Imagine a magical pool that transports you to countless worlds—not in the Wood Between the Worlds, but in your local IMAX theater! On November 26, 2026 the wood between the worlds will come to IMAX where one magical pool will transport us to Narnia, but first lets dip our toes into the water of some of the many other extraordinary cinematic worlds of IMAX films with reviews from a Narnia Fan perspective.
Welcome to The Wood Between IMAX Worlds
This was my first time back to an IMAX cinema in four years and Tron: Ares felt like the right choice since it was filmed with IMAX cameras, and this kind of audio-visual spectacle is exactly what the IMAX 3D format was made for. Back in 2010 the last installments of Narnia and Tron competed head to head for the holiday box office, but if we set old rivalries aside there are plenty of reasons why Narnia Fans should love Tron: Ares.
Tron: Ares
(4 out of 5 Shields)
Release Date: October 10, 2025
Rating: PG-13
Duration: 1HR 59MIN
Directed By: Joachim Rønning
Studio: Walt Disney Studios
In an era where AI is exploding into our daily lives, Tron: Ares dives right into the big questions. The story follows Ares (Jared Leto), a sentient military AI program who crosses from the digital world into our own on a mission targeting ENCOM. Leto, plays Ares as a monotone, almost robotic killer AI who is discovering the human world for the first time. Ares is a 100% expendable digital object. He is programmed, but as he experiences our world, he is confronted with choices that challenge his programming. The film isn’t just a sci-fi action ride; it’s a story of redemption. It asks what it truly means to be human, and it answers in a way C.S. Lewis would have understood well. Lewis wrote in Mere Christianity, “Give up yourself, and you will find your real self. Lose your life and you will save it.” (Lewis, 1952). That is the journey of Tron: Ares. It’s about a being moving from a programmed existence to finding a “real self” by choosing sacrifice. It’s a powerful echo of the Christian message of Narnia, but wrapped in a neon-drenched package.
Visual Cinematography
(5 out of 5 Shields)
Every movie in the Tron series has been a visual spectacle that pushes the boundaries of innovation and Tron: Ares doesn’t disappoint. Director Joachim Rønning filmed this movie for IMAX and the movie features 54 minutes projected full screen at the exclusive 1.90:1 aspect ratio showing you more of the picture than can be seen in traditional cinemas. Even when wearing 3D glasses the brightness of red glowing lightcycle trails pops against the ominous city darkness. Visual cues from lighting enhance the storytelling with the language of color.
The progress of innovation is remarkable:
- 1982: Groundbreaking CGI about entering the computer world
- 2010: Modernized visual spectacle of the digital realm
- 2025: Seamlessly merges computer and physical worlds in perfect, natural-looking harmony
The Tron series has been built upon ground breaking visuals and this latest visual experience is best seen in IMAX.
Immersive Worlds
(5 out of 5 Shields)
As someone who worked on Tron: Lightcycle Power Run Presented by Chevrolet in Shanghai Disneyland, I know how powerful this IP can be. It’s amazing to think that the revival of this film franchise was sparked, in part, by the success of the new immersive attractions at Disney parks. A well-designed theme park experience can really draw attention back to the stories we love because the immersive world is somewhere people want to revisit.
The world-building in Tron: Ares doesn’t go unnoticed. Details like 3D printing support structures keep the film grounded in recent innovations. Interactive program testing of Ares comes across believably to my software engineering perspective. Mythological references are made with Ares drawing his name from the Greek god of war and Athena (Jodie Turner-Smith) is a complementary AI with a name drawn upon the Greek god of strategic warfare (Albert, 2021). C.S. Lewis often built upon mythologies in The Chronicles of Narnia and Dr. Michael Ward has even suggested that the book Prince Caspian represents Ares/Mars (Ward, 2008).
If you want to physically get scanned into The Grid and feel the acceleration for a light cycle launch you should visit Shanghai Disneyland’s Tron: Lightcycle Power Run for the truly immersive experience, but the grandeur of IMAX is a close second for experiencing this immersive world.
Story
(4 out of 5 Shields)
This film captures almost all the AV spectacle of 2010’s Tron: Legacy, but (thankfully) wraps it in a more cohesive and resonant story. By waiting 15 years since Tron: Legacy, the film sacrifices cast continuity but gains profound timeliness of the AI revolution. As we navigate the rise of AI in 2025, questions about consciousness, humanity, and the nature of intelligence aren’t just philosophical – they’re immediate and practical.
The hard computer science elements of Tron: Ares come across more grounded than the previous film which suggested sentient AI developed spontaneously by accident. One of those digital life forms from the previous film was Quorra (Olivia Wilde) who despite being the first digital life form to make the leap into our world was surprisingly absent from this sequel. Also absent is continuity with the characters of Alan Bradley/Tron (Bruce Boxleitner) and Sam Flynn (Garrett Hedlund), but Tron: Ares introduces new characters and explores the legacy of Ed Dillenger through Julian Dillinger (Evan Peters) and The Master Control Program. Just like Tron: Uprising was a DisneyXD series (now streaming on Disney+) to span the gap between the first two films, there could easily be several video games and shows to fill the story gap between Tron: Legacy and Tron: Ares. The time jump with the absence of Quorra and Sam Flynn is a jarring transition to Eve Kim (Greta Lee) leading ENCOM and the lack of continuity with legacy characters is something that held back the story from being truly great.
