4K Review: "TRON" Powers Up on 4K Ultra-HD with a Dazzling New Restoration
Walt Disney Pictures’ 1982 cult classic, TRON, has never looked better than it does on 4K Ultra-HD. Releasing on September 16th ahead of the third installment, TRON: Ares, old and new fans alike are encouraged to celebrate where the digital saga began. With a brand-new restoration, this release is a true upgrade, complete with an immersive Dolby Atmos mix.
Brilliant programmer Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) is pulled into the digital world of ENCOM after a rogue Master Control Program zaps him inside its mainframe. There, he discovers a vivid realm where software programs take on human form and compete in deadly games. Teaming up with security program Tron (Bruce Boxleitner) and ally Yori (Cindy Morgan), Flynn must outwit tyrannical commander Sark (David Warner) and the MCP, using his unique abilities as a “User" to help free the system and reclaim proof that his stolen creations were his all along.
TRON’s new 4K restoration is bundled with the film’s 2011 Blu-Ray disc and a digital copy. This gives fans access to all of the great bonus features from the film’s previous home video releases, although the downside is that the new restoration is exclusive to just the 4K disc and digital copy. Most frustratingly, the only other criticism I can give is that the audio commentary isn’t included on the 4K disc. Otherwise, fans won’t want to miss reliving the film with more clarity than ever before.
Video
Disney’s 4K restoration of TRON is a revelation for a film whose look has always been a mix of large-format live action and early computer imagery. The new scan delivers a noticeably sharper, cleaner picture than the 2011 Blu-ray, with fine detail especially evident in the “real world" material. Black levels, which once leaned grainy, are now deep and stable, and the HDR grading injects fresh vibrancy into the neon palette of the Grid without washing out its iconic glow. The CGI sequences remain charmingly rudimentary, but the extra color depth and careful management of aliasing lend them surprising nuance. Grain is very light and consistent, never smudging the image or making it feel artificially scrubbed. For longtime fans, it’s the best the film has ever looked on home video.
Audio
The new Dolby Atmos track complements the upgraded visuals with a lively yet respectful treatment of TRON’s classic soundscape. Dialogue stays clean and well-anchored while Wendy Carlos’ score and ambient effects spread naturally into the surrounds, with subtle height cues giving the computer world extra dimensionality. Lightcycles whip across channels with pleasing precision, the Recognizers loom from above, and off-screen voices occasionally wrap around the listener for playful immersion. Bass is moderate but appropriate to the source, keeping the mix faithful to the film’s origins while opening up the soundstage in ways earlier releases never quite achieved. Additional audio options include a 2.0 Descriptive Audio track, 5.1 mixes in French, Spanish, Castilian Spanish, German, Italian,Czech, and Japanese 5.1, plus a stereo Polish track.
Bonus Features
- The Tron Phenomenon (9:45) - The cast and creative team of TRON: Legacy celebrate the legacy of the original classic, exploring its legacy on pop culture.
- Photo Tronology (16:37) - Director Steven Lisberger takes his son Carl to the Walt Disney Archives Photo Library to look through behind-the-scenes stills from production and share stories about the making of the film.
- Audio Commentary (1:35:47) - View the film with audio commentary by Director Steven Lisberger, Producer Donald Kushner, Associate Producer and Visual Effects Supervisor Harrison Ellenshaw and Visual Effects Supervisor Richard Taylor.
- Development
- Early Development of Tron (2:37)
- Early Lisberger Studios Animation (0:30) - TRON’s first appearance came in this computer-animated studio logo for Steven Lisberger’s company.
- "Computers are People Too" Excerpt (4:28) - A clip from a 1982 TV special that offered audiences a first look at TRON.
- Early Video Tests (0:31) - A silent effects test used to sell the project to Disney.
- Development Gallery - Early concept art
- Digital Imagery
- Backlight Animation (1:39) - Effects Technical Director John Scheele demonstrates the frame-by-frame process to make the programs glow.
