Movie Review: Transcendence

Transcendence

Director: Wally Pfister
Warner Bros.
In Theaters: 04.18

Advancements in modern technology can be as exhilarating as they are terrifying, and experiments, conducted by individuals like Transcendence’s Dr. Will Caster (Johnny Depp), make me smile and cry at the same time. Dr. Caster, along with his colleague/wife, Evelyn (Rebecca Hall), has dedicated his life to developing an all-knowing, self-aware machine that is capable of surpassing the powers of the human brain. As the team inches closer to a breakthrough, an army of anti-technological radicals unleash a wave of attacks that brings Caster’s life to a sudden end. With that said, Evelyn and their best friend/colleague, Max (Paul Bettany), achieve the unbelievable and upload Caster’s consciousness to the online grid. With all the knowledge of mankind encapsulated into one being, can the world accept this new high-tech deity or must it be destroyed? Director Wally Pfister forces audiences to question their level of comfort with advancing technologies and the route one would take when given unlimited power and resources. It’s a breath of fresh air and a delightful reminder that Depp is more than capable of delivering a captivating performance without the application of 10 pounds of make-up. Pfister makes viewers question where their loyalties lie when the world is given an uneasy opportunity to advance.

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