Belonging to the Man Vs. Machine genre of movies i.e The Terminator, AI (Artificial Intelligence), Transcendence takes the battle further by asking and raising questions of morality that will be running through your head as you watch the two hour movie.
While some may think that this is a good thing since it gets the wheels and cogs inside your head turning, this can actually be a double edged sword since unfortunately, not everyone is made up to absorb the breath taking visuals, the unimaginable possibles that an advanced technology can bring and the profound moral questions and responsibilities that go with it. Paul and I were sitting in the movie house and unfortunately beside us was a group of guys who just didn't get the whole movie. They kept on asking questions and talking among themselves in an obvious struggle to keep up with the movie.
Now I don't want to sound condescending or anything but the movie is simply not for everybody. It is set in a time where anti-technology radical groups exist and are bent on destroying any advancement in Artificial Intelligence. In the movie this group is known as R.I.F.T and they are radical enough to be considered to be at the terrorist level.
Warning Contains SPOILERS
Artificial Intelligence scientists and husband and wife team Will and Evelyn Caster (Johnny Depp (queue in the swooning) and Rebecca Hall) have developed a collective intelligence of all things known. This has of course made them along with other Artificial Intelligence scientist colleagues the target of R.I.F.T.
In a simultaneous attack across Artificial Intelligence labs all over the country, Will Caster is shot with a bullet laced with a radioactive isotope ensuring him a slow and painful death. As she watches her husband wither away to the pain of cancer. Evelyn is determined to upload Will's 'conscience' in an effort to keep him alive -so to speak.
With the help of Will's best friend Max (Paul Bettany) another favorite actor, they shave off Will's hair, implant chips in his brain and plugs him up with cables, that coupled with his deteriorating body makes him look like that guy from The Cell.
After Will passes away, it seems as if he is able to communicate to Evelyn and Max through the system where they uploaded his consciousness to, without the dust even settling, Will asks for more power and to be uploaded to the Internet. (Which is never really a good sign in movies).
From here - things take a bizarre turn as Max doesn't think it's a good idea to give Will access to infinite knowledge and power and wants to shut him down but a blinded Evelyn follows her husband's request.
Will is uploaded on to the Internet, Max is captured by R.I.F.T and Evelyn is on the run and acting on Will's instructions to build a research facility in the small, quiet and undeveloped town of Brightwood.
In Will's unending thirst for knowledge he becomes an omniscient, omnipresent (as long as there's wifi) Artificial Intelligence that soon develops a never-before-seen Nanotechnology so far advanced he is able to heal and give sight to the blind and build his own super zombie army in the process.
Recognizing how real the danger is, Joseph Tagger (Morgan Freeman) a fellow researcher and friend of the Casters teams up with the FBI led by Donald Buchanan (Cillian Murphy- the Scarecrow in The Dark Knight Trilogy, remember Christopher Nolan is the Executive Producer of Transcendence) and making an exception to their rule joins forces with R.I.F.T who has already turned Max to their side. Make up a team to take down the ever growing threat that is Will Caster.
Probably a movie, well ahead of its time, the film fails to appeal to mainstream audiences, simply because they are not yet ready to ask these questions or perhaps face a reality where anti technology groups exist and put smartphones in blenders.
Right now, we live in a world where everyone is enjoying the benefits of technology without asking or thinking about the repercussions. When are we going to ask when we've already gone too far? Which is why I think that this movie is not for everyone or anyone. It asks questions that maybe some people are not yet ready to answer, let alone to think about.
I think that the film bit more off than it can chew and overestimated how audiences would receive it. Aside from not being ready to answer these questions that the movie raises, the film also fails to provide logic in its seemingly too advanced science and technology. While it is science-fiction a little more explanation would be more very much appreciated.
What the film lacks in logic they do make up for in their cinematography and CGI used. Well, this should be expected since this is cinematographers' Wally Pfiser's directorial debut. Watch out for the amazing, macro cinematography used throughout the movie.
A must see movie with someone who likes to think and is not afraid to ask moral questions and has some basic knowledge in computers. You should get the whole - upload, source code, virus thing, even at a basic level will be okay. :) Watch it with someone or people you love having discussions with. Trust me, it's going to be an open session of questions and thoughts after the movie.
Transcendence is showing now in Cinemas! :)
Watched the movie - through the GMovies App -will be having a separate blog post on that and a Pcheng Photography Give Away - so stay tuned! :)
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