It seems like every film is getting a 4K Blu-ray release but there's one that I've been patiently waiting for – and I've been waiting a while. The good news is that my patience has finally paid off.
Tron: Legacy is finally getting the high-quality physical release that it deserves, meaning I can, at last, take in every pixel of this bonkers sci-fi movie and see it at its very best.
The sequel to the 1982 cult classic wasn't received particularly well when it was released 15 years ago, sporting a Rotten Tomatoes score of 51 per cent, but I consider it to be an underrated gem.
Is the story weak? Yes. Is the CGI de-aged Jeff Bridges one of the most uncanny things ever put to film? Also yes. But it's a visual feast, and its soundtrack is absolutely legendary, which is why I like it.
Call me shallow, but I don't need a compelling story for a bunch of rogue computer programmes battling it out inside a video game world; I came for the Light Cycles and Disc Wars, which are sure to dazzle in 4K HDR on my Sony A80L OLED TV.
Before the disc arrives, Disney Plus is your best bet for watching this movie, or you can buy it on standard DVD and Blu-ray, though you're limited to 1080p SDR at the absolute maximum here.
The new 4K Blu-ray release, which bundles in the standard Blu-ray version of the film, is set to feature sharper visuals with HDR support in that all-important Dolby Vision format, which Disney is thankfully back on board with.
I watched Tron: Legacy on Disney Plus just a few nights ago in preparation for Tron: Ares, which is set to release next month, and while I was mostly dazzled by the visuals (which hold up surprisingly well a decade and a half later), I did find a few issues that I hope to see ironed out on the new physical release.
There appeared to be some banding and blockiness to the black computer programme "sky", and I could tell the image was missing just a bit of punch and sharpness. I'm hoping that the 4K Blu-ray's much higher bitrate and resolution will address these issues, and I can't wait to see this film shine in Dolby Vision.
However, this may be one film in which the sound is more important than the visuals – I could watch Tron: Legacy with my eyes closed and have an equally enjoyable experience. That's almost entirely due to the exceptional score by French DJ duo Daft Punk.
Every time the score kicks into high gear, the film feels nothing short of electric, and that's even the case with Disney Plus' compressed audio. A lossless audio track is, therefore, bound to make it even better, and Dolby Atmos is on board to enhance the rapturous sci-fi sound effects that are featured throughout the film.
With Daft Punk now unfortunately out of action, Nine Inch Nails have taken up responsibility for Tron: Ares. While the band has huge shoes to fill, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross have been responsible for some of the best film scores in recent memory, including The Social Network and Challengers, as well as the Watchmen television series.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves. Thanks to the Daft Punk soundtrack and stunning visuals, not to mention the Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos treatments, I am looking forward to the Tron: Legacy 4K Blu-ray becoming a much-used test disc for TVs and home cinema products. It's due for release on 29th September.
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