When Tron originally came out, the height of technology was playing Pole Position at the arcade. Neuromancer was still two years off. The Internet was newsgroups and library catalogs. So maybe this effects-driven tale, starring Beau Bridges as a programmer trapped inside the three-dimensional workings of a corporate computer system, was paddling out a little too far in front of the technology tidal wave. That's not to say audiences and critics didn't appreciate Tron when it was first shown; there are plenty of die-hard fans from way back, plus shows that owe their very existence to the film's metaphors. However, now more than ever there may be a broad audience for Tron's mix of gamer attitude, hacker ethics, and visual style. Perhaps that's why a sequel recently arrived via the 21st century's premier entertainment vehicle, the video game.

Harold Check