I can’t understand why “Transcendence” (2014) got such a lukewarm reception — it was a cool, fun, decent science fiction movie.  It could have been a great movie, were it not for an ending that I wouldn’t have chosen.  It actually IS a creative and thought-provoking ending, but I would have preferred a more standard boilerplate sci-fi climax … I can’t really say much more while avoiding spoilers.

It’s a thoughtful, high-concept sci-fi story that still manages to move along at a nice, fast pace, thanks to good directing and the introduction of conflict and danger very early on.  The screenwriters handled exposition beautifully — all the characterization and tech-talk exposition that we need is there, but there’s still action and end-of-the-world scenarios served right up front.  I thought that was really well done.

And there’s some dark fun to be had.  Parts of this were nice and creepy — especially when various aspects of GuyNet parallel past film bot-baddies like HAL 9000 or the T-1000.  If you get absorbed in the movie, those things can get under your skin a little.  These elements hold the viewer’s interest against a backdrop of major philosophical questions about the nature of consciousness, the existence of the soul, the nature of love, etc.

Paul Bettany, Rebecca Hall, Morgan Freeman, and Johnny Depp all handed in great performances. (At this point, I’m pretty sure that Depp is the actor with the greatest range in Hollywood; Hall, for me, will always be that nice girl in Christopher Nolan’s “The Prestige.”)  If you’re a Cillian Murphy fan, as I am, don’t see this movie on his account — he’s underused, with little to do.

Josh Stewart, in a smaller role, is a surprise standout — that guy does great work, and deserves more leading roles.  And did anyone else realize that the outspoken, creepy Luddite audience member is Lukas Haas, the little Amish boy rescued by Harrison Ford in “Witness” (1985)?  I thought that was pretty funny.

A few things were slightly off about the movie:

1)  It’s potentially the end of the world.  The United States government sends 10 commandos to stop it?  Did this movie spend so much money on CGI that they couldn’t afford extras?

2)  Exactly what agency does Agent Buchanan work for?  Again … he’s the only one assigned to all this?  Shouldn’t this matter be swarming with Homeland Security, NSA, FBI and DARPA?

3) Given what GuyNet can do, one of its countermeasures against its human assailants is easily predicted.  They didn’t see that coming toward the end?

4) Given what GuyNet can do, there’s another interesting (and truly frightening) way it could have infiltrated the team working against it.  But this is never even suggested.  (I am trying to keep this review spoiler free.)

I recommend this; check it out.