'Tron: Legacy' Takes Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner & the Grid to a Whole New Dimension on April 5

In one of the most anticipated sequels in recent memory, "Tron: Legacy" released in theaters on December 17, 2010. "Tron: Legacy" is the follow-up to the 1982 film "Tron" which starred Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn/Clu and Bruce Boxleitner as Alan Bradley/Tron. On April 5th, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment will release "Tron: Legacy" and "Tron: The Original Classic" on multiple formats.

"Tron," which released on on July 9, 1982, set the standard for computer animation and movie technical advancement at the time, winning critical acclaim for its visuals and acting. While the plot was considered weak, young fans of the new video arcade games enjoyed the parallels between the movie and the games that inspired it. "Tron" was not only a box office success, it became a cult classic, inspiring video games, comic books, an animated television series and the "Tron guy" who made his own electroluminescent "Tron" costume and gained a degree of fame on the internet and "Jimmy Kimmel Live." Could "Tron: Legacy" possibly live up to all of that?

Yes indeedy do.

"Tron: Legacy" Pushing the Boundaries

In another ground-breaking movie, not only is "Tron: Legacy" as visually impressive as the original (even more so due to recent advancements in CGI), but "Tron: Legacy" pushes the boundaries of digital image manipulation to take Jeff Bridges from age 61, his age as an actor and in the movie's present, and "de-age" him back to 1982 for his computerized avatar, "Clu" who appears to be about 35 years old. The results are astounding. I was a big Jeff Bridges fan back in the day of "Starman" and "Against All Odds," and looking at 2011's CLU is like looking at Jeff Bridges in the 1980s.

"Tron: Legacy" Plot

For those who enjoyed the "Tron" storyline, such as it was, "Tron: Legacy" picks up shortly after the events of "Tron" when Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), who now heads ENCOM, disappears. Twenty years later, his son, Sam (Garrett Hedlund), is told by his father's old friend and ENCOM executive Alan Bradley (Bruce Boxleitner), that he has just received a mysterious page from Flynn's office in the old arcade. Sam goes over to explore his father's arcade, now closed up. After switching on the power, he discovers a hidden laboratory with computer equipment, and when he enters the password, he is transported to the virtual world of the Grid inside the computer.

There the plot suffers a bit, but nothing else does as Sam must face Clu and his champion, the Rinzler, find his father, battle wits with Castor/Zuse (Michael Sheen), save Quorra (Olivia Wilde), and make it back to the portal before it closes and effectively traps him inside the computer. Whew! I need some of that blue stuff from The End of Line Club!

With no real bloodshed, bad language or nudity, "Tron: Legacy" is fairly family friendly, for teens and up. "Tron: Legacy" and "Tron: The Original Classic" will release on multiple formats including Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital on April 5, 2011 and is well worth watching, if just for the special effects. I guess Tron guy will have to update his costume.

"Tron: Legacy" Cast

"Tron: Legacy" stars Jeff Bridges ("Starman"), Garrett Hedlund "Country Strong," "Eragon"), Bruce Boxleitner ("Babylon 5"), Olivia Wilde ("House") and Michael Sheen ("Twilight" series).

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