Two 'Transcendence' Viral Videos Introduce The Film's Anti-Tech Organization

Wally Pfister's debut directorial effort, Transcendence, opens in less than a month — on April 17 we'll see what Christopher Nolan's cinematographer has come up with for his heady sci-fi feature. But in the meantime, two Transcendence viral videos and a featurette give us a few more things to think about.

Two of the videos below represent the anti-tech group led by Kate Mara's character. R.I.F.T. stands for Revolutionary Independence From Technology, and they're not thrilled about the advancements Johnny Depp's character has made toward achieving the singularity.

And then there's more of a puff piece featurette that includes the typical interview soundbites and footage clips that you'd expect from a promo piece. But with Pfister and actors such as Morgan Freeman speaking up, it's worth a look.

Dr. Will Caster (Johnny Depp) is the foremost researcher in the field of Artificial Intelligence, working to create a sentient machine that combines the collective intelligence of everything ever known with the full range of human emotions. His highly controversial experiments have made him famous, but they have also made him the prime target of anti-technology extremists who will do whatever it takes to stop him. However, in their attempt to destroy Will, they inadvertently become the catalyst for him to succeed—to be a participant in his own transcendence. For his wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) and best friend Max Waters (Paul Bettany), both fellow researchers, the question is not if they can...but if they should. Their worst fears are realized as Will's thirst for knowledge evolves into a seemingly omnipresent quest for power, to what end is unknown. The only thing that is becoming terrifyingly clear is there may be no way to stop him.

[The Playlist]