Transcendence

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UK Release Date: April 25th 2014

As Dr. Will Caster works toward his goal of creating an omniscient, sentient machine, a radical anti-technology organization fights to prevent him from establishing a world where computers can transcend the abilities of the human brain.

Director: Wally Pfister (Director of Photography of Christopher Nolan films including Inception and The Dark Knight trilogy)

Starring: Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Paul Bettany, Cillian Murphy, Kate Mara, Morgan Freeman

Transcendence is Wally Pfister's first attempt in the directors chair. His acute work on most of Christopher Nolan's films means he deserves the chance in the front seat. Sadly, Transcendence is a spectacle masterpiece, but lacks a tough, unquenchable plot that shifts from credible, scientific fears to unbelievable fantasy.

Will Caster (Depp) is in the process of creating an artificial intelligence that can process and harness any given information. After presenting his work at a conference, Caster is shot by an anti-AI extremis. Before he carks it, his wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) and friend Max (Paul Bettany) upload his 'mind' to the machine.

All seems well to begin with as Caster/Machine promises wonder and grandeur for the future, but a dilemma is formed when he and Evelyn go in to hiding. Caster starts expanding his knowledge and at a later date controlling humans. The main question to ask is it Caster that's in control or the AI?

The anti-AI extremists, led by the dubious Bree (Kate Mara) convince Max and the authorities that Caster is a threat to humanity.  
 
Working out exactly HOW Caster is healing incurable diseases and controlling people's minds is alluding. He's also able to repair objects with molecules in the air. Maybe Pfister decided to leave this ambiguous.

Overview: Pfister has grabbed an inspiration boost from his time with Nolan, but Transcendence is shiny on the surface and a little soulless on the inside, much like Depp's character. What a waste of money on an expensive actor.