The highly anticipated 2025 blockbuster Tron: Ares has arrived to a wave of harsh critical reception, with early reviews labeling the film as a hollow attempt to revive a dormant franchise. Directed by Joachim Rønning and starring Jared Leto, the film—which hit theaters on October 10—is being criticized for its lack of narrative stakes, uninspired visuals, and a failure to justify its own existence in an industry already saturated with legacy sequels.
A Franchise Struggling for Relevance
Tron: Ares serves as a sequel to 2010’s Tron: Legacy and the 1982 cult classic Tron. The plot follows Ares, an advanced program deployed by a defense contractor into the real world to disrupt a gaming company’s efforts to bridge the gap between digital and physical matter. Leto’s character, often described as a “Fortnite skin come to life,” navigates a meta-verse turf war before eventually aligning with human characters, including Jeff Bridges and Gillian Anderson.
Critical Consensus: Stunning Soundtrack, Shallow Substance
While the film’s score—composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross—has received near-universal acclaim, the rest of the production has struggled to impress. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian lamented the lack of human interest, noting that the franchise feels as outdated as an “in-car CD player.” Similarly, Vulture’s Alison Willmore pointed out that despite the pulsating soundtrack, the film fails to establish a visually distinct identity.
IGN awarded the film a 5/10, admitting that the score was the only thing preventing a lower score. Gamesradar echoed this sentiment, giving the film 2.5 out of five stars and singling out Jared Leto’s performance as “thoroughly unconvincing” in the role of an AI grappling with humanity.
The Problem with Nostalgia and Execution
Some critics found the film’s reliance on the past to be its greatest downfall. Variety’s Peter Debruge placed the blame on former Disney executive Sean Bailey, arguing that the movie is burdened by the need to service nostalgia—from the recreation of Flynn’s arcade to Jeff Bridges’ cameo—rather than focusing on its own internal evolution.
However, the film’s portrayal of artificial intelligence did find a nuanced, if backhanded, compliment. David Ehrlich of IndieWire suggested that Leto’s performance works precisely because he is “believable as a soulless ghoul,” noting that the character’s appreciation for Depeche Mode serves as the film’s primary, albeit limited, exploration of humanity.
As the film continues its theatrical run, the discourse has already been complicated by social media misinformation, including a viral parody claiming Leto utilized unconventional methods to prepare for his role as an AI. While the rumors were quickly debunked, the prevailing sentiment remains that Tron: Ares may have benefited from a more daring creative approach.
