Though its plot and premise are pure science fiction, \"Transcendence\" goes pleasingly against the genre grain. <\/p>\n
A story of the possible perils and pleasures of artificial intelligence that stars Johnny Depp, \"Transcendence's\" ideas are at least as involving as its images, if not more so. And as written by Jack Paglen and directed by Wally Pfister, this film is intent on not limiting itself to simplistic questions of pure good and evil. <\/p>\n
As \"Transcendence's\" narrative of the battle between pro and anti-technology forces unfolds, justice is done to the complicated factors at play here. Determining with certainty whom the heroes and villains of this narrative are is not so easily done. <\/p>\n
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Though Pfister is well-known as Christopher Nolan's longtime cinematographer (nominated for four Oscars, a winner for \"Inception\"), both he and screenwriter Paglen are first-timers in their respective chairs, and there are times when that shows. \"Transcendence's\" exposition is not always sharp, emotional connections (with the exception of Depp's outstanding costar, Rebecca Hall) are not its strength, and it does not make memorable use of its Imax format. <\/p>\n
But because the underlying ideas are involving, those problems fade from view, leaving us with an ambitious and provocative piece of work that is intriguingly balanced between being a warning and a celebration. <\/p>\n
Certainly the boon-or-bane question of artificial intelligence has been a movie staple at least since the days of HAL 9000 in Stanley Kubrick's \"2001.\" (In fact, a purely negative example of some of this film's ideas appears in the current \"Captain America: Winter Soldier.\") <\/p>\n
\"Transcendence\" begins in the near future, maybe as close as tomorrow. Narrator Max Waters (an excellent Paul Bettany) walks through the streets of a Berkeley patrolled by armed soldiers. The city - and every other city, we soon learn is in the grip of some kind of worldwide power blackout. <\/p>\n
Max walks to a classic wood shingle Berkeley house, now in ruins but once the home of Dr. Will Caster (Depp) and his wife, Evelyn (Hall). Max knew them better than anyone, he says, and he is prepared to vouch for the fact that they wanted nothing but the best for humanity. <\/p>\n
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Review: 'Transcendence' rises above the sci-fi genre<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Though its plot and premise are pure science fiction, \"Transcendence\" goes pleasingly against the genre grain. A story of the possible perils and pleasures of artificial intelligence that stars Johnny Depp, \"Transcendence's\" ideas are at least as involving as its images, if not more so. And as written by Jack Paglen and directed by Wally Pfister, this film is intent on not limiting itself to simplistic questions of pure good and evil. Continue reading