Science fiction has always been most successful when it takes real world problems and fears and either creates allegories for them or simply addresses them outright. Pfister appears to be staring today's technological advancements head-on, bringing into question our need to continually expand and evolve through digital means. This examination of the digital age is not something we haven't seen before, but the idea of uploading a man's consciousness into a supercomputer is certainly a promising spin on the familiar premise. The film could easily enter preachy, on-the-nose territory, but as we discussed before, grounding the story in its human characters will help give it a sharper focus. At its core, Transcendence is a thriller, not a blockbuster, which gives it an interesting angle to explore.
James is a 24 year old writer and filmmaker living in Portland, OR. He attended college for graphic design and writes for various sources on the web about film, television, and entertainment.
You can view all of his work on his website, www.thereeljames.wordpress.com
