Ares has striking visuals, rousing music, and electrifying action, but it the overall package is hollow, flat, and inconsistent. Despite the occasional thrills I felt mostly eye-rolls and apathy. As a fan of the series and its potential, I am disappointed for what this means for the future of Tron and won’t be surprised if the franchise is shelved for another 15 years.

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