Directed by Wally pfister
Genre : action, drama, SF, thriller
Starring : Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Morgan Freeman
119 Min.
As modern science improves, conflicts between humans and technology are inevitable and increasing. With internet based technologies like SNS or Messenger, the world is becoming smaller. The movie Transcendence sounds an alarm for the imprudent development of modern technology.
Will Caster is a scientist doing artificial intelligence research. He and other researchers approached artificial intelligence in different ways. One day, Will participates in a conference with his fellow researches and he is shot. On the same day, artificial intelligence research centers are attacked by terrorists called R.I.F.T. They want independence from technology. Will survives but will die in four months from the poisoned bullet.
Will and his wife Evelyn decide to upload Will’s mind into their AI system called PINN. Their friend Max, a fellow researcher, helps, but he questions not if they can but if they should.
After Will finishes uploading, he appears in the computer to Evelyn and Max. Max is worried, so he asks, “How do we know this is actually him?” As a result of this conflict, Max leaves.
As Will’s mind starts learning and growing, the terrorists track them down. Will’s mind helps Evelyn escape and gives her the resources to build a secret lab.
They hide for 5 years while Will’s mind expands and develops. He creates some incredible technology. As his powers increase exponentially, Evelyn starts to worry. Her fears, as well as everyone else’s, are exacerbated when she and Will’s mind show some fellow researchers and government agents what Will can do.
In this movie, you often hear, “People fear what they don’t understand.” In the movie, humans don’t want to understand what they are afraid of. This line and scene gives important clues to understand the title of the movie, Transcendence. This movie has a lot of interpretations. It can be seen from a religious point of view or a moral perspective, as well as others. I think the characters in the movie also have to choose their perspectives about that problem. After you see this movie you can ask yourself: What would you do if you were in this situation? Could you understand and make a different decision? What’s your perspective?
In this movie, Will is asked if he wants to create his own god. He says, “Isn’t that what man has always done?” It’s a very short sentence, but it seems to show what the director wants to say. That is that we live in a world of amazing technology, but we don't realize how much technology has taken over our lives. If you watch this movie, you should think about how much technology controls your life.
