Home Theater Geeks 505: "Tron: Ares" in IMAX 3D

Host: Scott Wilkinson
Published: October 23, 2025
Podcast: All TWiT.tv Shows (Audio)

Episode Overview

In this episode, home theater expert Scott Wilkinson delivers an in-depth review of the much-anticipated "Tron: Ares," which he experienced in IMAX 3D. Wilkinson traces the history of the Tron franchise, breaks down the visuals, sound, story, and shares his candid opinions on the strengths and shortcomings of the film, especially from a home theater geek’s perspective. The episode will be of particular interest to both movie buffs and AV enthusiasts interested in technical details of presentation, as well as long-time Tron fans.

1. Quick Franchise Recap & Context (02:28–08:15)

• Scott opens with a concise summary of the entire Tron franchise:
  • Tron (1982):
    • "Used state of the art CGI, which looks really crude by today's standards." (03:07)
    • Notably, Scott’s sister was an assistant to an executive at one of the three original CGI companies involved, and her name is in the credits.
  • Characters:
    • Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges): Programmer digitized into “the Grid”
    • Ed Dillinger/Sark (David Warner): Antagonist
    • Alan Bradley/Tron (Bruce Boxleitner): Friend of Flynn and program Tron
  • Tron: Legacy (2010):
    • "Much better CGI, as you would expect, and a great score by Daft Punk. It also had an interesting story. I thought the reviews were only mixed, but I thought it was great." (04:36)
    • Garrett Hedlund as Sam Flynn, Olivia Wilde as Quorra; digital de-aging of Jeff Bridges as Clu.
• Setup for "Tron: Ares":
  • Third installment, 15 years after Legacy.
  • Jared Leto stars as Ares, a security program written by Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters).
  • Julian Dillinger is the grandson of Ed Dillinger and runs Dilinger Systems, a rival to Encom.
  • Gillian Anderson plays Elizabeth Dillinger (Julian's mother).
  • Introduction of new Grid-to-real-world technology: Objects/programs from the Grid can manifest in the real world, but only for 29 minutes ("Why that is is not really explained. It certainly didn't occur in the second movie, okay?"). (06:31)
  • Greta Lee as Eve Kim, CEO of Encom, competing for the "Permanence Code"—a plot device allowing permanent transfer from the Grid.

2. "Tron: Ares" Detailed Review

Plot & Story Analysis (08:15–12:45)

• Premise & Characters:

  • Julian’s breakthrough: Bringing things/programs from the Grid into the real world, but with a 29-minute time limit.
  • Ares and Athena (Jodie Turner Smith), both security programs, are brought to the real world.
  • Main rivalry: Eve Kim (Encom CEO) vs Julian Dillinger for the Permanence Code—originally crafted by Kevin Flynn 40 years prior, allowing permanence in the real world.
  • Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) reappears for an extended cameo—making him the only actor in all three films.

• Criticisms:

  • The "Permanence Code" and the 29-minute rule are abrupt plot inventions: "None of this is spoken about in the first or second movies. They just all of a sudden this thing, this concept appears." (07:47)
  • The main trope: Ares develops human emotions—"AI spontaneously developing sentience and human feelings is a pretty tired trope by now." (14:12)
  • Questions left unanswered:
    • How did Kevin Flynn survive after destroying himself in "Legacy"?
    • What happened to Sam Flynn and Quorra?
    • How does the 29-minute rule apply to the previous film’s real-world transfers?

• Easter Eggs & Fan Service:

  • Numerous callbacks and details for longtime Tron fans, including scenes, light cycles, recognizers, and “Bit” from the original film.

