Transcendence
2/4
Starring: Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Paul Bettany, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, Kate Mara
Rated PG-13 for Sci-Fi Action and Violence, Some Bloody Images, Brief Strong Language and Sensuality
"Transcendence" was the second movie of 2014 that I was really looking forward to (after Hayao Miyazaki's "The Wind Rises"). While "The Wind Rises" was slightly disappointing because my hopes were too high (a filmmaker as talented as Miyazaki will do that to a guy), "Transcendence" is a complete letdown. It's another case of "good idea, bad execution."
Will Caster (Depp) is a computer genius who makes Steve Jobs look like Borat. He is close to creating a self-aware, artificial intelligence. He has a prototype called PENN, although it's not quite there yet. But his ambitions (however noble they may be) and his genius have made him a number of enemies (led by Bree, (Mara)). After a TED-ish conference, he is shot by a techno-terrorist. He survives, but not for long: the bullet was dipped in radioactive material, and he has only a few weeks to live. Desperate, his wife Evelyn (Hall) and best friend Max (Bettany) debate whether or not to upload his mind into PENN. They do so, but the computer-Will wants more power, so she connects him to the internet before the terrorists destroy it. The procedure works, and Will is able to achieve all of his dreams. But then he starts acting strangely and taking things way too far. The question is how to stop him?
The script for "Transcendence" was on the 2012 Black List, which is the yearly list of the best unproduced screenplays. This is ironic, since the screenplay is the film's biggest problem. I can only come to three possible conclusions for this: one, the people who decide what goes on the list didn't actually read it, two, Wally Pfister dumbed it down considerably (doubtful, considering he has been Christopher Nolan's cinematographer since "Memento," and Nolan & Emma Thomas, Nolan's wife and co-producer, are listed as executive producers on this film), or three, studio interference. Regardless of how it happened, the script is in desperate need of some heavy rewrites. Plotholes are plentiful, some scenes in the beginning that set-up the plot are clumsily written, there's way too much confusing technobabble, and the ending is a whimper. There's also the issue of the film starting at the end and making 99% of the movie a flashback. In some cases, this can work, but this isn't one of them. It effectively kills almost all of the dramatic tension that could have been salvageable.
The acting varies. Aside from Depp and Hall, no one has a lot to do. Depp is actually the film's biggest problem apart from the script. He underplays the role, which leaves Will without much of a personality. He's pretty boring, and since the romantic relationship between him and Evelyn is a huge underpinning of the film's plot, that's a big problem. Paul Bettany is his usual reliable self, but there's not a lot for him to work with. This is even more so with Freeman, Murphy and Mara (all of whom are great actors).
This is the directorial debut of Wally Pfister, who as has been stated many times before, is Christopher Nolan's longtime cinematographer. It's not a successful debut, but I think that, with a good script, he can make a solid movie. Sadly, this isn't it.
Starring: Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Paul Bettany, Morgan Freeman, Cillian Murphy, Kate Mara
Rated PG-13 for Sci-Fi Action and Violence, Some Bloody Images, Brief Strong Language and Sensuality
"Transcendence" was the second movie of 2014 that I was really looking forward to (after Hayao Miyazaki's "The Wind Rises"). While "The Wind Rises" was slightly disappointing because my hopes were too high (a filmmaker as talented as Miyazaki will do that to a guy), "Transcendence" is a complete letdown. It's another case of "good idea, bad execution."
Will Caster (Depp) is a computer genius who makes Steve Jobs look like Borat. He is close to creating a self-aware, artificial intelligence. He has a prototype called PENN, although it's not quite there yet. But his ambitions (however noble they may be) and his genius have made him a number of enemies (led by Bree, (Mara)). After a TED-ish conference, he is shot by a techno-terrorist. He survives, but not for long: the bullet was dipped in radioactive material, and he has only a few weeks to live. Desperate, his wife Evelyn (Hall) and best friend Max (Bettany) debate whether or not to upload his mind into PENN. They do so, but the computer-Will wants more power, so she connects him to the internet before the terrorists destroy it. The procedure works, and Will is able to achieve all of his dreams. But then he starts acting strangely and taking things way too far. The question is how to stop him?
The script for "Transcendence" was on the 2012 Black List, which is the yearly list of the best unproduced screenplays. This is ironic, since the screenplay is the film's biggest problem. I can only come to three possible conclusions for this: one, the people who decide what goes on the list didn't actually read it, two, Wally Pfister dumbed it down considerably (doubtful, considering he has been Christopher Nolan's cinematographer since "Memento," and Nolan & Emma Thomas, Nolan's wife and co-producer, are listed as executive producers on this film), or three, studio interference. Regardless of how it happened, the script is in desperate need of some heavy rewrites. Plotholes are plentiful, some scenes in the beginning that set-up the plot are clumsily written, there's way too much confusing technobabble, and the ending is a whimper. There's also the issue of the film starting at the end and making 99% of the movie a flashback. In some cases, this can work, but this isn't one of them. It effectively kills almost all of the dramatic tension that could have been salvageable.
The acting varies. Aside from Depp and Hall, no one has a lot to do. Depp is actually the film's biggest problem apart from the script. He underplays the role, which leaves Will without much of a personality. He's pretty boring, and since the romantic relationship between him and Evelyn is a huge underpinning of the film's plot, that's a big problem. Paul Bettany is his usual reliable self, but there's not a lot for him to work with. This is even more so with Freeman, Murphy and Mara (all of whom are great actors).
This is the directorial debut of Wally Pfister, who as has been stated many times before, is Christopher Nolan's longtime cinematographer. It's not a successful debut, but I think that, with a good script, he can make a solid movie. Sadly, this isn't it.
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