3D brings game to life

TRON: Legacy is a unique 3D action-packed adventure set in a digital world. Fans around the globe have been waiting with bated breath for a glimpse into the film, and on Oct. 28, Walt Disney Pictures held "Tron Night: An IMAX 3D Experience" around the world to show them a 20-minute sneak peak.

Without giving away too much, the screening showed the gist of the movies plot in what seemed a blink of an eye. The abrupt and suspenseful end came across like the words "game over" does once your quarters have run out but you're barely ready to call it quits.

Still, you get the picture. Young and rebellious Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund) is haunted by the mysterious disappearance of his father Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges), a man once recognized as the world's leading video game developer. When Sam investigates his father's abandoned office behind a secret wall at Flynn's Arcade, he suddenly finds himself thrust in the world where Kevin has been trapped for 20 years. There he meets Quorra (Olivia Wilde), who helps lead Sam through this gamers maze where his only task is "to survive," which is far simpler said than done.

Meanwhile, both father and son embark on a life-or-death journey across a visually striking universe "on the grid" that Kevin himself created. This advanced universe is a complex whirlwind with hyper-technical vehicles, weapons and landscapes, and Castor (Michael Sheen), a cold-blooded villain who is out to prevent their escape.

Director Joseph Kosinski is responsible for bringing TRON: Legacy from the arcade to the silver screen, presenting the film inDisney Digital 3D™. And though this may sound like a pain, since so many films today seem unnecessarily filmed in digital 3D land and suspended in CGI, Tron stands out in clear-cut scenes and fluid imagery worth the thick black glasses.

Still, the 20-minute sneak peak was long enough to convey that there are probably more cinematic special-effects and beauty to this film than plot and substance. The film starts off strong and intriguing, but quickly speeds off into visually stunning light work and a predictably cliché good-versus-evil climax.

But it does have an ace up its sleeve. The film's score is by Grammy Award®–winning electronic music duo Daft Punk. They've constructed a soundtrack that is like music lightening, an electrifying gaming melody. Daft Punk could even be spotted in the film, but only for a viewer who looks carefully.

TRON: Legacy hits theaters on Dec. 17. But a 10-week countdown that started Oct. 10, is prepping fans for the ultimate release. It includes "TRON Tuesdays" where every Tuesday for the next 10 weeks, exclusive new video and film content will be released around the world through facets like Disney.com and Facebook.com/TRON, the official motion picture soundtrack's release on Dec. 7, and Disney Interactive Studios' launch of the next-gen video game "TRON: Evolution."

So fans can enjoy a myriad of TRON activities until the movie drops, but for those of you who just want to sit back and watch, the wait is almost over.