Tuesday 29 April 2014

Film Review: Transcendence

Genre: Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Cert: 12A cert, i think this should of been a 15 cert.

Director: Wally Pfister

Writer: Jack Paglen

Starring: Johnny Depp,  Rebecca HallPaul Bettany, Cillian Murphy , Kate Mara , Cole Hauser , Morgan Freeman , Clifton Collins Jr. , Cory Hardrict , Falk Hentschel , Josh Stewart , Luce Rains , Fernando Chien , Steven Liu, Xander Berkeley 

Running time: 119 min

Parents advised to read before viewing film as some scene may contain scenes unsuitable for younger viewers.

Sex & Nudity: kisses
a flashback where a couple is ontop of each naked kissing (covered by blankets, only their mouth and neck are seen.)

Violence & Gore: this film should've been rated R because of it's violence.
though not frequent, but there are long scenes of strong bloody wounds, some cause by bullets, other results from kicking, lots and lots of blood 

Profanity: some uses of "shit" and mild profanity. 

Alcohol/Drugs/Smoking: some scenes adults drink wines, some smoke.
There's also a few scenes where character takes needles.

Frightening/Intense Scenes: The plot of the film is disturbing and realistic, most of it grounded in real theories popular today about uploading a human consciousness with technology
Will Caster's "transformation" is a bit disturbing, as his body slowly deteriorates before his consciousness is uploaded 



Story: Dr. Will Caster (Johnny Depp) is the foremost researcher in the field of Artificial Intelligence, working to create a sentient machine that combines the collective intelligence of everything ever known with the full range of human emotions. His highly controversial experiments have made him famous, but they have also made him the prime target of anti-technology extremists who will do whatever it takes to stop him. However, in their attempt to destroy Will, they inadvertently become the catalyst for him to succeed-to be a participant in his own transcendence. For his wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) and best friend Max Waters (Paul Bettany), both fellow researchers, the question is not if they can...but if they should. Their worst fears are realized as Will's thirst for knowledge evolves into a seemingly omnipresent quest for power, to what end is unknown. The only thing that is becoming terrifyingly clear is there may be no way to stop him.

Likes : As scientists are on the verge of a new breakthrough in A.I. technology, a rouge terrorist group known as RIFT begins knocking off labs around the country. One of their antics is the assassination, by radioactive poisoning, of scientist Dr. Will Caster. As his body slowly deteriorates, his wife and his partner work frantically work on a way to upload his mind to a computer, thus allowing him to continue his research. And as anyone could've guessed, the plan goes completely to hell.
Transcendence is pretty good. Pfister's direction is expedient, and he avoids the jumpy camera syndrome that typically plagues these kinds of movies, it got that hauntingly, thought provoking concept, the story-line is pretty simple its not fast to a point you have no clue on whats going on, the pace does allow you to see the story developed, the whole concept is like ghost in the machine, terminator as in the A.i being self-ware but more crossed with fantasy then sc-fi with some scene's which is impossible will never happen but this is what Sc-fi & fantasy are about pushing the imagination to the limits.
Casting for this film was brilliant because the acting was spot on to feel the emotion & fear, from the character's Although this should of been more than a 12a  just on the violence alone, its hauntingly made.  
 The cinematography is stunning with the Special effect when you see everything being reanimated or repaired & Jess Hall hits it home and makes Transcendence look properly futuristic while still squeezing in some contrasting elements of nature in almost every frame, with Johnny depp haunting performance as a computer A.I was just amazing the way he pulled this character off was so believable it was unreal, but this is why johnny Depp is one of the best actor's in the business for method acting.
One thing this film does is show the emotion's, do we fear technology being to advance than us & Do we have a soul and if so, does that mean that when our bodies die we can still live on through other means?these are the question this film throws at you when you watching this film & think about A.I.
This isn't a perfect film but its still a great film to watch with brilliant acting, Depends on what kind of movie you're looking for. If you want mindless entertainment, this is not the film for you as there isn't much action. If you're the type of person who likes to think about a movie long after the credits roll, definitely see this one your enjoy it.


Dislikes : The only think this film that slightly lets it down it the pace of the story, ya its slow enough for you to understand the story & whats going on but, the pace i thought was way to slow
 to really keep you gripped to the screen, you fine your self wanting it to hurry up & end but apart from that the story & acting is pretty good.

Overall : Though provoking, hauntingly filmed & great acting from all cast, worth watch.

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 for entertainment / 7 out of 10 for story-line/ concept.





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