The Creator
Seven years after the release of Rogue One, director Gareth Edwards has delivered the next entry in his filmography with The Creator. Much mystery surrounded the marketing of what is being propped up as the next sci-fi epic of this generation. With nothing substantial to market, it appears the illusive nature of the film’s campaign was intentional because while The Creator is a sci-fi film, epic it is not.
After a bomb is set off by artificial intelligence (AI) in the heart of a near-future Los Angeles, the United States declares war on the technology and any country harboring it. In the West’s quest to locate the eponymous creator of AI, or Nimrata as the Simulants themselves refer to it, Joshua (John David Washington), a U.S. soldier, has infiltrated a group of AI in New Asia known to be close to the Creator itself. Catastrophe soon strikes as the U.S. blows his cover in an abrasive attack, and as a result, Joshua’s wife Maya (Gemma Chan), rumored to be the daughter of Nimrata, is killed in action. Years later and still grieving, Joshua is summoned back to the U.S. military to help bring down an unknown weapon that comes in the form of a Simulant child (Madeline Yuna Voyles), poised to bring down the United States’ imperial reign. He soon embarks on a journey with the child, Alfie, now with the chance to repair his previous mistakes and the prospect of reconciling with his wife who is rumored to still be alive. While the film appears complex with this convoluted summary, its script still manages to say nothing we haven’t already seen before. Acting as the Akira of the AI generation, Edwards treads familiar waters with his take on artificial intelligence and leaves us with two hours of paper-thin themes and dazzling visuals barely acting as support.
From the Death Star looming over the already-massive Star Destroyer in Rogue One to Godzilla’s stature dwarfing the parachuters in 2014’s Godzilla, a defining feature of Edwards’ direction has always been his sense of scale which is not lost in The Creator. While the film’s 2.76:1 aspect ratio, the widest possible in cinema, does detract from the scale with its constricting black bars, Edwards’ talents behind the camera and ability to depict the grandiose are not completely thwarted. What he and cinematographers Craig Fraser and Oren Soffer capture with the camera is undoubtedly a cinematic feat. As the camera bares witness to the sweeping mountainous terrain of New Asia, the U.S. Nomad, a structure in the atmosphere designed to eliminate AI, is always looming, its shadow and ominous blue light imposing itself to remind the inhabitants of the continent and the viewers alike of the U.S.’s militant power.
The massive U.S. Nomad asserting its power over New Asia with its mere presence.
The art direction and production design on display are forward-thinking and do bring something new to the sci-fi realm, quite possibly the only thing The Creator innovates. A fresh approach to a near future of rural landscapes juxtaposed with unique robotic designs and otherworldly vehicles is inventive enough for the visual experience of The Creator to warrant celebration. The special effects that help bring this vision to life are not to go without praise either, as their minimal effect immerses the audience into the world before us. The CGI required to characterize the simulants’ bionic skulls or execute the fear-invoking tanks descending into the villages of New Asia never once detracted from what was transpiring on screen or caused me to doubt its believability. However, it’s a shame that what does play out on screen leaves much to be desired.
While Edwards and writer Chris Weitz’s screenplay excels in developing a future that feels lived in and not far from our reality, its bloated plot hits story beats that are all too familiar with no emotional support to fall back on. Much of The Creator relies on the father-daughter relationship between Washington’s Joshua and Voyles’ Alfie, but their chemistry is non-existent. By the time the inevitable tearjerker scene rolls around, its intended effect falters and leaves the audience feeling indifferent. Both actors by no means deliver poor performances, and they certainly pull their weight with the shoddy characterization they are given, especially Voyles’ whose natural charm does the heavy lifting on stilted lines of dialogue. An instance where Alfie is asked what she wants from the fridge to which the sentient machine responds, “To be free,” is just one of the many scenes where the audience is subjected to painstakingly cringe writing.
Alfie (Madeline Yuna Voyles) taking a stance against one of the U.S.’ imploding robots during a raid.
With on-the-nose dialogue such as the example portrayed, it’s no surprise The Creator’s redundant themes are heavy-handed. For a film seemingly about AI, its most notable topic of discussion is its condemnation of the U.S. military-industrial complex. The events in the film act as an allegory for both the Vietnam War and the War on Terror with the cataclysmic event in the film mirroring that of 9/11. Sure, it can be appreciated that these pressing matters are wrapped in a sci-fi film for mass consumption, these are not topics that other films haven’t already explored better. Despite following the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence, The Creator barely adds anything new to the conversation, let alone attempts to explore what potential effects, good or bad, such technology could have.
The Creator is the blockbuster definition of “all style, no substance,”. While it is refreshing to see a wide-release action-adventure once again have visual flair, as opposed to the bland shlock studios have been churning out as of late, Edwards gives the viewer a spectacle to witness but not much to chew on. If you want a horrifying look into the implications of weapons of mass destruction that take the form of a kid, watch Akira. For a visually arresting feast for the eyes that ponders the human condition, look no further than Blade Runner. For a takedown of U.S. imperialism, take up Villeneuve’s adaptation of Dune or even the original Star Wars trilogy for that matter. Apart from its dull pacing, redundancy, and the fact that I’m bound to forget it by the end of the year, The Creator’s existence isn’t entirely a waste. It shows a willingness from studios to invest in blockbusters not based on IP – well, maybe not blatantly, but regardless, it’s a step in the right direction for the future of Hollywood.
Verdict: For falling victim to treading familiar sci-fi waters and committing the cardinal cinema sin of being forgettable, The Creator is a Nick Skip.