The Creator (Movie Review)

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

The Creator is the new science fiction film starring John David Washington (Tenet) and is co-written and directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One, Godzilla, Monsters). After a nuclear bomb dropped on Los Angeles destroys the city, the once helpful robotic AI have been banned in most parts of the world. All except in New Asia. These countries are not explicitly stated but looks very much like Thailand.

Joshua, played by Washington, is a former soldier who has found the love of his life and has settled down to try and live as peaceful a life as they can. His wife Maya (Gemma Chan) is also pregnant with their child. After a failed operation which the military raids their island, Maya is thought to have been killed during a huge explosion by a bomb dropped from the NOMAD (North American Orbital Mobile Aerospace Defense). NOMAD is the ever-watchful eye that keep the world of humans and AI in check by being able to drop and send powerful ordnance from orbit on any scanned target on the ground.

Once Joshua recovers from his injuries he and his team regroup and try to take out the head of the AI, which they have intel as to its whereabouts. In confronting it, Joshua discovers that the all-powerful AI is a child. It is a robot in the visage of a little girl. This doesn’t sit right with Joshua since he was led to believe that the AI creator would be something else. He’s hesitant and that’s all it takes for his team to call him a traitor and try to chase he and the captured AI down. He gives the child AI the nickname of Alphie (Madeleine Yuna Voyles).

When the hunt begins, Joshua and Alphie are then tracked down by all types of AI soldiers, police forces, and NOMAD itself. To say that The Creator is a rich film filled with scope and scale would be an understatement. It has enough world-building to satisfy even the toughest science fiction critics, with enough sci-fi action violence to satisfy the non-techies.

The visual effects and production design are incredible. The film was also shot in ultra-wide 2.76:1 aspect ratio – it reminded me of The Hateful Eight in that regard. As a gamer myself, there were scenes and characters that reminded me of Cyberpunk 2077, which is a favorite game of mine.

Gareth Edwards continues his directorial legacy with an impressive visual feast for the senses. I will say that some themes presented, while not all that original, work in the greater scope of things, because it lets folks who are not diehard science fiction fans go for a ride, as well. It’s accessible without being boring or too drawn out. With tangible AI here in the real world, we can somewhat get a glimpse of where it’s going in the future and whether it’s a good thing or not. We are left to decide.

The Creator is in theaters in the U.S. now

• Rating Certificate: PG-13 (for violence, some bloody images and strong language)
• Studios and Distributors: 20th Century Studios | New Regency Productions | Entertainment One | VS Service
• Country: USA | Thailand
• Language: English
• Run Time: 133 Mins.
• Aspect Ratio: 2.76:1
• Director: Gareth Edwards
• Written By: Gareth Edwards (story) | Gareth Edwards (screenplay) | Chris Weitz (screenplay)
• Release Date: 29 September 2023