After nearly three years of hype (it all started with a much buzzed about sizzle reel at Comic-Con, 2008), Tron: Legacy finally makes its theatrical debut and the critical response has been less than stellar. While the comparisons to Matrix Reloaded and The Phantom Menace are somewhat warranted, Tron: Legacy doesn't have nearly as much to live up to. The original Tron was hardly a blockbuster. Technically speaking it was a game changer and you have to give the film props for delving into web culture before there was web culture. In the end though, Tron was a cult film at best. In that regard, Tron: Legacy is a big time gamble. Disney poured a crap load of money into this project and went out on a limb even further by throwing first time feature director Joseph Kosinski into the mix. At a surface level, Tron: Legacy is messy. The writing is generic (cheesy one-liners) and the pacing is off (all the action occurs in hour one with poorly executed exposition taking place in the second half). Lead Garrett Hedlund is more of an action hero cliche than an actual action hero and his Roxbury strutting is downright laughable. While the aforementioned strutting is all Hedlund's doing, much of Sam Flynn's failure as a character falls in the hands of the screenwriting and direction. What we're left with are amazing visuals that pop of the screen (particularly if you see the movie in glorious Imax 3D), a goofy but strangely appealing turn by Jeff Bridges who basically takes The Dude to cyber-space, a wildly entertaining Michael Sheen who was clearly inspired by Labyrinth era David Bowie, and a wonderfully likable Olivia Wilde whose wide eyed, child like demeanor, give the film a much needed boost.

Beyond the surface level--which few will be willing to look past--is a marginally interesting subtext about technology as it exists now. Viruses, corrupt programs, etc. Stuff touched on to a larger degree in movies like The Matrix. Kosinsnki and his screenwriters have infused Legacy with such subtext, but they merely skim over it opting instead to focus on the high tech visuals and an obvious father/son story that sets the entire so-called plot into motion. But the father/son dynamic doesn't only revolve around Bridges' Kevin and Hedlund's Sam. It also centers around Kevin and Clu (an advanced program created by Kevin-also played by Jeff Bridges, but with a digital facelift). There's also a bit of religious metaphor on display. Where does Tron as a physical character fit into all of this? Well, he's there, but he isn't much of a character. In fact, his apparent character arc is painfully underdeveloped making for a less than stellar climax. Yes, Tron: Legacy is generic. Yes its silly. And yes, its a bit of a mess. Furthermore, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little disappointed in the film after months of hype and a couple of awesome trailers. Having said all of this however, I think some folks are being far too hard on the film. It isn't a bad movie by any means. If you taper those expectations, and go in looking for eye candy, you'll go home happy. It also helps if you're a Daft Punk fan because the techno pioneers knock the soundtrack out of the park.