Hideo Kojima Shares His Thoughts on TRON: ARES, and It's The Depeche Mode References Stuck With Him
The Tron: Ares review cycle wouldn’t be complete without Hideo Kojima weighing in. The legendary video game creator behind Metal Gear Solid and Death Stranding has turned into something of a cult film critic on social media, always dropping thoughtful, quirky takes on new releases.
This time, he shared what stuck with him after watching Disney’s latest entry in the Tron universe, and it wasn’t the story, digital landscapes, or flashy light cycles. It was Depeche Mode.
“Watched TRON: Ares. What stuck with me was how Ares kept bringing up the Depeche Mode song 'Just Can’t Get Enough' from the Vince Clarke era throughout the film.”
That little observation pretty much sums up Kojima’s unique approach to film commentary. He rarely says if he likes or dislikes a movie, instead, he zeroes in on an odd detail or creative flourish that catches his attention.
The movie was directed by Joachim Rønning and stars Jared Leto, Jodie Turner-Smith, Evan Peters, Gillian Anderson, and Jeff Bridges.
The long-awaited third chapter in the Tron saga introduces a sophisticated AI program named Ares who becomes self-aware and rebels against his creators. When Ares encounters a rival faction, he begins to explore what it means to be human — and that theme seems to echo in the Depeche Mode motif Kojima mentioned.
Unfortunately, the film hasn’t quite found its footing with critics, but general audiences seem to enjoy it, whcih is what really matters. It has a B+ rating on Cinema Score, but it still only opened to just $33 million domestically and has barely crossed the $100 million mark worldwide after two weekends.
That rough start puts any plans for a sequel in doubt, despite the film teasing more story in its post-credits scene. Still, for those who appreciate the Tron universe can hope that in another 15 or 20 years, Disney will try again. Regardless, there’s something fascinating about Kojima picking up on the Depeche Mode thread.
Tron: Ares is now playing in theaters. If you haven’t watched it yet, you should!