[critical] Transcendence

The

echo with Her of Spike Jonze highlights the lack of personality of this TRANSCENDENCE. Because the two films exploit the drifts of the technology of our present, through the communion between Artificial Intelligence and the Internet…

Only, one does it with opportunism, the other with sensitivity.

The exposure of the film presents us with so few characters, very briefly. The idealist geek, but sufficiently great to create artificial intelligence, dr. Will Caster (Johnny Depp). His wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall), and then the faithful best friend Max (Paul Bettany), as gifted as the first for the computing and new technologies. The presentation of this trio is unfortunately sloppy ! Ten minutes after the beginning of the film, the issues it focused attention, and introduce what will become an enemy : a certain terror without name, which only aims to reduce to ashes the technological advances of our partners and their team.

Perhaps it is the introduction that night, the more the movie : with so quickly this trio, catalyst, pattern, and outcome of the film, TRANSCENDENCE negates from the outset, all of its issues. Because one does never really to these three. Johnny Depp fact Johnny Depp, charismatic, and sober (for a change), but without any psychological personality. Rebecca Hall, as Paul Bettany, has, it appears, that one simple facial expression (which he do very well, that said). Two actors struggling to convince us of anything, as too monolithic.

Neither the producer, nor the scenario, or actors do not seek to create any kind of connection between the viewer and this love triangle. Their psychology will never be developed, nor the interactions between them, nor the reason of a possible mutual attraction… So when the time comes to explain that this whole mess (and its resolution) has been done in the name of the sacrosanct sentimentality, hard to believe.

But back at the beginning of the film : the introduction at the end of 15 minutes, the terrorist, brings a mystery and dynamism certain. A sense of urgency, elusive emanates from the reactions of the characters, and causes a certain empathy to the film. Empathy slightly marred by some aspects, as the cliche hollywood of the Woman who triggers the apocalypse by sentimentalism, or these characters, only cosmetics (Kate Mara).

”Yo-yo film, or disappointment because with a scenario malignant, nor success because it was too sloppy, too opportunistic, too sentimental”

Despite a few inconsistencies that detract slightly to its credibility, the scenario proves to be more cunning than expected, and most importantly, the viewer.

He managed to distill its elements sparingly to propose an interesting variation on the theme of power through it. Thus, the plans of the “transcended” is needed as an implacable logic.

Between mystery and intelligence, TRANSCENDENCE seems to be more challenging than expected.

Unfortunately, it is in this state of mind that there is a conclusion that anti-climax which puts the emphasis on sentimentality permanently intangible, and pulls out of his hat an ecological rationale completely off topic and ridiculous.

A conclusion which proves the lack of ambition of a script that focused on the technological aspect and its excesses, but forget on the way to find a reason to exist, which is typical of a certain opportunism that contaminates the film, or even the culture as a whole ; a formula to be applied.

It worked in another work? Perfect ! Let’s take the basics, add a star, an idea that is malignant or two, and package the whole.

The continuity? consistency? The respect of the viewer? Naaaaa, not serious. It’s going to make, that’s what counts.

Damage.

In short : TRANSCENDENCE begins in a rather effective, before falling in the dump, then place a scenario malignant which ends in a stupidity without name.

This yo-yo film is not final nor a disappointment, because with a scenario rather clever, nor successful as troubled by too opportunistic, too much sentimentalism, and finally, too many of brutalisation free.

• Original title : Transcendence

• Achievement : Wally Pfister

• Screenplay : Jack Paglen

• Main actors : Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Paul Bettany, Cillian Murphy, Morgan Freeman, Kate Mara

• Country of origin : U. S. A., England

• Released :June 25, 2014

• Duration : 1h53min

• Distributor : SND

• Synopsis : In the near future, a group of scientists trying to design the first computer with a conscience and able to think independently. They must cope with the attacks of the terrorist anti-technology who see this project as a threat to the human species. When the scientist leading the project is murdered, his wife uses the advanced work to “transcend” the spirit of her husband in the first super computer in history. Can now control all networks connected to the internet, it becomes almost omnipotent. But how to stop it if he were to lose what remains of humanity ?