Tron: Ares
October 7th, 2025
MOVIE: TRON: ARES
STARRING: JARED LETO, EVAN PETERS, GRETA LEE, JODIE TURNER-SMITH, GILLIAN ANDERSON, JEFF BRIDGES
DIRECTED BY: JOACHIM RØNNING
AMovieGuy.com’s RATING: 3 STARS (Out of 4)
RATED: PG-13
RUN TIME: 119 MINUTES
There have now been three Tron films: the groundbreaking original in 1982, the sleek sequel Tron: Legacy in 2010, and now, 15 years later, Tron: Ares. For a sci-fi series centered on computers gaining autonomy and sentience, it’s fascinating to see how the Tron universe has evolved alongside our own technology. The original reflected the video game boom- think Pong and arcade culture. In 2010, Legacy embraced the internet age. Now, in 2025, Ares enters a world immersed in AI, making it only natural for the story to explore questions of consciousness, humanity, and machine identity- both inside and outside the Grid.
Visually electric and sonically booming, Tron: Ares is a high-tech thrill ride.
Set in the present day, the story follows Encom CEO Eve Kim (Greta Lee), who has uncovered the “Permanence Code”- a breakthrough originally developed by Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) that allows Grid entities to cross into the real world and potentially become sentient. This discovery puts her in the crosshairs of rival tech mogul Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters), who dispatches Ares (Jared Leto) and Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith) to eliminate Eve and steal her data. But Ares begins to change, developing a conscience, a fascination with humanity, and, ultimately, a reluctance to kill.
The plot is essentially one extended chase, bringing Light Cycles, sleek aircraft, and quick-strike combat into the real world. Director Joachim Rønning keeps the pace tight and the tone serious, letting the visuals and action drive the experience. The screenplay by Jesse Wigutow and David DiGilio is light on character depth but fits well within the Tron trilogy’s framework. While it functions as a legacy sequel, Ares doesn’t rely heavily on nostalgia, allowing new viewers to jump in without much confusion.
The film’s standout element is its sound design and score, courtesy of Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross of Nine Inch Nails. Can a soundtrack alone elevate a movie? In this case, almost. Their mix of pulsing techno, layered atmospherics, and explosive cues makes Ares a visceral experience. Every Light Cycle swoosh and sonic boom reverberates in your seat. It’s impossible to call the film dull when it sounds this alive.
Ultimately, Tron: Ares is both surprising and satisfying. Jared Leto brings the cold, robotic intensity he showed in Blade Runner 2049, while Greta Lee makes a strong impression as a compelling, grounded protagonist. The film echoes themes from Terminator 2: Judgment Day, takes a smarter approach than M3GAN 2.0, and delivers a visual spectacle unlike anything else in 2025.
It exceeded my expectations. Consider me officially a fan of the Tron universe.
3 STARS
TRON: ARES IS PLAYING IN THEATERS THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10TH, 2025.
Written by: Leo Brady