3. Technical Presentation: IMAX 3D Experience (11:32–15:25)

• Visuals:
  • Shot with IMAX cameras (1.90:1 aspect ratio)
  • Post-processed into 3D. Not shot natively like "Avatar."
  • Use of polarizing 3D glasses: "Visually, the movie is stunning. It's beautiful and the 3D works really well, especially in the grid in the computer world." (11:57)
  • Special effects highlight: A light cycle in the real world, "the light band behind it cuts a police car in half. Cool effect. Really very good." (12:27)
• Audio:
  • Six-channel IMAX sound system (not Dolby Atmos, but highly immersive)
  • "The sound was swirling all around—really, really good. And even better, the dialogue intelligibility was excellent. I could understand everything even when I had my earplugs in..." (12:46)
  • Sound levels: Very loud but kept within industry specs
    • "Average level... was 84.3 dBA... max 101.6 dBA." (13:27)
• Music:
  • Score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (Nine Inch Nails)
  • "I didn’t like it as much as the Daft Punk score. I thought the Daft Punk score was beautiful, really good. This was, you know, energetic and everything, but I just didn’t like it as much." (13:59)

4. Critical Assessment & Reception (15:25–18:30)

• Story and Continuity Disappointments:

  • "Aries goes from cold and calculating to warm and fuzzy very quickly. That was not very believable. And the permanence code motivation seems very contrived to me." (14:22)
  • Scott would have preferred to see the story follow up on Sam Flynn and Quorra in the real world rather than introducing entirely new rules and abandoning previous main characters.

• Standalone Approach:

  • Disney appeared to make this film as a “standalone” hoping for a broader audience, but: "It didn’t work. The box office for the opening weekend was very poor."
    • $33 million in the US/Canada; just under $67 million worldwide.
    • Estimated budget: $180 million. “I’ve read a number of things that say there ain’t going to be any more Tron movies, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s true.” (16:42)

• Recommendation:

  • "Is it worth the 25 bucks I paid with a senior discount and a midday discount…? I’d have to say no, unless you’re a big Tron fan. And even then, the story is likely to disappoint, as it did me." (17:10)
  • Visuals and soundtrack are phenomenal: Good example of state-of-the-art theater technology, and the Easter eggs are fun for fans.
  • But: "As for the movie itself, I can’t say I can really recommend it. So there you are. That’s my impression of Tron: Ares." (18:03)

5. Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Tron’s 1982 Legacy:
  “It used state of the art CGI, which looks really crude by today’s standards. But back then they had three CGI companies… my sister was an assistant to the executive of one of those companies. So her name is actually in the credits of the original Tron.” (03:07)
• Music Critique:
  “I didn’t like it as much as the Daft Punk score. I thought the Daft Punk score was beautiful, really good. This was, you know, energetic and everything, but I just didn’t like it as much. That’s personal opinion.” (13:59)
• About the sudden plot invention:
  “None of this is spoken about in the first or second movies. They just all of a sudden this thing, this concept appears.” (07:47)
• Box Office & Franchise Futures:
  “The box office for the opening weekend was very poor. $33 million in the US and Canada and a little less than 67 million worldwide.… there ain’t going to be any more Tron movies, and I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s true.” (16:42)
• Final Recommendation:
  “Is it worth the 25 bucks I paid…? I’d have to say no, unless you’re a big Tron fan. And even then, the story is likely to disappoint, as it did me.” (17:10)

6. Listener Engagement

• Scott encourages listeners to send questions to htgwit TV for response on future episodes.
• Reminds listeners about ad-free options via Club Twit.

Summary Table: Key Segments

| Segment | Topic | Timestamps | |---------|-------|------------| | Franchise recap | Franchise overview, prior films, setup for Ares | 02:28–08:15 | | Story review | Plot breakdown, new concepts, critical take | 08:15–12:45 | | Visual/audio | IMAX 3D experience, visuals, audio, music | 11:32–15:25 | | Critical verdict| Final assessment, recommendation, box office | 15:25–18:30 |

Bottom Line

Scott Wilkinson’s review of "Tron: Ares" paints a picture of a visually brilliant but narratively disappointing film, one that tries for broader appeal but risks alienating both new viewers and loyal fans. While the IMAX 3D and state-of-the-art sound impress, both story and continuity missteps leave much to be desired. The episode is a must-hear for home theater geeks who want the technical lowdown, and an honest look at sci-fi franchise filmmaking in 2025.