Humanity faces off against artificial intelligence, not in a lab but in a dazzling grid of light. That is what enormously projected at the latest film ‘Tron: Ares’, the third installment in the Tron series, following ‘Tron: Legacy’ (2010) in Disney’s legendary sci-fi saga, released worldwide on October 10 and also in Bangladesh at Star Cineplex on October 17, bringing the franchise’s neon-lit universe back to Bangladeshi screens after fifteen years.
Directed by Joachim Rønning, the American science-fiction action film stars an ensemble cast featuring Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro and Gillian Anderson.
Serving as both sequel to Tron: Legacy (2010) and a soft reboot, the film traces its roots to creator Steven Lisberger’s decades-old fascination with the idea that intelligent life might emerge from machines rather than outer space.
The story centres on Ares, an advanced digital program sent from the virtual “Grid” into the real world to establish first contact with humanity. However, the encounter spirals into conflict when humans, fearing the unknown, turn against their creation. Torn between loyalty to his kind and compassion for humankind, Ares becomes the embodiment of the film’s core question: can humanity coexist with its own creation?
Visually, Tron: Ares is pure spectacle. Rønning’s direction transforms the digital realm into a luminous dreamscape of cyan-orange light and pulsating energy. The light-cycle chases, VFX choreography and pounding synth-score offer a sensory overload fit for the big screen, particularly the IMAX halls worldwide.
That being said, beneath the gleam lies a familiar flaw: while the movie dazzles, it rarely moves. Critics abroad describe it as “stunning but soulless,” praising its design while lamenting its thin emotional arc.
Globally, the film debuted with US $33.5 million in its first weekend and has grossed around US $70 million, below expectations for its reported US $180 million budget. Critics’ scores hover near 55 percent, though audiences rate it far higher, around 86 percent, calling it a fun, fast-paced escape.
In Bangladesh, early viewers echo the same divide. Social media buzz celebrates its visual bravado, “the bikes, the lights, the sound,” while others sigh over its lack of depth. Cineplex crowds are expected to fill early weekend shows, though longevity may depend on word-of-mouth.
When the correspondent visited Star Cineplex to understand the audience response of the film, it found that the majority of the audiences are youth groups, as expected. “The movie is doing average across all of our Star Cineplex branches,” Mesbah Uddin Ahmed, Assistant General Manager, Media & Marketing of Star Cineplex, told TIMES.
Ultimately, Tron: Ares reboots a 45-year-old concept for an age obsessed with AI and ethics. It is a feast for the eyes and a whisper for the mind, neon brilliance wrapped around a flickering heart.
The IMDb rating for the film is 6.7/10, as of this reporting.
