“...It’s a new kind of thinking...” yet are we ready for it?
That’s the premise Wally Pfister’s directorial debut,
Transcendence starring Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Morgan Freeman, Kate Mara,
Paul Bettany, Cillian Murphy, Clifton Collins Jr and Lukas Haas. Written by
Jack Paglen, this movie is about a neurobiologist Dr. Will Caster (Depp) along
with his wife, Evelyn (Hall) and fellow colleague Max Waters (Bettany) pitch a
new kind of AI (Artificial Intelligence) technology that will do more than just
cure cancer. He believes it could help the eco-system ...save the planet and
much more. According to Dr. Caster, experts would call that “singularity” but
he calls it “transcendence” because it will merge the advanced technology of
collective intelligence and human emotions into one machine. That’s when he’s
asked if he’s trying to create God to which he plainly answers “...isn’t that
what man is looking for?” However, there are those who oppose their research
and ideals known as R.I.F.T, an extreme terror group bent on separating man
from the “evil” machine and they will do whatever it takes to stop him (and
others like him). They see AI as an abomination and a threat. That
determination and an attempt on his life inadvertently turned Dr Caster the
perfect human test subject to see if his “transcendence” theory actually works.
Like all scientific ideals, “transcendence” has its positive as well as
negative side (that this reviewer shall not reveal here) thus ultimately
pitting R.I.F.T. and the government to fight together for humanity’s future.
SouthSide has heard that the many critics panning
Transcendence ...labeling it another Johnny Depp flop. Nor did she read any of
the reviews before viewing this movie. Her goal was to see it for herself to
form her own opinion about it. Her conclusion? Though it’s not Johnny Depp
Oscar-worthy performance, she recommends checking out Transcendence for a few
reasons. It contains that “it could happen” premise since we are in that age
where we are (in a way) transcended with
our attachment to technology. Simply look how we live right now compared to 10
years ago. We can now stream music to movies and television onto our
smartphones, iPad, tablet, etc ...there are apps for practically anything and
everything you can think of ...and there’s also the advancement in modern
medicine (thus far). Yes, we could (one day) reach that age when man and
machine merge together. Would there ever be a time when man and collective
intelligence evolve as well as expand to the point there’s no way of stopping
it? Perhaps. Also Transcendence continually poses the question – “are we
self-aware?” Truly an interesting question since it pertains to the belief that
only we as humans have a soul. Yet, does AI have a soul? Hm ...that remains to
be seen as humanity gradually moves towards that uncharted technological
region. As the movie moves further along, you can see that being transcended
into the machine can never replace being a real live human to which Evelyn
realizes the more she spends time within the data center with her husband. Vice
versa, he learns that too to which his collective consciousness does something
to rectify that problem near the end. Lastly, Transcendence (like last year’s
Oblivion) is a thinking person’s sci-fi / action / adventure type of movie. It
will provoke the notion that this movie is merely more than fantasy ...there’s
plenty of truth woven into the intricate plot of how we are heading down that
dark path. Scary huh? Are you self-aware ...certain that you are whom you say
you are ...are you plugged or unplugged into the collective?
In this reviewer’s honest opinion, Transcendence isn’t a
Depp flop even though it doesn’t rank up there with some of his best work but
it does rank higher than his dismal role in The Lone Ranger. Depp plays this
role straight. There’s nothing outlandish (like his Capt Jack Sparrow or Tonto
roles), comical or anything else she has seen him do before his role as Dr Will
Caster. He portrays this character like a scientist (almost like Dr. Victor
Frankenstein) who wants to better humanity with his work but somewhere along
the way gets way over his head drunk on power before ultimately realizing that
his “doing for the greater good” for the human race has its drawbacks. Rebecca
Hall as Evelyn Caster is (at first) an underused character but does have her
moments to shine as the wife trying to preserve her husband’s work once Depp
inhabits the computer side of his character. She’s wholeheartedly a believer of
what he’s attempting to accomplish but soon realizes the dangerous side effects
to his work with each breakthrough he makes within the transcendence program.
Paul Bettany played his Max Waters character as the man who airs on the side of
caution throughout the movie having doubts (publicly known as well as hidden
from the Casters) about transcendence and its importance despite knowing the
potential harm it could do. Kate Mara’s Bree is the R.I.F.T. radical with a
sense of welcoming Caster’s theory if it only came with assurances as long as
it doesn’t harm humanity in any way. She does however want everyone to unplug
from technology. Morgan Freeman once again portrays the guy with the keen eye
who really sees what transcendence for it is despite warmly liking Dr Caster’s
scientific theory at first. He doesn’t get much screen time (the same way in
Oblivion) but he does make his presence known and felt with his famous calm
demeanor and voice. Chicago native and director Wally Pfister (who used to work
with Christopher Nolan on other projects like Inception, The Dark Knight and
The Dark Knight Rises) studied Nolan and his directing technique and FX style
very closely yet adding a little of his own personal touch for Transcendence.
He does pay attention to details, large and small but leaving enough room for
you to think and decipher what might happening along with a few OMG moments
too. Visually, it’s quite picturesque and breathtaking on the big screen (like
Inception) ...molds complicated character hierarchy (like The Dark Knight and
The Dark Knight Rises) ...and leaves you with a somewhat “happy” but
inconclusive ending.
Until next time, support your local scene,
SouthSide
