5.7 | / 10 |
Users | 3.6 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
As two leading computer scientists, Will and Evelyn Caster, progress toward their goal of creating a machine possessing sentience and collective intelligence, a group of anti-technology extremists fights to stop them, fearing a world where computers can transcend the abilities of the human mind.
Starring: Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Paul Bettany, Cillian Murphy, Kate MaraAction | 100% |
Sci-Fi | 60% |
Thriller | 27% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
French (Canada): Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (448 kbps)
English SDH, French, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Transcendence marks the directorial debut of Wally Pfister, best known for his work as cinematographer to Christopher Nolan. Unfortunately, that may be the only notable thing about Pfister and screenwriter Jack Paglen's uninspired misfire. Dull and dutiful to the point of being tiresome and even mopey, Transcendence is predictable, heavy-handed, infuriatingly mechanical and much too infatuated with itself, promising a great deal but delivering very little. Oh, it's built on a terrific premise, full of grand ideas and thought-provoking commentary. It's been stripped of anything that might allow it to linger in the imagination or satisfy the intellect, though. Even Pfister's cinematography (courtesy of DP Jess Hall) is surprisingly unremarkable, meaning the film isn't much to look at either. What's left? The cast is fantastic... on paper. In practice, the performances fail to impress, whether by way of Paglen's wooden dialogue or, in the case of Depp, what appears to be sheer boredom.
Death becomes him...
Transcendence arrives with a tough to swallow 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation that parts ways with its theatrical counterpart, exhibiting signs of over-manipulation and several other questionable decisions on the part of the studio. Artificial sharpening takes a small toll, with minor ringing and edge halos popping up here and there. The telltale evidence of noise reduction is present throughout, and the integrity of the grain field appears to have been affected. Contrast is overheated and oppressive, with prevailing crush that ranges from mild to severe, and delineation disappoints. Skintones are sometimes poorly saturated and unnatural. Moreover, the image often has a distinctly digital appearance despite the fact that Pfister (like Nolan, a fierce pro-film stock advocate) and DP Jess Hall shot Transcendence in 35mm. Thankfully, color richness is noteworthy and detail is decent on the whole, if not a tad uneven. Edges are as sharply defined as well-lit textures are crisp, and a number of choice scenes are quite striking.
Will most people notice its flaws? Or for that matter, care? Maybe, maybe not. I'd like to think we're getting closer to recognizing these things faster and with less debate. It's serviceable enough, I suppose, and in some ways the sort of non-filmic presentation a subset of viewers prefer. The Blu-ray release of The Dark Knight has similar problems and yet many continue to sing its praises, even though insiders and videophiles have outlined what I'd call the dramatic differences between the Batman sequel's BD and theatrical presentations. I suspect reviews of Transcendence's presentation may end up being largely positive too, even though a quick perusal of the screenshots I've included clearly reveals many instances of each issue. Rest assured that my review of Warner's video encode has not been influenced by my less-than-enthusiastic response to the film. With that, I leave the discussion to the forum.
Warner's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is undoubtedly the highlight of the disc and far more impressive than the film's video presentation. Dialogue is clear, intelligible and carefully prioritized, and dynamics are excellent. Rear speaker activity is bristling with tiny ambient flourishes too, as well as convincing directional effects and smooth pans, all of which combine to bolster an already immersive soundfield. LFE output, meanwhile, though initially restrained for the better part of an hour, soon begins to flaunt its power as Will's forces make a stand against humanity's aggression. It might be worth mentioning that Mychael Danna's score is occasionally overwhelmed by the third act's action sequences, but never to distracting ends. Transcendence sounds as good as I expected, which came as something of a relief considering the other half of the studio's AV presentation.
I was warned Transcendence would disappoint. I refused to believe it... then suffered the consequences. I wasn't warned about Warner's Blu-ray release, though. While the film's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track delivers the goods, its video presentation is plagued by multiple issues (some of which fly in the face of Pfister's intentions) and its supplemental package amounts to twenty minutes of promotional fluff. I was hoping for more, from the film, yes. But the Blu-ray as well. Judge for yourself, just adjust your expectations accordingly.
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