Transcendence (2014)

A scientist's drive for artificial intelligence, takes on dangerous implications when his consciousness is uploaded into one such program.

Director:

Wally Pfister

Writer:

Jack Paglen

Stars:

Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Morgan Freeman

2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Johnny Depp	...	Will Caster
Rebecca Hall	...	Evelyn Caster
Paul Bettany	...	Max Waters
Cillian Murphy	...	Agent Buchanan
Kate Mara	...	Bree
Cole Hauser	...	Colonel Stevens
Morgan Freeman	...	Joseph Tagger
Clifton Collins Jr.	...	Martin
Cory Hardrict	...	Joel Edmund
Falk Hentschel	...	Bob
Josh Stewart	...	Paul
Luce Rains	...	Roger
Fernando Chien	...	Heng
Steven Liu	...	Chiu
Xander Berkeley	...	Dr. Thomas Casey

Storyline

Dr. Will Caster (Johnny Depp) is the foremost researcher in the field of Artificial Intelligence, working to create a sentient machine that combines the collective intelligence of everything ever known with the full range of human emotions. His highly controversial experiments have made him famous, but they have also made him the prime target of anti-technology extremists who will do whatever it takes to stop him. However, in their attempt to destroy Will, they inadvertently become the catalyst for him to succeed-to be a participant in his own transcendence. For his wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) and best friend Max Waters (Paul Bettany), both fellow researchers, the question is not if they can...but if they should. Their worst fears are realized as Will's thirst for knowledge evolves into a seemingly omnipresent quest for power, to what end is unknown. The only thing that is becoming terrifyingly clear is there may be no way to stop him.

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Plot Keywords:

scientist | artificial intelligence | technology | power outage | consciousness | 

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Taglines:

Yesterday Dr. Will Caster was only human

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Genres:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for sci-fi action and violence, some bloody images, brief strong language and sensuality

Details

Official Sites:

Official Facebook Official site [Japan]

Country:

UK China USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 April 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Transcendence: Identidad virtual

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$100,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$10,886,386 (USA) (18 April 2014)

Gross:

$23,014,504 (USA) (13 June 2014)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Alcon Entertainment, DMG Entertainment, Straight Up Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

119 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS Datasat Dolby Digital Dolby Atmos

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This is not the first time that Paul Bettany is connected with super computers and high technology. Bettany provided the voice of Jarvis, Tony Stark's computer, in the Iron Man movies.

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Goofs

The doctor at the hospital says that the bullet which hit Will contained "an isotope called Polonium". Actually, Polonium is a chemical element, while an isotope is an atom with the same number of protons of a chemical element, but a different number of neutrons.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Max Waters: They say there's power in Boston. Some phone service in Denver. But things are far from what they were. Maybe it was all invevitable. An unavoidable collision between mankind and technology. The Internet was meant to make the world a smaller place. But it actually feels smaller without it. I knew Will and Evelyn Caster better than anyone. I knew their brillance. Their dedication to what they believed in. And to what they loved.

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Connections

References Person of Interest (2011)

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Soundtracks

Genesis
Written by Jorma Kaukonen
Performed by Jorma Kaukonen
Courtesy of RCA Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

The Line Between Humanity & Evolving into something More.

This film will most likely split down the middle because of it's religious tones of God and evolution. Some people will love it and some will hate it because it might go against their belief system.

For movie purposes, it has great acting, great story (though some may feel it's a little too far fetched, which I personally don't think is too far fetched when you see what the world was like 10 years ago before the mainstream web), and pretty good action scenes.

At the heart, it's a story about a woman, Evelyn, who loves her husband, Will, so much she tries to hold onto him by helping him save his consciousness. She begins to wrestle with whether this being is really Will or is something new. It's also about evolution and the line between humanity and evolving into something more. This movie might be a turn off for religious people but it does make you think of what humanity could become whether you're religious or not.

Overall, it's a great movie that's enjoyable, thought provoking, challenges some beliefs, and foreshadows some future realities we will all have to soon deal with.

I would say go see it!