Tron: Ares is headed to theaters this weekend, and the long-awaited third entry in Disney’s Tron franchise has been intriguing from the get-go.

Directed by Joachim Rønning and starring Jared Leto as Ares, a powerful digital Program, this installment is set a while after Legacy and sees AI-created programs crossing over into the real world. Jeff Bridges once again returns as Kevin Flynn and he is joined by Tron newcomers Evan Peters and Gillian Anderson, with a Nine Inch Nails score replacing Daft Punk’s French electro Legacy vibe.

It sounds good. If you’ve seen the trailer, it clearly looks good. However, we’re not finding that many positive things to mention about the movie while scrolling through its initial reactions. The Guardian and The Independent have both bestowed one-star reviews on Tron: Ares, with the former calling it “mind-bendingly dull” and the latter declaring it “the worst film of the year.” Elsewhere, opinions were more mixed, with one reviewer noting the movie’s “bare bones” story to be “fine,” while another referred to it as “stylish” but “emotionally empty.”

However, some of those who got a first look at Tron: Ares this week were more enthusiastic, with one attendee crowning it “a certified banger” and another labeling it “an absolute rush from beginning to end.”

Check out some of the first reactions to the new sci-fi threequel below…

#TronAres is as basic as basic gets. Bare bones, straight forward story, emotions and characters. Which is fine. But it has really fun visuals and a very propulsive soundtrack, and just enough Tron legacy to keep fans interested. Enjoyed it more than I didn’t. pic.twitter.com/mouGowVAtp

— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) October 7, 2025

#TronAres is pure visual noise
A film that borrows tropes from every great AI sci-fi movie but never digs deeper than the surface.
It’s stylish, has awesome action, cool ideas but emotionally empty.

Thank god for the NIN Score which truly is the saving Grace alongside Greta Lee pic.twitter.com/8BPD6FyhSp

— Zach Pope (@popetheking) October 7, 2025

#TRONAres lights up with more than visuals. Greta Lee grounds the neon spectacle, but the story feels hollow. Style wins over substance, with sound and choreography outshining real emotional engagement. pic.twitter.com/uT8v76waLf

— iammichaeljlee.bsky.social (@IamMichaelJLee) October 7, 2025

Tron Ares is visually stunning and has some of the best 3D I’ve seen in a decade (outside of the Avatar films). That said the movie’s plot is extremely dumb, and I just didn’t care about any of the characters. If after that reaction you still want to see it, IMAX 3D is a must. pic.twitter.com/FVSTohmtZz

— Peter Sciretta (@PeterSciretta) October 7, 2025

#TronAres is an absolute rush from beginning to end! Gorgeous, thrilling, and insanely fun. The digital world has never looked better, and that’s from a once skeptical hardcore #TRON fan! The most action-packed chapter yet with a killer soundtrack! -Mike M @DisneyStudios @Disney pic.twitter.com/sdW51aSq4O

— The Nerds of Color (@TheNerdsofColor) October 7, 2025

Tron: Ares is an audiovisual spectacle. A film that was made to be experienced in IMAX 3D. #TronAres pic.twitter.com/OS1vWweyt3

— Scott Menzel (@ScottDMenzel) October 7, 2025

#TronAres was everything I could’ve wanted from this franchise. A certified BANGER. The NIN score absolutely rips, it’s a visual FEAST, and the AI-driven plot was surprisingly compelling/relevant. Greta Lee and Evan Peters are fantastic – and Leto was freaking badass. A few shaky… pic.twitter.com/cA8ZexNdHR

— Jones Vibes (@jonesvibesonly) October 7, 2025

Producer Justin Springer hopes that the film’s themes will still resonate with audiences, 15 years after Legacy’s debut.

“The interesting thing is that with each year that has passed, the idea that doesn’t become dated actually becomes more relevant,” he told Comicbook. “Like, right now, this concept for a movie is more in the zeitgeist than it’s ever been, and so we’ve just been chasing that idea for a long time, not to mention just technologically the ability to produce a light cycle in the real world or do some of the visual effects that we’re talking about doing. It’s we’ll be able to do a better job now than we would have 10 years ago.”

Tron: Ares is set for release on October 10, 2025.

The post Tron: Ares Called “Basic” and “Emotionally Empty” in First Reactions appeared first on Den of Geek.

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