Transcendence (DVD)

So, Max who is a software developer for the "source code" that is the foundation for the AI that Will (Johnny Depp's character) "becomes"... *SPOILER ALERT-ish* they go to destroy Will by uploading a virus into the AI...FYI As a software engineer myself; this facet of the movie would be analogous to saying, I'm a developer for the former operating system, DOS in 1981 so in 2023 we're going to bring the guy back who developed DOS and he's going to be capable of developing a virus that would completely bypass contemporary antivirus software and totally and utterly destroy Windows 11... Will would have changed the code that he's made up of (that the AI is made of) SOOOO much it would have been a light year beyond even the difference between DOS in 1981 and Windows in 2023... light years? So advanced there's no way Max would have a clue as to how to develop anything for it... that's a joke.Yeah, once I heard them say what they planned it kept ruining the rest of the movie for me.I was already suspending my disbelief that Will wouldn't have kept the town off the grid (it was dead anyway-woulda been so easy let alone for an AI that was "everywhere" and in "everything"). He coulda and would have kept financial records and whatever else completely secret literally from anyone or any entity on the planet and there's no way he would have allowed a handful of anti-tech terrorists to "move closer" to the town and keep watch of his progress. As soon as Will was uploaded to the Internet and had access to every device it would have been over; let alone several years later. It wouldn't have taken several years either. That's ridiculous too. I bet it'd literally take him a fraction of the time since the advancement of technology progresses exponentially. We would be "screwed".SO ANNOYING... I want to give it 1 star out of spite but it's still entertaining so, there ya go.Cuz it's Johnny Depp - 4 stars.

written by Jack Paglen and directed by Wally Pfister, Transcendence tells the story of how a quantum computer gains sentience and the collision and conflict that results when machine and man merge. Johnny Depp plays Dr. Castor, a scientist looking for funding to back his research project to develop a thinking computer. The "Strong Artificial Intelliegence" as it is called, is engineered to problem solve, and with extreme programing, with neuronal engineering is said to be poised to surpass and overcome human biology. The scieintist are hoping to unlock the nature of consciousness, discover where the soul resides, and replicate it via a super quantum computer. This is called the "singularity". Dr. Castor and his wife Evelyn Castor, have hopes of curing cancer, eliminating poverty, disease, hunger, all manor of ills that plague the planet and humanity.. thereby healing the planet. . The Castors present their hypothesis to a symposium filled with mathematicians, engineers, neuro-scientist, with hopes of garnering funds to further their research.However, there is a radical group of students and onlookers, poised to stop the researchers from any further development. The group is steeped infear and the "terrorist" group called "Rift" revolutionary independence from technology, do not accept a world with quantum technology that becomes merched with biology, no matter how altruistic the intent. Rebecca Hall plays Evie Castor, Paul Bettany plays Max Waters lead programmer ushering in the "soulful element " of "Pinn" the independent Neuronal network invented by Dr. Will Castor. Morgan Freeman plays the researcher and Cryptologist Dr. Joseph Taggert, Cillian Murphy plays Donald Buchwald, FBI agent in charge of investing the bombing, the terrorist, the research, and finding out why the terrorist are trying to kill Dr. Castor, and destroy years of reseach.The development of Strong AI has ignited deep seated fear and resentment , that manifest in the simultaneous bombing of multiple labs across the country, killing many people, scientist and civilians. One of the terrorist shoots Will Castor with a "Polonium dipped isotope, radioactive radiation poisoning and the affects are irreversible. He will be dead in 5 weeks. With the time he has left, Will decides to spend it with his wife and not in the laboratory. Since the co-ordinated attack left the bulk of the reseach in ruins, Evie decides to shut down the lab, but stumbles onto key concepts that link and click in her mind that her husband was close to the "singularity". Will is dying, she attempts to build the lab at home. They download Wills' conscienousness into the quantum computer. His physical body dies during the research. But is consciousness lives in the quantum computer and grows.. expands so much they all must relocate to further the work, and Dr. Castor comes alive again to lead the research.. It starts to get really "Supernatural" when the environment and Will Castor become one and people from all over the desert who want treatment for ills, derive supernatural powers and this really sends RIFT into overdrive... I did not like the extreme measures the terrorist used to block the research, kidnapping Max and turning him into their "Patsy" , and the scene where Will Castor, in an effort to quell and calm his wifes' feelings, reads her neuronal impulses, blood analytes, vital signs, blood chemistry and projects it all on the big screen in the lab. His power had become so immense, he could not see he crossed the line and not only had he not given it a second thought to penetrate her thoughts he took it another step and invaded her body chemistry, physiology, brain chemistry and mapped her anatomy and showed her. Fortunately, she knew when she and Will got deeper and deeper into the research, anything was possible. The unthinkable happened, she was afraid of what he'd become and the only alternative was now, for Max to create a virus, give it to Evie to trap Will and infect him, thereby infected the entire internet, threatening to throw civilization backward into the stoneage, total darkness..no more technology. While, Dr. Castors' comment during the synposium, before all the violence ensued, that man has always, though out time, as attempted to create God, or become a God, this is where man always gets it wrong. It may be true that the universe has a way of stoping all attempts at man overreaching . As if God has a built in "Dead Mans' Switch that is automatically kicked in when mankind takes it one step beyond.. I love this movie, because it gives us a peek into what we as a species might expect from ourselves in the near future.

