Transcendence (2014)

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BlairCo wrote:
antovolk wrote:Murphy's character confirmed to be not Anderson but Donald Buchanan.
Was the character in the draft? I've forgotten.
In the draft it was Agent Anderson. Same/similar character, different name.

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Do I need to play the game/app before watching the movie?

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Didn't see a thread stickied yet, and I just got back, so why not.


Don't let the director's name fool you--Transcendence isn't made for us, the diehard fans of Nolan. Maybe some of us, myself included, expected a perfectly shot, Nolan-level masterpiece all because Pfister's name was at the head of the project. I didn't really follow the film's production at all, but I still had the hope in the back of my mind that this would be something special. When the first trailer was released, though, I knew that I was wrong. Nothing about that trailer made the film stand out in my mind, and that's pretty much the case now.

Transcendence starts out promising--I won't rehash the plot here since I'm sure anyone reading this already has a basic understanding of it--but quickly falls victim to both uninteresting, and in one case, unnecessary characters. A little past the midway point, the plot begins to get a little muddled. One of the biggest plot revelations totally baffled me and made no sense. Luckily, things were brought back around for the film's conclusion, and things didn't end on a completely sour note.

Not everything was negative, though. The film plays with some incredibly relevant themes (themes that are quickly approaching, if not already at, the overdone mark, I should add) and does so pretty well. It doesn't get too caught up in trying to please the masses by dumbing things down or getting caught up in any big action sequences. And, as expected, the film is well-shot, though nothing special.

Overall, I would hardly call Transcendence a bad film, but I wouldn't say it's anything barely above average. It's a smarter thriller (not sure how exactly to classify it) than most movies you'll find releasing nowadays. Still, it's very forgettable and I won't be returning to it anytime soon.

7.5/10

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And how was the acting?

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Transcendence wrote:And how was the acting?
I wouldn't really call it bad or good. If I had to pick a standout, it would probably be Depp, but the acting isn't really meant to be the focus here. One thing to note, though--Freeman and Murphy have pretty small roles.

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How was Hall?

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BlairCo wrote:How was Hall?
Adequate is probably the best way to describe her. She's the main character for all intents and purposes. She carries the role well and never left me disappointed, but also never left me impressed.

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kind of what I expected, I don't find the film very interesting anyway

It's Wally's foot in the door just as Insomnia was Nolan's.

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