Transcendence (2014)

Turan finds the film ambitious and provocative, with its nuanced treatment of artificial intelligence outweighing its shortcomings. He particularly praises its refusal to simplify the difficult questions raised by Will’s transformation.

Kohn finds the film intellectually provocative and potentially prescient, but uneven and less engaging than its ideas. He especially praises Rebecca Hall’s credible pathos and the film’s lasting relevance in its exploration of technology and reality.

The review finds the film disappointing despite its ambitious ideas. Its treatment of artificial intelligence is singled out as a weakness.

Staunton gives the film three stars, indicating a mixed verdict. He singles out its complicated techno-fable premise as a defining feature.

Dowd finds the film humorless, outdated, and dramatically lifeless. He especially criticizes its unconvincing central romance and lack of humanity.

The review suggests the film’s grand themes lack resonance. It finds greater emotional impact in the more modest exploration of intimate relationships.

The review finds the thriller dull and questions why Johnny Depp took the role. It singles out the story’s lack of wackiness as a major disappointment.

Graham finds the film a disappointment despite its ideas and gleaming visuals. He singles out its surface-level musings and monotonous, underwhelming action as major weaknesses.

Henderson finds the film regressive and less recognizably human than its ambitions suggest. He faults its detours into sci-fi cliché, especially beside the more effective questions explored in Her.

Atkinson finds the film timid and dramatically clumsy, despite its timely engagement with unsettling questions about technology. He praises its willingness to challenge the presumed goodness of virtual life, while faulting its plot holes and lifeless scenes of characters explaining computer screens.

McCarthy finds the film intellectually ambitious but dramatically muddled, with its ideas and commercial action working against each other. He praises Rebecca Hall’s alert, unpredictable performance while faulting the story for losing its emotional connection.

Ebiri finds the film an unsuccessful blend of science-fiction ideas and action, though it has some genuine pathos. He praises Rebecca Hall’s portrayal of loss, while criticizing the contrived dystopia and Johnny Depp’s emotionally distant performance.

Shone finds the thriller insubstantial and too familiar. He singles out how little life remains in Johnny Depp’s digitized character.

Thomas finds the film a banal, disappointing techno-thriller that squanders its cast and filmmaker. He praises the effective camerawork but says it serves a weak, uncreative script.

O'Sullivan finds the film derivative and poorly scripted, with an unconvincing emotional core. She singles out its elegant cinematography as the main compensating quality.

The critic finds the film shapeless and dramatically inexperienced. They single out its cheesy look, with only a few shots escaping that criticism.

Foundas finds the film dramatically undernourished, humorless, and emotionally empty. He particularly criticizes the bland characters and Johnny Depp’s listless performance, which fails to convey the scientist’s passion or curiosity.

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The critic finds the film stale, emotionally hollow, and burdened by familiar philosophical questions. He singles out its beautiful cinematography as a strength, but says it cannot overcome the sterile storytelling.

Crow finds the film ambitious but muddled, with its big ideas undermined by a lifeless romance and an unclear plot. He praises Rebecca Hall for providing the film’s only human touch.

Dibdin judges the film a ponderous, clunky disappointment that feels out of step with modern technology. She praises Rebecca Hall and Paul Bettany’s emotionally grounded performances, while noting that Pfister’s crisp visuals cannot overcome the script’s shortcomings.

Simon finds the film over-plotted, shallow, and emotionally inert, ultimately mistaking incident for dramatic connection. He praises its visual polish and occasional striking imagery, but says these cannot compensate for the weak script and thin characters.

Han finds the film dull, illogical, and dramatically underdeveloped. She singles out Rebecca Hall and Paul Bettany for bringing some warmth and chemistry to their stiff characters.

The critic finds the film’s promising ideas undermined by a nonsensical plot and an unsatisfying resolution. Rebecca Hall’s committed performance is singled out as its strongest element.

The critic finds the film a dull, illogical failure that squanders its ideas and cast. They single out its engaging CGI and action sequences as rare bright spots, while criticizing Johnny Depp’s performance and the overexplained, emotionally thin story.