Review: Transcendence
Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
[Grade: C-] The directorial debut of longtime cinematographer and Christopher Nolan associate Wally Pfister has the slick-as-hell look of a contemporary compu-thriller but none of the logic or imagination that lifts expensive sci-fi out of pretty, petty territory.
City Paper grade: C-
The directorial debut of longtime cinematographer and Christopher Nolan associate Wally Pfister has the slick-as-hell look of a contemporary compu-thriller but none of the logic or imagination that lifts expensive sci-fi out of pretty, petty territory. It insists it has something important to say about humanity’s relationship with technology while sacrificing storytelling for empty special effects. Stalked by a splinter group worried about the overextension of his discoveries, brilliant AI researcher Dr. Will Caster (Johnny Depp) is shot with a radioactive bullet that poisons his bloodstream. As he slowly withers away, his equally accomplished wife (Rebecca Hall) and best friend (Paul Bettany) agree to use his discoveries to transfer his consciousness to a sentient system that will preserve his psyche. The risky procedure is a success, and the newly virtual Caster begins developing real-life breakthroughs at a staggering rate, curing terminal illnesses and creating superhuman abilities. But the revolutionary work soon takes a darker tone, leading to an uneasy coalition between the techno-terrorists and the feds to halt his alarming advancements. It’s a premise with the potential to develop in multiple directions, and the script does exactly that, attempting so much with so little contextual backing that it seems like it’s being made up à la minute.
