Smart Parenting Movie Review: Does Tron: Ares Humanize AI?

Disney is back at it again with another blockbuster: Tron: Ares. At this point, it feels like a nonstop barrage of stunning visuals, strong storytelling, and charming characters. To be completely honest, Tron: Ares has its flaws—but taken as a whole, the sum of its parts adds up to a fun, engaging ride through the Grid and back.

What makes Tron: Ares compelling is how it weaves in timely themes—particularly those related to AI and technology. We live in a fast-paced world, where we still don’t fully understand what the future holds or how quickly technology is evolving. The truth is, the world Tron imagines doesn’t seem as far-fetched or fictional anymore. In a few years, it could easily reflect the reality in which our kids grow up. Who really knows?

Watching this film with your children can open the door to meaningful conversations. It’s not about finding a black-and-white answer to the question, “Is AI truly helpful?”—it’s about developing discernment and learning to ask the right questions.

It’s powerful to let kids decide for themselves whether Ares—an artificial intelligence named after the Greek god of war—can break free of his programming to become truly autonomous and human-like. It’s surprisingly deep for a film in this genre and at times you can get lost in all the spectacle, but it’s worth stepping back afterward to reflect and discuss.

That’s where Tron: Ares rises above being just another sci-fi action movie. It transforms into something more thoughtful and relevant.

With today’s ever-evolving tech, expectations were high for Tron to deliver on visuals—and it absolutely does. The world inside the Grid is more immersive than ever, particularly when compared to the original films from the 1980s and the reboot from the late 2000s.

The neon glow and darker tones capture the essence of a digital realm. It actually feels like what you’d imagine the inside of a microchip to look like—moody, mysterious, with just the right bursts of light. The techno soundtrack, including contributions from Nine Inch Nails, elevates the mood even more.

Things get especially exciting and phenomenal when the Grid starts bleeding into our world through laser-like effects. It’s a hybrid of Daft Punk and Star Wars, and the result is surprisingly satisfying. It’s that mix of spectacle and style that makes Tron: Ares such a fun, immersive experience for the whole family.

I will be completely honest: Jared Leto hasn’t exactly been my favorite actor lately, especially with some of his recent film choices. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by his performance in Tron: Ares.

Leto finds the right balance of stoic intensity and emotional restraint, perfectly fitting for a character who’s both a war-driven AI and a being on the edge of a personal crisis. Ares is torn between following his internal programming and forging his own identity—a tension that Leto conveys well. For this role, he might just be the right fit.

Overall, Tron: Ares is a solid addition to the franchise and a worthwhile watch for families. Yes, it may fumble here and there—particularly with its pacing and underwhelming villain—but the visuals, themes, and central story more than make up for it. It proves that there’s still life left in the Tron universe, and the legacy that Jeff Bridges helped start back in 1982 is still very much alive today.

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