Later on, funding ran out, and the good doctor decided to do what one does; implant himself. But he never considered this decision a big deal. In a time when a vocal few are afraid of taking a widely used vaccine for fear of being injected with a microchip, hearing such a thing seems bonkers and should reassure most. However, because of all the legal problems involved, Kennedy had to find someone capable of doing the operation in South America under the guise of “medical tourism.” This is where Father of the Cyborgs becomes most intriguing as we head to Belize, where the people who helped Kennedy recall the surreal and worrying tale of how it all went down. Bonus points: the procedure was filmed, and very short excerpts are shown for the delight of those who are amazed by that kind of stuff (but others might feel a wee squeamish for a bit)!
Eventually, all was well except for Kennedy becoming more and more sidelined as a black sheep of the field and perhaps viewed as a crazy scientist for self experimenting, although many colleagues commended the bravery. In addition, it was not all for naught (or for the fun of science), as his implant led to more breakthroughs. He gained a better understanding of the brain/speech connection by analyzing and decoding the data obtained from his thoughts and speech patterns.
“…a pleasant and interesting watch…”
Toward the end, Father of the Cyborgs rushes and gets a little too emotional in contrast with the bulk of its runtime. Still, it feels very genuine and almost contagious in a way that would make one root more for the doctor. On the other hand, it is also quite sad to see that, despite his past glories and contributions in making brain-computer interfaces being one of the top ten technologies of the last century, it is hard for Kennedy to secure funding for research.
Overall, the documentary might be too short for its own good but is still a pleasant and interesting watch for those interested in the subject or science at large. Burke ensures it’s all accessible thanks to very cool visuals that allow viewers to understand the material better. Not only does the documentary make things simple for people without a science background or interest, but its subject’s personality and attitude give everything quite a personal/human touch. Likewise, the film focuses on how a brain-computer interface could truly help people rather than how it can be used for profit or fame. Everyone involved is all about ethical and privacy problems and warns how dangerous – for all of us – such technologies can become if developed by the wrong megalomaniac or if it ends up in the wrong hands.
Sure, we live in a different time now, and people are more excited and also more aware of the potential downsides. However, the brain still has so many mysteries that it is hard to know when ominous sci-fi scenarios will become a reality. We can only hope to have more movies like Father of the Cybrogs chronicling people like Phil Kennedy. Instigators on the fringe who want to do good and help humans are given attention rather than the many chasing after for the coolest enhancements that might turn us into full-on cyborgs!
Father of the Cyborgs screened at the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival.
"…the brain still has so many mysteries..."
