As already established, transhumanism is an incredibly interesting, nuanced debate with multiple camps espousing differing views on the ideological spectrum. To put it another way, it's complex, and possibly too complex for a Hollywood blockbuster to truly do it justice. Regardless, you've got to give Pfister and team credit for grappling the beast, even if they've had to simplify it to a conflict between two trenchant sides, represented by Will Caster and the scientific community, and RIFT, the film's opening antagonists. RIFT or Revolutionary Independence From Technology, to give them their full title represent the film's animus, shooting Dr. Caster and setting the plot's chain of events into motion. On paper, they're an intriguing prospect a group of neo-luddites on the radical edge of the fight against technology. Yet truly, what is their motivation? It appears to be simple that transhumanism is an abomination. But aside from a Kate Mara monologue about a replicated monkey brain, RIFT's ideology is never further explored. There's all sorts of interesting reasons why we could be against the existence of an organising, sentient super-computer questions of free will, for one but RIFT's motivation doesn't seem to go beyond one-note maxims, and this is a waste. When you're putting down a flag in one of the more intriguing debates of our time, it just smacks of missed opportunity when you won't explore the theme further. Also, they're using polonium bullets, which is strangely advanced for a group of neo-Luddites. The poisoned cake they could get away with, but this? Not so much. It's like trying to have your poisoned cake and eat it (really, really sorry).
Durham University graduate and qualified sports journalist. Very good at sitting down and watching things. Can multi-task this with playing computer games. Football Manager addict who has taken Shrewsbury Town to the summit of the Premier League.
You can follow me at @Ed_OwenUK, if you like ramblings about Newcastle United and A Place in the Sun. If you don't, I don't know what I can do for you.
