Went in with an open mind. I had read some pretty detrimental reviews and I wasn't expecting
the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I was in the mood to check it out.
Of particular context, and what probably helped my appreciation of the film, I had just finished
reading James Barrat's Our Final Invention, which gets into some of the potential gloomy side
of what artificial intelligence may bring.
Barrat's book was okay, and I think that it provides a good balance for anyone familiar with
the Ray Kurzweil perspective; I read Kurzweil's Age of Spiritual Machines when it was first
delivered and was more enthusiastic about it's premonitions then, before getting a more balanced
picture of the whole situation on the subject and in general, if that makes sense.
Kurzweil is a total advocate of the technological singularity and the potential benefits of artificial
intelligence to mankind but he goes to the extremes of suggesting something like the Frank
Tipler Omega Point will happen, meaning that technology will advance enough so that we will be
able to resurrect everyone who has ever lived. A narrow description of the view, no doubt, but
that is Tipler's take and while I have not seen or heard Kurzweil cite him, I have heard him mention
that he would like to bring his father back to life with whatever technology may do the same.
To the move, finally...
I quite enjoyed it. The timing was good, as mentioned, due to my recent reading of Barrat.
It worked good as a sci-fi flic and I think that it was not as far-fetched as some takes might have;
some of the technology, such as the A.I. or the nanotechnology, is clearly beyond what we currently
have available but the present A.I. research--including neurotechnology-related stuff as well as
others by Google etc (who have employed Kurzweil)--and the nano-research are both progressing
more than most might suspect.
I can't remember what exact criticisms I heard of the film. Sure, the action was a little limited and
the romantic element was a little corny--bordering on an Eve ate the apple kinda situation--but I
thought that the overall portrayal of the A.I. (with it's potential unaccounted for predicaments)
was well done.
I give it an 8 out of 10. A fir bit higher than the 6.4/10 currently posted on imdb.
I'm not sure what the disagreement to the film is, and while I am certainly the farther thing from
a Luddite, I can totally see the potential danger in letting machines decide what is best for us.
Colossus (The Forbin Project)--an early 70's sci-fi and still very good--and several films and
books are quite indicative of our lack of foresight, in this regard.
Fuck it.
Beer and soccer, aye?
the greatest thing since sliced bread, but I was in the mood to check it out.
Of particular context, and what probably helped my appreciation of the film, I had just finished
reading James Barrat's Our Final Invention, which gets into some of the potential gloomy side
of what artificial intelligence may bring.
Barrat's book was okay, and I think that it provides a good balance for anyone familiar with
the Ray Kurzweil perspective; I read Kurzweil's Age of Spiritual Machines when it was first
delivered and was more enthusiastic about it's premonitions then, before getting a more balanced
picture of the whole situation on the subject and in general, if that makes sense.
Kurzweil is a total advocate of the technological singularity and the potential benefits of artificial
intelligence to mankind but he goes to the extremes of suggesting something like the Frank
Tipler Omega Point will happen, meaning that technology will advance enough so that we will be
able to resurrect everyone who has ever lived. A narrow description of the view, no doubt, but
that is Tipler's take and while I have not seen or heard Kurzweil cite him, I have heard him mention
that he would like to bring his father back to life with whatever technology may do the same.
To the move, finally...
I quite enjoyed it. The timing was good, as mentioned, due to my recent reading of Barrat.
It worked good as a sci-fi flic and I think that it was not as far-fetched as some takes might have;
some of the technology, such as the A.I. or the nanotechnology, is clearly beyond what we currently
have available but the present A.I. research--including neurotechnology-related stuff as well as
others by Google etc (who have employed Kurzweil)--and the nano-research are both progressing
more than most might suspect.
I can't remember what exact criticisms I heard of the film. Sure, the action was a little limited and
the romantic element was a little corny--bordering on an Eve ate the apple kinda situation--but I
thought that the overall portrayal of the A.I. (with it's potential unaccounted for predicaments)
was well done.
I give it an 8 out of 10. A fir bit higher than the 6.4/10 currently posted on imdb.
I'm not sure what the disagreement to the film is, and while I am certainly the farther thing from
a Luddite, I can totally see the potential danger in letting machines decide what is best for us.
Colossus (The Forbin Project)--an early 70's sci-fi and still very good--and several films and
books are quite indicative of our lack of foresight, in this regard.
Fuck it.
Beer and soccer, aye?
