Transcendence (Pfister, 2014)

While a lot of people credit the look of a film to the director, it's actually the cinematographer who deserves a lot more attention. However, the director's unique visual style as an autuer earns rightful praise because of the way the director helps the director of photography (DP) to shoot the picture. Christopher Nolan, for example, always made his films with cinematographer Wally Pfister, the Oscar-winning DP who has filmed most of the director's main projects (including Inception, The Prestige, Memento, and The Dark Knight Trilogy)  I've always wondered what a famous cinematographer would do with his own control of the direction, to see who actually creates the works we all love. Does Wally Pfister's direction of the photography make Nolan movies so incredible and epic, or is it the director's hand that masterfully combines all the elements to create a one-of-a-kind show?

Transcendence, Wally Pfister's directorial debut, proves that it takes more than firm control of the camera to make a movie. 

Overly melodramatic and achingly slow, Pfister's sci-fi tale is neither innovative nor interesting. He takes pre-established fears of technology and tries to say something powerful, but ends up falling flat when he finally gets to the message. Despite looking quite nice, the film suffers from a god-awful screenplay and a painful performance from Johnny Depp. 

Transcendence begins with a technological conference, where Will Caster (Johnny Depp) is the keynote speaker. He's an ingenious programer that dreams of a future filled with highly advanced artificial intelligence. Along with his wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) and best friend Max (Paul Bettany),  Will works to create that world. But after the conference, Will is shot by an unnamed terrorist who is part of an organization that seeks to disconnect society's dependence on technology. Fearing life after her husband's death, Evelyn proposes that they upload Will's consciousness into a computer. 

Despite objections from Max, they go through with the plan and give the machine all that Will is. When he dies, they find themselves face-to-face with the machine, who seemingly has the memories and knowledge of their old friend. But (shocking!), things start to go wrong as Will gains power and network access. Transcendence then turns into a technological fable, which teaches us that eventually we will grow so dependent on blah blah blah blah blah. 

Audiences have heard the same song and dance routine before, and there's nothing that makes Transcendence different from, say, 2001: A Space Odyssey, I, Robot, or The Matrix. Those movies all brought something new to the table, which Pfister does not really do here. The plot is beyond cliched, and the crappy dialogue only adds to the writer's nightmare. 

The cast does their best to work with what they're given, and Morgan Freeman, Paul Bettany, Cillian Murphy, and Kate Mara give typically good performances. Rebecca Hall is the only bright star here, showcasing real emotional trauma and the questioning of morals. It's a shame she has about as much chemistry with her screen husband as Padme and Anakin do in the Star Wars prequels.

Johnny Depp gives a hurtfully lackluster acting "job" in Transcendence, literally just going through the motions and reading his lines from one scene to the next. We feel nothing for him- no empathy, no sympathy, no resemblance of a connection whatsoever. It's the type of work viewers expect from a high school theater show. Plus, the chemistry between Will and Evelyn, which is so integral to the understanding of the movie, is so bad it feels worse than fake. We cannot believe a love story where there's more passion between a lawn mower and grass. Depp is plain flat, uninteresting, and most of all disappointing. I'm a huge fan of the actor, but this was the first time I truly disliked his work. 

Visually, the movie looks impressive. There are some really neat shots in the film, and it uproots familiar settings by giving them a dramatic facelift. That being said, there's no reason why Transcendence needed to be shot in IMAX. I saw it in that format, and cannot possibly justify spending the extra money to see it on a larger screen. 

Transcendence looks like a Christopher Nolan movie, with the same devotion and care to visual splendor. But for several reasons, it doesn't feel like one. Nothing against Wally Pfister, he's a brilliant cinematographer, but he still has a lot of kinks to work out if he wants to direct again. He needs a real screenwriter, who can take a story that has a lot of potential and turn it into a workable sci-fi thriller. The concept is here, but this seems like everyone involved in the film's first time working on a movie set. The high caliber actors and producers Nolan and Emma Thomas are just playing along in the sandbox like watchful parents. 

Transcendence should have been a lot more, and I do understand that this was a first-time attempt by Wally Pfister. I hope he does more cinematography work, as he is immensely talented in that field and is becoming a huge driving force in increasing the recognition of DP's. But for this particular project, it just doesn't transcend high expectations. 