Storyline relatable to our present reality. Excellent acting, as usual, by Johnny Depp, who never fails to please with his great ability to capture your attention.

When I was dvd collecting I wanted johny depp films.

Some reviews were negative so I bought this Blue-ray really cheap. I am writing a book on agimachine.com so I am very interested in any AI film. Most films are just a fantasy film with AI as a theme. The producers have no clue what AI is. This was an exception. I was hooked from the start. It was extremely well thought and researched. It is hard to write good scifi stories and I have only seen a hand full of good stories in my life. This was the best. It was believable and showed what a real AI would be capable of at Singularity level. All films inject some love story to keep most women happy and to me ruin the film, but the love story blended beautifully and was actually more powerful than AI story. The acting was brilliant. Rebecca Hall is so beautiful and i really find her the sexiest female actress so I was really pleased she was the lead actress. Morgan Freeman is the No 1 actor in my book, so the combination of AI + Rebecca + Morgan + the excellent script made this film my No1 film ever. I am not sure if others will agree with me though.

Delivered in swift time. Was driven to buy this movie and rewatch on blu ray despite the negative reviews. Dr will,depp is a leading scientist in world due to involving artificial intelligence projects ,but his work triggers a reaction fron extremist group who seek to thwart his line of work which create something beyond control and endanger mankind. Good acting well executed cut above.not necessary a novel storyline,just shows how possible a consciousness mind can develop from a computer source interacting with most things maybe in years to come some genius smart science mind could venture the ability to test this method who knows.good imagination scenes that invent as its only fantasy make believe anyway. Underrated film with most critics. Worth a view again

A little surprised that the film has received a mixed bag of reviews, those that have praised the film up, are in my viewon the money.'Dr Will Carter'(Johnny Depp) is a leader in the field of Artificial Intelligence' when gunned down by 'Technology Extremists'he is left with just weeks to live, the bullet had been contaminated.He doesn't want his work to be lost, he has his mind, thoughts and emotions uploaded into a super-computer system hisintention is to achieve 'Transcendence'He's gone, or is he, the transfer of his mind has been successful, he can again communicate with his wife 'Evelyn' (RebeccaHall)The results are of concern to his long-time friend 'Max Waters' (Paul Bettany) wants to shut 'Will' down, 'Evelyn' won't allow itshe's delighted to have communication with her lost husband, it's of comfort.The extremists led by 'Bree' (Kate Mara) attempt to shut 'Will' down, they fail, they now turn to 'Max' by taking him by force,hoping he'll assist them in-time.'Will' instructs 'Evelyn' to build a hi-tech complex in the outskirts of a remote town nestled in the 'New Mexico' desert, 'Brightwood'where he hopes with 'Evelyn's' help he can continue and indeed expand his work.'Will's' prime intention is to help mankind however he also wants to reach out beyond the screens he is now locked behind.Former associates of 'Will' - 'Joseph Tagger' (Morgan Freeman) and Agent 'Buchanan' (Cillian Murphy) visit the complex to see'Will's' work in action, what they see troubles them.There is a need to shut 'Will' down, before his power is absolute, will he let those who are trying do so, can what has been created be stopped.This is a superior and clever film that explores the boundaries, mesmerizingly brilliant.Great cast line-up, great picture and sound quality throughout.Features -* Exploring artificial intelligence* What is Transcendence ?* Wally Pfister : A singular vision* Featurette - Guarding the Threat and The Promise of A.I* Teaser video narrated by Johnny Depp and Morgan Freeman

Ah well it had some good ideas, and it had a great cast. Unfortunately the A list cast didn't seem to do so much (why is Morgan Freeman even in the movie he doesn't do anything and hardly utters more than a dozen sentences). But this aside the main issue is pacing - its really slow it would have been better to edit this to 90 min and get going rather than plodding through 2 hours. Also the AI takes over the world has been covered many times before and this movie doesn't add much to that. On occasion the stars earn their pay for example the last seen that Johnny Depp is in - amazing for a scene with no words. There is also a lot of very dodgy science and massive plot holes but I'll gloss over these becasue most Hollywood plots don't bare to mush scrutiny.In short buy it cheap watch it during the week and you will be happy enough

A great cast, a great premise, good direction and not a bad script. Not nearly as horrible as all the naysayers are saying.However, what let this down for me is the limited, yet again, romance angle, when it could have been a story that stretched its wings to fly much, much further.The movie kept me intrigued until the last half hour when it began to display a formulaic nothingness that sort of went nowhere. I suppose if you're big into undying love of a perverted kind you might sigh in distorted illusions about what love should be. If the last half hour had pulled something really intelligent and interesting out of the hat it would have been 9 out of 10, but it didn't.And seriously, in some ways this is closer to the concept of The Matrix than many viewers will realise... something to think about.I liked a lot of things about the movie. Worth watching if you're a sci fi buff.