TRON: Ares

If you're into sleek visuals, neon-drenched action, and the ever-evolving relationship between humans and artificial intelligence, TRON: Ares might be right up your alley. This 2025 sci-fi action flick is the third installment in the TRON franchise and follows in the digital footsteps of its predecessors, TRON (1982) and TRON: Legacy (2010). Directed by Joachim Rønning, the film stars Jared Leto as Ares, a highly advanced program sent from the digital world into the real one—marking humanity’s first real contact with AI born from the Grid.

The story picks up 15 years after the events of Legacy, with two tech giants—ENCOM and Dillinger Systems—racing to bring digital constructs into the physical world. Things heat up when Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters), grandson of the original TRON villain Ed Dillinger, unleashes Ares into reality. Ares isn’t just any program—he’s self-aware, curious, and not entirely on board with being used as a disposable weapon. Greta Lee plays Eve Kim, ENCOM’s CEO, who’s on her own mission to unlock the secrets of the "Permanence Code," a key to making digital beings last in the real world.

The film is packed with high-stakes chases, Light Cycle battles, and philosophical questions about identity, purpose, and what it means to be "real." It also features a strong supporting cast including Jodie Turner-Smith, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro, and Gillian Anderson. Jeff Bridges returns as Kevin Flynn, adding a nostalgic touch for longtime fans.

Visually, TRON: Ares is a stunner. The digital effects are top-tier, and the soundtrack—composed by Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross—adds a gritty, industrial edge that sets this entry apart from its predecessors. If you loved the aesthetic of the earlier TRON films, you’ll likely appreciate the evolution here.

That said, not everyone will be on board. Critics were mixed, with some praising the film’s design and performances, while others found the story too formulaic or emotionally flat. If you’re looking for deep character development or a tightly woven plot, this might not hit the mark. But if you’re in it for the vibes, the tech, and the spectacle, TRON: Ares delivers a visually immersive ride into a world where the line between digital and real is blurrier than ever.