The Creator Review: An Ambitious Story That Does Not Meet The Moment
Ken Jones, OnScreen Blog Chief Film Critic
With each passing year, there seem to be fewer and fewer original content movies being released in theaters, with studios relying more and more on previously existing intellectual properties. The Creator is, thus, a rarity, a high-concept sci-fi feature that aims to stand on its own. It is also the first film from Rogue One: A Star Wars Story by director Gareth Edwards in eight years.
The Creator creates a near-future world where artificial intelligence has been fully integrated into the world. Still, a nuclear explosion in Los Angeles divides the world, with the United States and the West determined to eradicate AI. At the same time “New Asia” embraces the technology and the “simulants” that live amongst them.
It is within this context that we are introduced to Joshua (John David Washington), a disillusioned former undercover military agent who lost his pregnant wife Maya (Gemma Chan) while working to find and eliminate “Nirmata,” the father of AI in New Asia. The US miliary convinces Joshua to help them on an incursion to take out a highly advanced form of AI known as Alpha-O.
This Alpha-O is supposed to be advanced enough to take out NOMAD, a powerful US space station that launches targeted strikes. Alpha-O ends up being a simulant child (Madeline Yuna Voyles), one that ends up in Joshua’s care when the mission goes sideways, and he is presented with the possibility of Maya still being alive.
Joshua is a man who has lost not just his wife and child, but physically has lost limbs from the events in Los Angeles, and gets around with a robotic arm and leg, another example of the fluid integration of technology in this world. The possibility of seeing his wife again, even for just one minute, is all the motivation he needs.
While the way the simulants are rendered looks amazing, I could have used a bit more clarity early on in their sentience. A few humans say something to the effect that “it’s just their programming” to dismiss displays of emotion from the simulants. This puts the question in the mind of the viewer, at least this viewer, as to whether they indeed are sentient beings, but then the film never really seems interested in answering that question or acts as if the question has already been settled.
There have been a lot of movies made with a protector attempting to shepherd someone during a treacherous journey or mission. Think Children of Men, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, Leon: The Professional, or even the Lone Wolf and Cub series. Joshua and Alpha-O, whom Joshua calls Alphie, follow that fine tradition. Both Washington and newcomer Madeline Yuna Voyles give fine performances. Casting the role of child actors is always crucial, and they nailed the casting here with Voyles as Alphie.
Allison Janney and Ken Watanabe have supporting roles, with Watanabe portraying the simulant with whom Joshua has a past with during his time undercover. Janney is a military officer who coaxes Joshua into the mission, hoping his wife may still be alive, which becomes his driving force.
The film reminded me of several other sci-fi films inspired by Blade Runner but also has the look and feel of more recent sci-fi like Neill Blomkamp’s District 9 or Chappie. Coincidentally, Janney’s haircut reminded me of Hugh Jackman’s in Chappie.
This film was made for $80 million, but it looks like it was much more, which is an accomplishment. The visuals of this film are genuinely spectacular, perhaps none more so than the threat from above that is NOMAD, which shines a beacon of blue light down from the sky as it scans the ground and searches for its targets.
But there are also beautiful vistas of Asian beaches, cityscapes, and even villages in the Himalayas that impress. The film has a natural, lived-in quality to it, too, where the special effects have been blended into real-world settings instead of everything looking like it is on a green screen. Also, it has a big screen feel, and an epic quality in size and scope that lends itself to the movie theater experience.
The Creator comes at a very interesting time, when the discussion about AI, its potential, risk, and limitations is currently all the rage. It is not exactly a “timely” film, but it is well-positioned to capture some cultural zeitgeist potentially.
Unfortunately, the story is average and holds it back from capitalizing on that zeitgeist.
The story is high-concept sci-fi for sure, with competing interests surrounding Alphie and some thought given to the ethics surrounding AI. Still, it is all executed with mediocre results. There are several plot developments and revelations that are entirely predictable and rote. There is nothing groundbreaking or going in a new direction. Much of the plot feels like recycled tropes from dozens of other movies.
Also, while the film is 133 minutes long, it feels like some plot points and other elements were sanded down. According to Wikipedia, there was a five-hour “assembly cut” of the film. This is an instance where I might be interested in seeing a director’s cut because it could add some context to the sentience ambiguity I mentioned earlier and the weak storyline.
Not a five-hour director’s cut, mind you, but something more than the theatrical release.
The Creator is a beautiful sci-fi film about humanity grappling with artificial intelligence that comes along at just the right time. Still, its storyline doesn’t live up to its impressive imagery and thus, it can’t meet the moment. The story holds it back from joining the ranks of some of the genre's greats.
Despite that, it is still worth seeing for the performances, the stunning visuals, and to support original content, even if it ultimately leaves you a bit wanting in the end.
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars