Can a story from the times of Naranjito evolve into one of the greatest audiovisual epics of the 21st century so far? Short answer: yes. Long answer: if something Tron has shown in almost four and a half decades is that in its ultratechnological universe, anything is possible, Jeff Bridges being the proof. Space-time travels that start in an arcade room. Urban settings where everything seems laser-cut to perfection. And, of course, light cycles speeding at lightning speed, with a trail you better not cross.
"It's the franchise's iconic vehicle. Probably the most fun design challenge we faced was creating a futuristic-looking bike that could also run in the real world. I've always seen the light cycle almost like a Formula 1 car. Ours is like one of them: super fast... but unable to climb stairs," explains director Joachim Rønning with a half-smile.
His words, besides those of a pop culture enthusiast, are those of the mastermind behind Tron: Ares, the film that expands the science fiction saga with the stellar participation of Jared Leto and that will hit Spanish theaters this Friday, October 10. It's also proof that Disney is betting big on the saga that warned about cyber-existential angst in the golden age of the joystick and anticipated the philosophical contradictions of the metaverse when Mark Zuckerberg was all about moving fast and breaking things.
The new installment explores in a Nietzschean way what it means to be human when the virtual and real worlds collide. Unlike Tron (1982) and Tron: Legacy (2010), Tron: Aresplaces the action outside the prison with video game architecture for the first time, where Bridges' character was once trapped. Ares, let's say it now, is a software that takes on human form thanks to artificial intelligence and 3D printing. His mission as a walking weapon of mass destruction is related to the struggle between two technological giants over a crucial scientific discovery.
The ultimate soldier - portrayed by Leto, who not only stars in the film but also produces it - decides not to be one to aspire to the most genuinely imperfect humanity. His transition from übermensch to a simple mortal echoes classic myths like Pinocchio and Frankenstein. And it also allows Rønning to showcase his delicacy and depth in portraying the hero, as he had previously demonstrated in The Young and the Sea (about the first woman to swim across the English Channel) or Kon-Tiki (about the explorer who crossed the Pacific on a wooden raft to confirm that South American Indians could have reached Polynesia).
"What attracted me to the project in the first place was the possibility of seeing the world through Ares' eyes, a program that discovers humanity and is capable of seeing the beautiful things in our world. That is the heart of the story and the emotional core that I connect with as a filmmaker," comments the Norwegian director at a hotel in Fuengirola during the San Diego Comic-Con Málaga (SDCCM), where attendees were able to get a sneak peek at two of the movie's spectacular chase scenes. "Then, obviously, there's the spectacle of visual effects impacting the real world and light cycles racing through the streets. But that wouldn't mean anything without the connection to the character. I think AI can be a good thing. As a film professional, I have mixed feelings because it scares me and I believe it needs boundaries. But AI could also be something beautiful. If the movie conveys any message, it's that well-used technology can be fantastic and help humanity."
The blockbuster touches on some of the most sensitive points of the contemporary technological debate, such as the use of AI in the military, facial recognition as a tool for mass surveillance, the threat of malicious software, or the ambition of Silicon Valley billionaires. These issues emerge amidst visual effects to provide recognizable coordinates to the audience.
"For me, it was essential that, although it's a science fiction film, it felt real," admits Rønning. "Tron has always been interesting because it doesn't refer too much to the future, but to tomorrow itself. And that's what I aimed for, for the technology we talk about in the movie to be as real as possible. I spent a lot of time researching 3D printing and how we could apply it. Resources like surveillance cameras make the plot seem plausible."
The director confirms that Leto was crucial for the film to come to fruition. "Without him, it wouldn't have been possible. He has been the guardian who kept the flame alive and a great partner," he says of Leto, who revealed at SDCCM that he had been preparing for the role of Tron: Ares since he saw the original film at the age of 10. The '80s nods in this third installment, by the way, are not few.
In addition to a soundtrack by Nine Inch Nails, the film features a passage from Mary Shelley's Frankenstein twice: "I do not fear, and therefore I am powerful." Ares is the opposite of a monster, but his humanization connects with what recent installments of sagas like Alien and Predator offer. In both, the extraterrestrial becomes an ally. Why? Could it be that what truly scares us now is not a creature from outer space but not having basic needs covered, like having a roof over our heads or paying the bills?
"That's a good question. When you want to tell a story, you think about turning every stone and making narrative arcs intertwine. What works well in this story is that Ares and Eve's arcs do that a bit. He provides a reason why life is wonderful, and then she guides on what it means to be human. It's an important moment in the story and an original plot twist," he reflects.
Rønning shares what was the most challenging part of handling the $150 million budget. "In these big movies, there are many people involved. You feel a bit ignorant and at the same time, you learn on the go and gain experience," points out the man behind the camera in Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales and Maleficent: Mistress of Evil. "Every time a new project comes my way, I think: this time I'll do it the easy way. I don't want to compare it to giving birth, but it's like a part of the brain forgets the bad and only remembers the good, the result. Being here, with the film already finished, I tell myself that it's fun and that I want to do it again. But when I was shooting on the cold night of March 30 in Vancouver, soaked to the bone, I felt miserable and thought, 'What crap'."