It is hailed as the great hope of sci-fi and even one of the best films of the year itself. But does “The Creator” live up to these expectations?
In May 2023, many film fans may have been taken by surprise by a new trailer: The preview for “The Creator” promised an original sci-fi story about AI, wrapped in visually stunning action blockbuster packaging. However, before the trailer, many might not have even heard of this project. Now, the release of “The Creator” is just around the corner.
The new film by “Godzilla” and “Rogue One” director Gareth Edwards is set in the future, where a war rages between the USA and AI. In the midst of it all is Joshua (John David Washington), tasked with locating the legendary Creator, the mastermind behind advanced AI. The Creator’s latest invention threatens to tip the scales in favor of AI in the war, but when Joshua finds this dangerous weapon, he discovers it has the appearance of a child.
The anticipation for “The Creator” was recently boosted once again: The early reviews for the sci-fi film were filled with praise, calling it one of the best films of the year. So, is it worth heading to local theaters when “The Creator” premieres on September 28, 2023? We have the answer, as we had the opportunity to see the film ahead of its official release.
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When Hollywood, as seen in “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One,” makes Artificial Intelligence, or AI, the antagonist and gives it the ability to formulate human-like thoughts and write sentences, it reminds us of what AI can already do today – it feels more like reality than science fiction. For true science fiction to exist, as in Gareth Edwards’ “The Creator,” there must be a step (or several steps?) further, with AI fully integrated into life, war, and everyday existence in the form of robots and humanoids, new futuristic-sounding nation-states, and various technological elements that still amaze the audience.
What has been created in “The Creator” can easily be described as high sci-fi when it comes to the visuals and their execution. This means gigantic space stations, futuristic cities, and avant-garde battles, all of which look impressive and evoke a true sci-fi feeling. In a time when the gaming world has provided ample material for a renewed craving for these kinds of worlds with “Starfield” (available on Amazon) and a “Cyberpunk 2077” update, “The Creator” comes at just the right time.
The film immerses me completely in these worlds, presenting the grand – and eerie – visions of the future and fulfilling my desire for this “fantasy” world without reservation. The only drawback, in my opinion, is the plot, as even without watching any trailers, the film becomes quite predictable after just a few minutes. While this isn’t a major issue because the story about the secret weapon in the form of a humanoid child has enough potential for two hours of entertainment, I was hoping for more in terms of twists, turns, and emotion.
“The Creator” particularly shines for me when it draws parallels to “Apocalypse Now” – a war film I love – and transports them into the future. Specifically, during those moments, we have a gripping plot that could have been expanded even further. Nevertheless, in the end, it offers good, entertaining cinema that fits seamlessly into the current era. Not more, but also not less.
After the chaotic production of “Rogue One,” in which Gareth Edwards was eventually sidelined and Tony Gilroy (“Andor”) took over, the director is now making a remarkable comeback. And he’s doing it in a noteworthy way. Edwards didn’t dive into the next franchise project but instead worked on his own idea, which he co-authored with “Rogue One” colleague Chris Weitz. The result, called “The Creator,” is something to behold, but you need to know what you’re getting into.
In terms of genre labeling as a sci-fi action film, this time the emphasis is clearly on the action. “The Creator” visually resembles the work of Neill Blomkamp and feels like a worthy successor to his films “District 9” and “Elysium.” The fact that the entire production is said to have cost only 80 million US dollars is truly impressive because Edwards’ work doesn’t need to hide from films that have consumed double or triple that budget. The action sequences are skillfully captivating and dynamically staged, yet they don’t feel disorienting like many other Hollywood titles. As a result, we get more than two hours of entertaining blockbuster fun that never bored me, making the trip to the cinema worthwhile in my opinion.
However, for my taste, the sci-fi aspect falls a bit short. It’s telling that I could extract more thematic depth from the commentary on the presumptuous role of the USA as the self-proclaimed world police than from the exploration of AI. “The Creator” is, after all, a war film that draws parallels to the Vietnam War and the current drone warfare, in which the USA doesn’t come off well. Edwards and Weitz don’t seem to offer much more than “Androids = Humans” on the other side. This aspect is not explored in depth and is conveyed through simple but effective comparisons between us and AI.
As a sci-fi fan, I had hoped for much more here, as this genre provides a platform for addressing significant questions. What does it mean to be human? Where is the boundary between real and artificial intelligence? Does it even exist? Does AI have genuine emotions, or is everything programmed to appear that way? Unfortunately, “The Creator” often barely touches upon any of these questions, let alone with new perspectives. Those who were expecting a thematic exploration like “Westworld” should definitely lower their expectations, including regarding the competence of Artificial Intelligence, which leads to some perceived logical gaps or at least weaknesses.
Likewise, it’s probably not a bad idea to have modest expectations when it comes to the story and characters. The plot twists are unfortunately very predictable, and the characters, including the protagonist Joshua, are at best two-dimensional, sometimes even feeling like stereotypes. However, “The Creator” benefits from having great actors like John David Washington, Ken Watanabe, and Allison Janney, who can make a lot out of very little. Moreover, Edwards and Weitz skillfully tug at the heartstrings in several moments, emotionally engaging me despite the superficial characters.
Because all of this may sound somewhat negative, I want to emphasize once again that “The Creator” entertained me for 133 minutes. You just need to know what kind of film to expect here, and the focus is on the action, not the sci-fi. However, if you, like me, enjoy more blockbuster entertainment that doesn’t just operate within established film franchises but offers its own story and new characters, then you should definitely see Gareth Edwards’ latest work in the cinema. After all, we’ll only get more projects like this if we support them.
