Hello and welcome to my spoiler review of 'Tron Aries', where we actually have a lot to talk about, especially the very strong setup for a potential 'Tron 4'. Oh, who's going to tell Jared Leto? That's okay. They could make a 'Tron 4' without Jared Leto. Maybe. We'll see. We'll see, because the best Easter egg, the one I think everyone's going to want to see, involves two really good ones, neither of which really includes Jared Leto.
One of my favorite Easter eggs involved Julian Dillinger, the grandson of the villain from the first movie, with his grandfather's painting staring at everyone throughout the movie. At the end of the film, Julian Dillinger gets his mom killed by Athena and is about to be arrested, but manages to enter the grid just in time. The police storm the building and witness Dillinger being digitized, entering the grid before their eyes. This was an exciting and impactful scene, although it perhaps belonged at the beginning of the third act instead of the end.
There's another fascinating twist in the mid-credit scene where Dillinger materializes on the grid, pulsating with energy as he takes hold of his identity disc. We get a glimpse of armor similar to that worn by the Sarkc program in the original film—a program written by his grandfather. This creates an interesting continuity since the original Tron films established programs to visually resemble their creators. An interesting aspect that arises is whether Julian Dillinger is going to wear the Sarkc armor or if the armor will 'wear' him, gaining advantages by combining with a human host.
The film also introduces the idea of computer programs being able to be printed organically in the real world, an intriguing concept that sparks questions about the nature of existence and AI. This leads to discussions about whether the ghost of Dillinger's grandfather exists in the virtual machine in the same manner as Flynn's ghost on Flynn's server, a question that a potential 'Tron 4' could explore.
Further intrigue is created by the subplot around Kora, a program that transitioned into the real world, and whose character remains popular due to her role in the animated series. While Sam and Kora don't appear in 'Tron Aries', their legacy is hinted at with an image of an older Kora, suggesting future exploration.
The review also covers the film's unique take on AI and technological advancement, exemplified by how the grid is used as a metaphor for the bridge between digital and real worlds. The possibility of 3D printing as a means for programs to self-print, along with the ethical implications, is a central theme.
Overall, 'Tron Aries' cleverly sets up exciting possibilities for continuation of the story while engaging with complex themes related to identity, technology, and existence.