I first heard of this documentary from a friend and recently had a chance to catch up with it on Netflix. This is one of the most fascinating docs I’ve seen in quite some time. The subject matter alone is enough for anyone to take a look at this one. “Transcendent Man” is the true story of designer, inventor, and genius, Ray Kurtzweil. Kurtzweil was a child prodigy in the science world at age 15. At 15 he had already designed a computer that could not only mimic, but also create original piano pieces. It isn’t enough that Ray accomplished this feat at 15, but he did it in the 60’s. THE 60's! I mean this is the dawn of the first computers, you know the ones that took up entire rooms, sometimes entire floors of technology buildings.
I have to say I was hooked. Ray went on to greatness starting several companies, selling them, and becoming a millionaire several times over. There is a good chance you have probably used one of Ray's inventions and didn’t even know it. Ever used a scanner? Well, you can thank Ray for that one. But this doc is so much more than a profile of Ray's genius. This movie embarks on exploring some really tough questions. It is more or less about the increasing rate at which technology spreads and increases exponentially over time. In other words remember that Iphone 4 you just bought, well it will be obsolete in five months, just like the many other technologies we depend on and surround ourselves with.
Ray's obsession with this idea leads us to an even larger idea that he predicts is within our reach. The idea of the "singularity", or a point in which humans and technology will be one, where technology has expanded and improved upon itself so many times that "we", as humans, are no longer making the decisions, but rather having decisions made for us by the machines we created. At least I think this is what it is about. The idea is fascinating, but I’ll be honest a little over my head. It’s like trying to wrap you mind around the idea of infinity or a black hole. It’s so much larger than your self that it’s hard to get a grasp on it. On the surface this documentary explores the idea in question, but under the surface the movie’s real focus is how this idea, along with Kurtzweil’s inability to cope with his own mortality, stems from the death of his father.
This is where the doc really grabbed me. It was fascinating to see how Ray became consumed with saving himself, and how his father’s death was the driving force behind his own aspirations. Kurtzweil, like many geniuses, borders on the insane. He believes in his own theories so blindly, that no person can convince him otherwise. The opinions and ideas of others fall by the wayside as he continues his pursuit of “immortality”. Even at the film’s climax, at which Kurtzweil experiences a coronary bypass, Ray’s beliefs are hardly shaken into reality. In a lot of ways it’s like watching a train wreck where everyone on the train thinks they’re going to survive.
The doc is fascinating, engrossing, and very well made. It is a great character study, and for a “sci-fi head” like myself a truly great experience. That’s why I’m giving the “Transcendent Man” a 4 out of 5.
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