Two out of five stars. 

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (Russo and Russo, 2014)

What happens when Marvel tackles the political thriller? Audiences get a fascinating allegory for the state of governmental conspiracies, complete with a total distrust of the agency that swears to protect the citizens of Earth. All of this is told from the perspective of a soldier, wishing each moment that he was back in simpler times. It just so happens that this super soldier is Captain America, giving the political thriller a super-heroic facelift. 

Captain America: The Winter Soldier is a dark and brooding epic that constitutes the best use of the First Avenger on the silver screen. While The Avengers merely hinted Steve Roger's discomfort with living in modern times, The Winter Soldier fully delves into his shattered psyche. In some ways, he is the only hero that can tell this incredibly moody story: he's an idealistic hero from a clearer time, where the lines of good and evil were not so grey. This picture finally gives diehard Cap fans the hero they've been waiting for, one who does whatever it takes to protect the moral grounds that his country only claims to follow. 

This movie follows the events of The Avengers much more obviously than Iron Man 3 and Thor: The Dark World, with series regulars Col. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and Natasha Romanov/Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) as main characters of the film. Steve Rogers/Captain America has become a primary SHIELD operative, completing a string of missions swiftly and successfully. But he distrusts his newfound organization, seeing first-hand how they have no problem breaking the law and keeping secrets from their own members. Eventually, he comes face-to-face with the Winter Solider, a legendary assassin who is as much of a relic as Rogers. But the Winter Soldier's sudden appearance forces Captain America to question SHIELD, plunging him into a conspiracy where no one can be trusted. 

Much like the other films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 2, The Winter Soldier starts off slow and uninteresting, but ultimately picks up as the story progresses. The action scenes are loads of fun, and the final battle will make viewers smile in childish joy. Captain America, who seemed sort of lame in comparison to Thor and the Hulk, expertly holds his own in the combat. We are finally reminded why Captain America was such a great superhero to begin with- he beats bad guys to a pulp, and his famous shield is used to masterful effect. 

Plus, audiences are reminded of Scarlett Johansson's immense talents, as she steals the show as Black Widow. And Anthony Mackie is a worthy addition to the canon, playing a friend of Steve Rogers whose character eventually takes flight in his own way.

Much like the first movie used Joe Johnson, The Winter Solider's co-directors Anthony and Joe Russo were hired for their talents in creating a period piece. Instead of a World War II epic, the Russo's crafted a 1970's political thriller, complete with enough twists and turns to make audience's heads spin. All of this '70's appreciation is symbolized by the starring role of Robert Redford, who plays high-ranking SHIELD operative Alexander Pierce. He gives Captain America 2 a gravitas uncommon to the franchise, and the actor's work with the Russo's make this sequel really work.

That being said, the film is predictable as the sunrise. While the twists may shock infrequent filmgoers, regular audiences and most of all superhero fans will see each turn coming a mile away. The screenplay also takes itself way too seriously, which is both a disappointment and a highlight; while the Marvel movies have been known for their lighthearted amusement, The Winter Soldier is much more emotional and brooding. This will work for most adult audiences, but younger groups may find the story hard to follow and too dark. 

For Marvel die-hards, there is plenty to chew on here. There are numerous references, characters, and jokes that are there for fans of the comic books. Just for bonus, there's even a Pulp Fiction reference near the end of the film. And, just in case you dare not stay through the end credits (which is just foolish, as often the best parts of the movie are during that part), there is a sneak preview at a character never before referenced in either the media or the films, and is a major player in the universe. It's worth sticking around just to see that person. 

As far as sequels go, The First Avenger had a lot of problems that The Winter Soldier cleans up. It's a crisper, better story which makes perfect use of the patriotic superhero. With cool villains and some really fun scenes, the movie succeeds more often than it fails. Captain America: The Winter Soldier may be disappointing for some, but for most, it is a worthy entry into the Avengers franchise. 

Four out of five stars. 

(A note should be made about Agents of SHIELD, the ABC television show that takes place inside the Marvel universe. In many ways, Captain America 2 is a game-changer, so massive spoilers are in effect for likely the rest of the season of the program. If you don't see this film, the show will NOT make sense, and will effectively ruin the only real surprises of this movie. You have been warned.)