The film – Transcendence, directed by Walter C. Pfister – is of the science fiction genre. The main story line is based in the near future. There are certain elements of the film that are farfetched and fictional, as will be discussed in this analysis. However, some of the technologies in the film are currently possible (in some cases only to a certain extent), or could be possible in the near future.
The most evident facet throughout the film is that of Transhumanism. Transhumanism is defined as “enhancing the human condition and the human organism…by the advancement of technology” (Bostrom, 2003). This is one of the main themes throughout the movie, clearly evident when one of the main characters – Dr William (played by Johnny Depp) – went through the transition of becoming part of technology. Dr William uploaded his consciousness, memories, and personal life onto a hard drive, thus being able to continue ‘living’ as software, while hardware acted as a replacement for parts of his body, such as the use of a webcam as his eyes and a microphone as his ears.
Transhumanism is currently possible through the use of “science, technology, and other rational means” (Bostrom, 2003), the most universal of which is the “transplantation of human limbs, the emergence of advanced prosthetics, and the manipulation of genes” (Miah, 2003). However, the Transhumanism that the film displays is unlikely to exist anytime soon since current technology cannot support it; therefore this facet is