Tron: Ares Review – Visually Electrifying, Kinetic, and Cool

Returning to the Grid

Fifteen years after Tron: Legacy, Tron: Ares pulls us back into the neon world where technology, identity, and rebellion collide. Directed by Joachim Rønning, this third installment expands the franchise’s legacy while introducing new ideas about artificial intelligence and human connection. Jared Leto stars as Ares, an advanced program sent from the digital realm into the physical world — a mission that could change both forever. The result is a film that’s sleek, ambitious, and visually arresting, even if its emotional core doesn’t always compute.

Jared Leto Is Perfectly Programmed

If there’s one thing that works from start to finish, it’s Jared Leto as Ares. He’s magnetic in the role — a character built for him in every way. From his otherworldly presence to his stoic charisma, Leto blends cool confidence with curiosity as Ares learns what it means to exist beyond the Grid. His stunt work and physicality are equally impressive, especially in the breathtaking lightcycle sequences that feel like pure cinematic adrenaline. Watching him tear through the Grid, set to Nine Inch Nails’ thunderous score, is worth the ticket alone.

Greta Lee and an Ensemble That Pops

Greta Lee brings sharpness and gravitas to Eve Kim, ENCOM’s fearless CEO on a desperate mission to locate Kevin Flynn’s legendary Permanence Code. Her performance grounds the story — and it’s hard not to draw ironic parallels between her role here and her Morning Show character, both wrestling with power and technology. She’s commanding, funny, and just the right amount of chaotic.

Arturo Castro offers one of the film’s biggest surprises as comic relief. His humor lands every time, but he also adds genuine heart and depth to the scenes he’s in. Evan Peters makes for a slick villain as Julian Dillinger, the ambitious CEO of Dillinger Systems, while Jodie Turner-Smith dominates every frame as Athena, Ares’ second-in-command. She’s fierce, commanding, and honestly feels one casting call away from playing Storm in the next X-Men movie.

Nostalgia, Humor, and a Glowing World

Rønning leans into the nostalgia fans crave. Tron: Ares bathes itself in retro-futuristic beauty — pulsing reds, icy blues, and glossy neon textures that evoke the ‘80s while pushing digital design to new heights. There are tons of Easter eggs and callbacks to the earlier films, and if you blink, you might miss Cameron Monaghan’s quick cameo. The mix of humor, action, and nostalgia keeps the film entertaining, especially for longtime fans who grew up on lightcycles and Daft Punk’s unforgettable soundtrack.

This time, Nine Inch Nails takes the musical reins, and the result is astonishing. The score is dark, kinetic, and emotionally charged — arguably their best work in years. Combined with the film’s IMAX aspect ratio shifts between the Grid and the real world, it delivers an immersive, almost tactile experience.

A Story That Can’t Always Keep Up

For all its style, Tron: Ares occasionally struggles to find balance. The dialogue often feels stilted, with predictable dynamics that undercut the film’s more ambitious ideas. While the movie touches on thought-provoking themes — from identity and AI to what it means to be truly “alive” — its emotional depth doesn’t always land. Connections between characters feel surface-level, missing the weight that could have elevated the story beyond its spectacle.

Inconsistent World-Building

One noticeable issue is how the film sets up fascinating constructs early on — only to forget them later. Early scenes emphasize the physical dangers of digital energy and laser exposure, even prompting characters to wear protective glasses. Yet by the final act, that entire concept vanishes, as if both the filmmakers and the characters just decided the rules no longer mattered. It’s a small detail, but one that speaks to the uneven storytelling: a world meticulously built in the first act that loses its own logic by the third.

Final Verdict: Stylish, Loud, and Worth the Ride

Tron: Ares isn’t perfect, but it’s pure spectacle — a visually electrifying, musically hypnotic journey that reaffirms why the Grid remains one of the coolest worlds in sci-fi. With Leto perfectly cast, Greta Lee’s sharp performance, and a killer soundtrack, it’s an imperfect but undeniably entertaining return to the digital frontier.