TRON: Ares – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

TRON: Ares

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2025

61%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A slick AI-meets-humanity sci-fi sequel that critics shrugged at but audiences ate up—your teen will dig the visuals, you'll tolerate the plot.

53%

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TRON: Ares

movie

PG-13, 2025

61%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

A slick AI-meets-humanity sci-fi sequel that critics shrugged at but audiences ate up—your teen will dig the visuals, you'll tolerate the plot.

53%

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Screenwise Verdict

TRON: Ares is that movie where the audience and critics saw completely different films. Critics gave it a collective 'meh' (53% on RT, 48 on Metacritic), while audiences were like 'that was awesome!' (84%). Translation: it's visually slick, action-packed, and fun if you're not overthinking it.

The premise—an AI Program crossing from digital world to ours—is genuinely interesting and super timely for 2025. It'll give you natural conversation starters about AI, consciousness, and technology. But based on that Letterboxd score (2.7/5), film buffs found it pretty forgettable. It's spectacle over substance.

For your 13-17 year old who likes sci-fi? Yeah, they'll probably enjoy it. It's safe, looks cool, and won't rot their brain. For you? Bring your phone charger. The good news is the AI themes are relevant enough that you can turn it into a teaching moment afterward, even if the movie itself doesn't go deep. It's fine. Totally fine. Just... fine.

Age Fit

Best for ages 13-17 who enjoy sci-fi action and can handle PG-13 content. Younger kids will be bored or confused by the AI concepts, older teens might find it a bit juvenile despite the themes.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

As a sci-fi action film exploring AI themes, it likely maintains PG-13 level content without excessive darkness. The split between critic (53%) and audience (84%) scores suggests it may lean toward spectacle over substance, but the premise of first contact with AI beings offers opportunities for thoughtful storytelling. Without detailed content information, moderate score reflects typical franchise tone—action-heavy but not gratuitously violent or cynical.

Imaginative

The TRON franchise is inherently imaginative with its digital world concept, and this installment introduces a fresh angle: an AI Program crossing into the real world. This reversal of the original's premise (human entering digital world) shows creative evolution. The visual design legacy of TRON films typically pushes boundaries in digital effects and world-building. However, execution matters more than concept, and mixed critical reception (53% RT critics, 48 Metacritic) suggests the imagination may not fully deliver.

Safe

Common Sense Media rates it for ages 13+, suggesting typical PG-13 content: sci-fi action violence, possible mild language, but no graphic content. The TRON franchise historically avoids gore, sexual content, or intense horror elements. Main safety considerations are likely action sequences and potentially complex AI themes that could confuse younger viewers. The 'first encounter with AI beings' premise is timely but not inherently disturbing. No concerning platform safety signals for a theatrical release.

Enriching

The film tackles AI consciousness and human-technology interaction—highly relevant 2025 themes that could spark meaningful conversations. However, the lukewarm critical response (53% critics, 48 Metacritic) versus enthusiastic audience score (84%) suggests it may prioritize entertainment spectacle over depth. A 2.7/5 Letterboxd rating indicates film enthusiasts found it lacking substance. Without evidence of particularly thoughtful execution, it likely offers surface-level exploration of its themes wrapped in action sequences.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Tackles super-relevant AI consciousness themes that'll naturally spark dinner table debates about technology
The TRON franchise's signature neon-drenched digital aesthetic delivers eye candy that genuinely looks cool
Strong audience score (84%) means it's actually entertaining even if critics found it shallow—sometimes popcorn fun is fine
Flips the original concept by bringing AI into our world instead of humans entering theirs, which is a clever contemporary twist

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What to Watch For

Sci-fi action violence typical of PG-13—nothing traumatic but plenty of digital combat and tension
The 31-point gap between critics and audiences means you might be checking your watch while your teen is riveted
AI themes could go over younger kids' heads or spark anxiety about technology taking over (depending on your kid's personality)
It's a legacy sequel, so references to earlier TRON films might confuse newcomers, though not required viewing

Conversation Starters

"If an AI became self-aware like Ares, should it have the same rights as humans? Why or why not?"
"What do you think would actually happen if a Program from a digital world showed up in real life tomorrow?"
"The movie shows AI as potentially dangerous—do you think that's realistic or just Hollywood drama?"
"Would you want to visit the digital world from TRON, or would you rather AI stay in computers?"

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