I Am Human (2019)

Meet the world's first 'cyborgs' - a quadriplegic, a blind man, an amputee, a bio-hacker, and a woman with Parkinson's - the scientists who help them, and one entrepreneur who will stop at nothing on his quest to unlock the brain.

Directors:

Elena Gaby, Taryn Southern

Stars:

Bryan Johnson, John Donoghue, Nita A. Farahany

Cast

Credited cast:
Bryan Johnson	...	Himself
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
John Donoghue	...	Himself
Nita A. Farahany	...	Herself
Tristan Harris	...	Himself
Bobby Kasthuri	...	Himself
Ramez Naam	...	Himself
Miguel Nicolelis	...	Himself

Storyline

I AM HUMAN follows three of the world's first "cyborgs" - a blind man, a woman with Parkinson's, and a paraplegic - for whom the restorative potential of implantable brain technology is no sci-fi daydream. As we chronicle humanity's quiet march down a new evolutionary path, we're forced to reconcile the larger societal implications: will the same technologies that heal disease and dysfunction lead to super human abilities, telepathic communication, and cognitive enhancement? How will this change what it means to be human...and most importantly, are we ready?

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Genres:

Documentary | Sci-Fi | Thriller

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Details

Official Sites:

Official Site Official Site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 May 2019 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Futurism Studios

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

A Masterpiece! The Future Is Here

I don't usually publish IMDB reviews, but after seeing this film at the Tribeca Film Festival I felt compelled to share my thoughts.

I Am Human is a documentary that ostensibly tells the story of three medical patients and their experiences with state-of-the-art neurotechnology. However, the film really shines when exploring the marriage of many of today's hot button themes: Technology, Medicine, Ethics, Entertainment, and Psychology.

The film features key contributions from thought leaders including Bryan Johnson, who is the CEO of Kernal and a pioneering entrepreneur in neurotechnology, and Nita Farahanu, who is a Professor of Law & Philosophy at Duke University. The film seamlessly moves between the three patients and industry experts, so that the audience gradually understands the risks and benefits of the emerging technology as the patients learn the same.

This is the rare documentary where the technical contributions match the narrative contributions. The cinematography, editing, and score were all fantastic and made me feel like I was watching a big-budget medical thriller instead of a thoughtful documentary. As an added bonus, the film is directed by two vibrant young women. Their intelligence and passion was infectious and obvious through each segment of the film, even before they participated in a live Q&A session after the film.

As my personal methodology, I only award films a maximum 10/10 score if they hit me in both the head and the heart. That is, if they make me both think and feel deeply. I Am Human checks those boxes and more. It is the first film in a few years where I left with zero criticisms, yet many questions. I do not expect my questions to be answered for several years, until neurotechnology enters our homes and lives, but I wait with both excitement and fear over how the technology could change our understanding of what it means to be "human."

I Am Human is a masterpiece. It should not be limited to film festivals and deserves a wider release. If I had watched this film during high school or college, then I would have strongly considered focusing my studies on neurotechnology. Highly recommended.