I think I’ve figured out one of my main gripes with legacy, and it’s one I’ve talked about but it’s never fully registered as an idea. I think this is because I just saw the new ghostbusters a few weeks ago so it’s fresh on the mind.
Legacy is one of those “screw the legacy cast” type continuations.
In that the original characters are sidelined or mis characterized for the next generation characters to step in and take over. It’s in an almost disrespectful way too— like it’s a ripping the torch out of someone’s hands rather than passing it sort of way. There’s no blending or cohesion really it’s just “screw you it’s been 20 years. Those classic characters are either dead or irrelevant— look at these new guys”.
I’ve already screamed forever and ever about the absolute assassination of Kevin Flynn into him becoming a plot device but it’s also the complete lack of explanation. There’s some backstory but we’re just tossed into a completely new digital world and culture with little mention of the old one or old real world. Even the backstory shared in the film is backstory of the new world— Tron himself is barely there and as much as I like Rinzler could’ve been done so much better if there was some sort of connector piece. I don’t know how to explain this.
The only legacy character to get some sort of respect is Alan but even then he’s sort of “he’s oh so very old and just here to set up hip young guy”.
And this isn’t to say I don’t like Sam or the new world and way of things — it’s just sort of frustrating as a sequel as it’s sort of not? There’s characters to tie it to the original. But it’s so so much its own separate story and rules— like Tron(82) was a fantasy whereas legacy is a generic sci fi.
Contrast this to the new ghostbusters films. Both are much more centered on the next generation cast but in a way that respects their elders™️. They found the torch on the ground and ran with it. The legacy characters get attention, time, characterization and love. There’s a relationship there. The world building is consistent and not rewritten — they don’t do “ew the 80s movies were so cheesy and old here’s our edgy and hip modern universe only related by film name”
Legacy is better (for me personally!!!) when I disconnect it from the original in my mind. And with the way the film and the world is that’s not very hard to do unfortunately. They really banked on “it’s 20 years later you mostly forgot the original here’s daft punk”