What this film’s story improves upon is simplicity, clarity, and timeliness of current digital trends from artificial intelligence. In a world increasingly becoming dominated by AI this movie uses science-fiction to explore today’s AI revolution from a new perspective with compelling storytelling. Tron: Ares is a great film with a good story that mixes elements of modern artificial intelligence with some aspects of classic Tron lore while leaving some key characters noticeably absent.
Christian Themes: Finding a Soul in the Machine
(4 out of 5 Shields)
I was expecting great visuals and an immersive world, but the clarity of Christian themes surprised me. Narnia Fans will recognize familiar themes throughout Tron: Ares. The journey from one world to another, the discovery of what truly matters, the transformation through sacrifice – these are the same narrative threads Lewis wove throughout The Chronicles of Narnia. Consider Reepicheep’s ultimate sacrifice at the End of the World, or Aslan’s willing march to the Stone Table. The deeper magic of Narnia bleeds through into Tron: Ares as something I think Narnia Fans will enjoy. Ares encounters this very truth: humans, despite their flaws and mortality, possess something he lacks – the capacity for sacrificial love that transcends logic and self-preservation.
The greatest example of love comes from the core Gospel message which The Chronicles of Narnia is based upon. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.” (C.S. Lewis Bible, John, 3:16) Tron: Ares isn’t a Christian film, but could be a conversation starter about the deeper meaning of the human soul. Maybe C.S. Lewis might describe the film’s example of sacrificial love as being more than just kindness, but “He has paid us the intolerable compliment of loving us, in the deepest, most tragic, most inexorable sense.” (Lewis, 1940). Another philosophical theme presented is the search for the permanence code which turns into a lesson by Kevin Flynn about the impermanence of life. As we search for meaning in our impermanent mortal life, fans of Narnia can use the examples of Tron: Ares to spark discussions that draw back upon the core message from C.S. Lewis: What makes us human? What is the nature of sacrifice? How does love transform us?
Ares’s journey from cold program to something approaching humanity mirrors the Christian understanding that we become most fully ourselves – most fully human – when we love sacrificially, even at great cost to ourselves.
Costumes
(5 out of 5 Shields)
Besides the thematic message of sacrificial love another surprising Narnia connection was seeing Richard Taylor’s name in the end credits. Weta Workshop in New Zealand was a staple contributing to Disney’s Narnia films. In Tron: Ares they contributed to design, manufacture, and costumes which helped to create a believable world (Weta Workshop, n.d.). In the costumes the designs build upon the distinct visual look of Tron: Legacy while using lighting to identify character loyalty factions. The realism of the designs likely uses superb engineering for practical lighting effects that blend seamlessly into the digital effects that augment the weapon staves and light discs. As an engineering student I created my own Tron: Legacy inspired jacket with EL Wire and circuits to synchronize with Disney’s Glow with the Show technology. As my own experience would show, integrating rigid electronics into flexible fabrics is quite challenging. Weta Workshop created marvelous craftsmanship with details and textures that contribute to the believably of the world. With the fabulous work that Weta Workshop has done for Disney’s The Chronicles of Narnia, New Line Cinema’s Lord of the Rings, and Disney’s Tron: Ares the fans of Narnia can only hope that Greta Gerwig has employed them to contribute to Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew.
Music
(3 out of 5 Shields)
Every Tron film has been defined by music. First came the innovative electronic store of Wendy Carlos from the 1982 classic and then Daft Punk’s music made Tron: Legacy an unforgettable experience. The soundtrack from Nine Inch Nails doesn’t quite hit the transcendent highs of Daft Punk’s score for Legacy. It’s washed in a dark, foreboding electronic tone for much of the film, but it does eventually branch out and even includes a delightful, knowing tribute to Wendy Carlos, who scored the 1982 classic. Nine Inch Nails did differentiate their style by adding rock vocals to some tracks “Who Wants to Live Forever?” and “Give Me Something to Believe In” which seem to touch on spiritual themes without delving into the deeper religious answers. Make no mistake, this is an experience. The audio is at rock-concert levels (my watch even gave my Apple Watch a “Loud Environment” alert). It made for a fun movie-going experience and is worth listening to on its own, but failed to reach the high bar set by Daft Punk’s Tron: Legacy score.
Safety: Spectacle and…. COVID
(2 out of 5 Shields)
On a personal note, I’d express CAUTION against rushing back to the particular theater Cinemark Carefree Circle & IMAX. I brought my Aranet4 air quality monitor, and even with only around ten people in a high-ceilinged auditorium, the CO2 levels peaked at 1087ppm during the previews. I would have expected much better ventilation! It was a strange distraction from an otherwise immersive trip to the Grid.
