Transcendence has had a trailer out for nearly two months now. It was clear at the end of that first preview that we were in for an atypical science-fiction ride with prolific cinematographer Wally Pfister (Moneyball, Inception, The Dark Knight Rises) at the helm now as a director. Iconic director/producer Christopher Nolan is also involved as executive producer. A second trailer has been released and even with talent like that now it’s a bit more muddy where this techno-futurist story will take us.
Translucent
The story of Transcendence deals with The Singularity an idea that humanity is moving towards a point in evolution where we will meld with a vast technological network. The precept states that once we reach this point we’ll no longer need our traditional physical forms. Will (Johnny Depp), a theorist and programmer, who’s a major part of a worldwide collective of scientists working towards an advanced artificial intelligence network. It looks as though they are going to make a monumental breakthrough but overnight a terrorist group attacks and destroys research facilities dealing an almost fatal blow to the entire project.
An idea that humanity is moving towards a point in evolution where we will meld with a vast technological network
The terrorist attacks were meant halt transcendence completely as the group also went after key members of the scientific community hoping to remove their minds and prevent the project from restarting. Dozens of scientists are killed in the process including Will who’s mortally wounded by a lone gunman. With the project in shambles, Will dying in a hospital bed and the hope recreating their work dwindling by the second Will’s colleagues Max (Paul Bettany), Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) and Joseph (Morgan Freeman) decide to try something bold to save his life.
Evelyn and Max hook Will’s brain up to one of the remaining computers and download his consciousness into a virtual construct. At first the process seems to be a failure with the “file” showing large portions of corrupt data but eventually it springs to life and slowly starts to take on Will’s personality. Now virtual Will is a growing intelligence that starts to take over the networks surrounding the facility.
Transplendent
With each new system converted to the AI construct the viability of transcendence is proven again but right away Max, Evelyn and Joseph have serious doubts that they’ve done the right thing. Soon enough they don’t have any options left as Will is taking over international networks. Technology all around the World is transforming into a new form of superior intelligence with a very real physical presence. Will’s persona will stop and nothing in its quest for survival including putting his friends lives at risk for what it perceives is a “greater good”.
The first trailer released in December shows an edgy science-fiction movie that isn’t afraid to take on a controversial topic
The first trailer released in December shows an edgy science-fiction movie that isn’t afraid to take on a controversial topic, in fact it could be said the idea is ahead of its time. It hints at a tight knit group of scientists grappling with an issue that’s far more dangerous and real than they expected. Then when will is “downloaded” to the computer it spirals out of control down a path that not even the audience expected. That first glimpse showed just enough of what we might see in theaters this summer but it did so in a way that kept us wondering. It was surprising the directions they took.
Trailer number two changes my perception considerably. There is now far less mystery to be had here. More of the focus is on the period after Will’s construct goes rogue – it also gives big hints as to how crazy technology gets under the guidance of this new super-powerful artificial intelligence. Featured prominently in this cut are semi-autonomous robots and a silvery goo that transforms objects it touches (possibly nanomachines).
Translation
Half of the trailer is dedicated to a point where Will has become so disconnected from humanity that he’s basically deconstructing other organic life. When it comes down to what I want from Transcendence I’d rather have something calculating like HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey than the indiscriminate silver goo from the The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) remake. Instead of a story about the unexpected turn of events and a gripping science-fiction drama we’re now faced with an action flick where Max, Evelyn and Joseph are forced to run away from various exploding or crumbling objects. Sci-fi drama morphs into a tired action/horror film. Not the change I expected to be honest.
Sci-fi drama morphs into tired action/horror film. Not the change I expected to be honest.
Besides the trailers it will still be interesting where this story goes. For Transcendence trying to relate a story to audiences about the ultimate state of human evolution will not be an easy task. There are dozens of interpretations on how exactly we’ll progress to the next stage. The Fountain comes to mind as a movie that attempts it but that was much more a spiritual and emotional film. Splice is another film that tackles the question of humanity’s longstanding quest to become the “ultimate creator” featuring a more contemporary issue. Where Transcendence falls along those lines is still undecided but for now it seems to be somewhere closer to a mashup between Contact, The Lawnmower Man and Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
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