Overview

• Early viewers highlight big‑screen impact, with strong notices for IMAX presentation, striking 3D, and Jeff Cronenweth’s cinematography.
• The score by Nine Inch Nails, led by Trent Reznor, earns prominent praise as one of the year’s standout soundtracks in initial reactions.
• Several critics fault the screenplay and character work, describing the narrative as derivative or shallow, with posts from Zach Pope and Slashfilm’s Peter Sciretta underscoring the concerns.
• Jared Leto stars as Ares, a highly developed AI designed to leave the digital world and operate in reality as a supersoldier under human command.
• Reviews note franchise and world‑building details, including Julian Dillinger and Eve Kim, Encom connections, a so‑called Permanence Code, and a limited real‑world lifespan for printed programs.