Unlike other documentaries which explore the trans-humanism experiment, My Husband the Cyborg is light on the reasons behind why anyone wants to get electronic implants. The changes it can cause to the psyche can not be reversed. Ultimately, this work is more about the love Susanna Cappellaro (who directed and produced) has for Scott Cohen. This filmmaker’s vow of devotion, to be true in good times and bad, in sickness and in health, is heartwarming.
In this film, few medical professionals will put machine parts inside a human body. The only exception is to replace worn out bones. Just because a person wants to be more machine than man, they’ll have to reach out to the shadier sides of the profession. And although the people there seem nice, I would not trust any place that isn’t certified!
All the device Scott has installed does is to vibrate whenever he faces north. However, the discomfort and fact the human body is rejecting it says it all! His body is not ready to be a robot. Although I did not hear him say he wants to become like Iron Man, what he has hooked up is not replacing his heart.
As a video journal focused on how their love is strong, I can understand where this work is going. But when I want to know more about why some people are willing to transform themselves, this work is not like others. I have to compare this real life look to fiction. After Jean Luc Picard got his implants forced on him, the psychological damage is everlasting. And when the irony shows up later in this Admiral’s life to be a machine himself (in Star Trek: Picard), oh boy!
Ultimately, we’re watching a work that’s about the love of two individuals. The choices Cappellaro makes are tough because she wants to stay with Cohen. Despite their fighting and bickering—which is normal—she could have cut a lot of that down. As for explaining why this movement exists, there are other, better documentaries.
And although she’s unaware of how other narratives handle this, I bet seeing how anime often portrays the change would scare her. If the game mechanic concerning humanity loss in R. Talsorian Games Cyberpunk Red is not bad enough, what she’s going through is the same!
But as for that love that once existed, I think it’s gone. What she’s willing to sacrifice in the name of love is not always comprehensible. I’m scared for her. If I had to make a choice, I’d walk away.
3 Stars out of 5
My Husband, The Cyborg Documentary Trailer