- Digital Imagery in Tron (3:44) - Richard Taylor, Co-Supervisor of Visual Effects, talks about combining live-action footage with computer animation.
- “Beyond Tron" Excerpt (4:00) - MAGI founder Dr. Phillip Mittelman talks about the evolution of computer graphics that made TRON possible in this TV special excerpt.
- Role of Triple I (0:34) - Richard Taylor talks about the company “Triple I" and the computer work they did on TRON.
- Triple I Demo (2:15) - A digital animation demonstration from Triple I, which includes some TRON-like footage.
- The Making of Tron (1:28:21) - A comprehensive feature-length documentary made for the film’s 20th anniversary.
- Music
- Lightcycle Scene with Alternate Carlos Music Tracks (2:46)
- End Credits with Original Carlos Music (5:15)
- Publicity
- NATO (5:02) - A sample reel presented to the National Association of Theater Owners while the film was still in post-production.
- Work-in-Progress (1:26) - An early trailer cut that features early test animation and unaltered production footage.
- Trailer #1 (2:35)
- Trailer #2 (1:34)
- Trailer #3 (1:01)
- Trailer #4 (1:34)
- Publicity and Production Photos Gallery
- Deleted Scenes:
- Introduction By Writer-Director Steven Lisberger (2:18)
- Tron and Yori's Love Scene (1:56) - Yuri shows Tron her beautiful apartment in a romantic moment cut after visual effects and scoring were completed.
- Tron and Yori's Love Scene #2 (0:44) - Another scene in Yori’s apartment, the audio for which has been lost to time.
- Alternate Opening Prologue (1:21) - A three-paragraph prologue that was added to the film’s international release.
- Design:
- Introduction By Writer-Director Steven Lisberger (1:10)
- Gallery
- The Vehicles:
- Lightcycles
- Syd Mead Discusses Lightcycle Design (1:52)
- Magi Animation Test (0:16)
- Recognizer
- Space Paranoids Video Game – Letterbox (0:16) - Magi animation made in full screen and stretched to fit the frame.
- Space Paranoids Video Game - Full Screen (0:16) - The original un-stretched footage.
- Lightcycles
- Storyboarding
- The Storyboarding Process (3:52) - An exploration of the complicated storyboarding process of TRON to help the computer animators complete the film.
- Creation of Tron Main Title-Moebius Storyboards (0:16)
- Storyboard Art Gallery
- Storyboard-To-Film Comparison
- Introduction By Storyboard Artist/Animator Bill Kroyer (0:51)
- Lightcycle Chase Story Board Only (1:56)
- Lightcycle Chase Final – Film (1:56)
Packaging & Design
TRON comes to 4K Ultra-HD exclusively in SteelBook packaging, with metallic artwork that leans into the glowing aesthetic of the film. The 4K disc has artwork of a light disc, while the Blu-Ray disc reuses the 2011 disc art (with new 2025 copyright details). The contents of the Blu-Ray disc is identical to the 2011 release, however, dated promotional material for other Disney films has been removed, including the “Sneak Peeks" menu link. The 4K disc recycles the Blu-Ray’s menu design, depicting a moving tour of the computer world with clips from the film set to score. The only insert is a digital copy code, redeemable through Movies Anywhere.
Final Thoughts
Disney’s new 4K Ultra HD release of TRON is the definitive way to experience this groundbreaking sci-fi adventure at home. The meticulous restoration gives the film a clarity and vibrancy it has never enjoyed before, while the Dolby Atmos track adds fresh dimensionality without betraying its vintage roots. A generous library of legacy bonus features, plus striking SteelBook packaging, makes the set a worthy upgrade for collectors, even if the lack of commentary on the 4K disc itself is a small frustration. For fans of the Grid or newcomers curious about where Disney’s digital saga began, this release captures the enduring charm and innovation that made TRON a cult classic.
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