It is a critical consideration to take all possible precautions against COVID-19 including:
- Wearing an N-95 mask
- Sitting far away from others in the theatre
- Getting the updated fall 2025 booster shot
- Choosing a less crowded showing
I thought taking all of these precautions would be enough to ensure my safety, but the data I measured shows that the ventilation systems used by this Cinemark IMAX are not adequate based on a Harvard study that C02 levels exceeding 1000ppm cause a decrease in brain activity (Aranet, n.d.). Universal mask wearing was enforced the last time I saw a film in IMAX in 2021 (at a city that had achieved zero local transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus) yet somehow neglected by this Cinemark IMAX today. One of the reasons why I am writing this review is to bring this matter to the attention of management in desire that this critical safety issue is addressed. Based on my experience, urgent improvements need to be made to address this public safety concern before Narnia: The Magician’s Nephew makes an IMAX premiere at this cinema. Until this is addressed please exercise CAUTION about this particular Cinemark IMAX cinema where I did not encounter good ventilation.
Family Values (PG-13)
Another CAUTION for families is that Tron: Ares is rated PG-13 which means it is not intended for children under the age of 13. Viewers can expect a high octane action sci-fi adventure with car chases and fight scenes. Most of the digital characters get derezzed to shatter into pixel blocks, but when a human is stabbed there is visible blood. Expect light language and no nudity. This seems like the type of movie that I would have loved as a tween boy (11-12), but parents should take all factors into consideration when deciding what content is appropriate for their family.
IMAX Experience
(5 out of 5 Shields)
If any movie was meant to be seen in IMAX this is it! A high energy 3D thrill ride filmed for IMAX almost as exciting as Shanghai Disneyland’s Tron: Lightcycle Power Run Presented by Chevrolet. For me the third row was the perfect vantage point to fill my entire frame of vision without being uncomfortable. One of my favorite sensations of seeing a film like this in IMAX is that it fully envelopes my field of view so that my visual senses stimulate the illusion of motion. This sensation was felt in the opening of the movie as the camera pitched and turned through a visually stunning opening montage giving me a feeling like I am flying through the movie with the camera. There is the same reason why attractions I have contributed to like Shanghai Disneyland’s Soaring over the Horizon also use large format projection screens for the most immersive experience.
Conclusion
(4 out of 5 Shields)
For the first article in The Wood Between IMAX Worlds we explored a spectacular film that has been made with IMAX cameras. For Narnia fans specifically, this film offers rich thematic resonances with Lewis’s work while providing the kind of immersive, transportive experience that first drew us to wardrobes and magical pools. The core message – that we find our truest selves in sacrificial love. The story grapples with pressing modern issues of rapid AI dominance with a plot that is clear to follow, but loses continuity with characters from the previous installment. A surprising Narnia connection comes from the innovative costume design of Richard Taylor’s Weta Workshop. The film builds upon the spectacular visuals of both previous Tron movies, but the soundtrack by Nine Inch Nails fails to live up to the extraordinary expectations set by Daft Punk. CAUTION should be taken with COVID-19 precautions and that film is rated PG-13. This film provides a spectacular cinematic experience that showcases IMAX technology at its finest. Tron: Ares (PG-13) is a fantastic audio-visual thrill ride, but it’s one with a real heart. It’s a story of sacrifice and what it means to be human, and that’s a theme Narnia Fans can always appreciate.
Until next time, see you in the Wood Between the IMAX Worlds.
Which IMAX film do you think we should review next? Share your IMAX Tron: Ares experiences in the comments!
References:
Albert, L. (2021). Greek Mythology: The Gods, Goddesses, and Heroes Handbook. Adams Media.
Aranet (n.d.) What does Aranet4 Measure? Retrieved October 26, 2026 from https://aranet.com/attachment/274/What_does_Aranet4_Measure.pdf
IMAX Corporation (n.d.). Tron: Ares Retrieved October 26, 2025 from https://www.imax.com/movie/tron-ares
Lewis, C.S. (1940). The problem of pain. HarperOne.
Lewis, C.S. (1952). Mere Christianity. Macmillan Publishing Co., Inc.
NRSV The C.S. Lewis Bible For Reading, Reflection, and Inspiration. (2010). Zondervan.
Rønning, J. (Director. (2025). Tron: Ares [Film]. Walt Disney Pictures.
Tennessee Aquarium IMAX 3D Theater (2025). See more of TRON: Ares in IMAX with our exclusive 1.90:1 Expanded Aspect Ratio. TRON: Ares is now playing on the largest screen in town, so get your tickets today! Retrieved October 26, 2025 from https://www.facebook.com/tnaqimax/posts/see-more-of-tron-ares-in-imax-with-our-exclusive-1901-expanded-aspect-ratio-tron/1245686350698083/
Ward, M. (2008). Prince Caspian and the Planets. Retrieved October 26, 2026 from https://www.cslewis.com/prince-caspian-and-the-planets/
Weta Workshop (n.d.). Tron: Ares Retrieved October 26, 2025 from https://www.wetaworkshop.com/projects/tron-ares
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