Rating of
2/4
Transcends the Limits of Plausibility
Chris Kavan - wrote on 04/20/14
There are good sci-fi films and there are bad sci-fi films - but often they are at least entertaining sci-fi films - but Transcendence breaks the cardinal rule - it is a boring sci-fi film. The idea behind the film is solid - the rise of AI and what that means for the future of humanity. But the movie opens on the ending (literally, the first five minutes are the aftermath of the rest of the film) so we already know how things are going to turn out. But then things show promise - Will Caster (Johnny Depp) and his science-minded wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) are going to give some big speeches in order to drum up funding for their research. But a series of coordinated attacks across the nation target AI facilities - killing many and setting back research by decades. Also, Will is shot.
Luckily for us, the survivors include Morgan Freeman and Paul Bettany - unluckily Depp's bullet graze turns out to be fatal when he learns the bullet was covered in a radioactive isotope - essentially leading to a slow death. But despite the huge round of attacks, the "neo-luddite" terrorists forgot to knock out the most important hub - Will's PINN - the first attempt at creating a sentient computer (aka AI). So Will decides that uploading himself to PINN is going to prove his theories right - and his small group goes about just doing that.
Then we enter in a series of decisions that, to quote other, better sources - must involve the dumbest smart people on the planet. Let's just say that these bad decisions lead to Will (or is he?) being reborn as an AI - and wastes no time going about making himself (itself?) all-powerful by uploading himself on the Internet and essentially being everywhere at once (and nigh unstoppable). Then he builds a super-powerful facility in the middle of nowhere and starts building an army of enhanced humans.
The fact that sounds awesome makes the the fact the movie is dead boring all the more disappointing. We're supposed to feel emotion - but all I felt was slack-jawed wonder at how dumb the science was and how annoyingly stupid everyone acted. And the big finale was the most ridiculous use of a virus since Independence Day. This is not a movie you want to analyze, because I'm sure you can drive a Mack truck through the plot holes without much difficulty.
Granted, the film could have been worse - but when you waste actors like Freeman, Kate Mara and Cillian Murphy in reduced and cameo appearances - you're doing it wrong. It's no wonder the film did poorly with critics and audiences - because it's a poor film - adequate at best (if you don't think on it too much).
