Gareth Edwards’ “The Creator” was an eye-opening dystopian film that played with emotions in an interesting way.
I will avoid sharing details that spoil the best parts, but the film follows a man named Joshua, a former special forces agent, as he tries to find and destroy a weapon made by Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) that can destroy mankind. This weapon, known as “The Creator,” turns out to be a child, and Joshua faces the challenge of believing in the humanity of A.I. or letting humans take the life of this little girl.
The entire movie was absolutely stunning, with epic worldbuilding and computer-generated imagery (CGI) effects that blended in seamlessly. It is set in the year 2065, a not-so-distant future that raises questions about what the world could look like with the steady rise of A.I. The beauty of the film was so entrancing that it almost felt real, bringing a fearful and existential element to the viewing.
Seeing this in theaters was definitely the way to go, with the Ultra-Wide 2.76:1 aspect ratio making the film highly immersive. Watching this on a laptop or a phone would not have done the phenomenal cinematography justice.
The only problem that arises with this kind of science fiction film is that while you get unique characters like the A.I. stimulants, great world building and a grand scale, you don’t really get a solid storyline.
“The Creator” had a disjointed narrative, leaving us with unanswered questions. The strongest points of writing came within the final act — and it was a two-and-a-half-hour movie. I was not particularly at the edge of my seat until the end of the film.
I also had a problem with the fact that in a world where A.I. takes over and technology is so advanced, the security cameras are still black and white and staticky. Why is tracking robots so difficult? Little details like this do not go unnoticed, and I wish they were more consistent with them.
I will say though, the timing of this movie could not have been better. The Writers Guild of America has just ended their strike after fighting for better contracts as A.I. rises. In a world where A.I. has the chance to rule all, what can be done to give mankind their power back? Is there a line humans will not cross, even when it involves the fate of the world?
Although the script and its dialogue was not very well written, the actors saved it with their performances. Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe and John David Washington did a fantastic job in this movie, and nine-year-old actress Madeleine Yuna Voyles was introduced wonderfully.
I thought Chan and Washington did a great job chemistry wise, and the relationship between Washington and Voyles’ characters was so wholesome. I found myself in tears at the end of the movie watching them interact with one another.
With “2001: A Space Odyssey” visuals but a script like “The Hobbit,” “The Creator” lost itself a star from someone who generously rates movies. I will be watching again and still definitely recommend seeing it in theaters. It was not one of 2023’s best, but still a good movie.
4/5 Stars
ajones11@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @creatorthefilm, Instagram
