‘The Creator’ Review
Stars: John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, Allison Janney, Ken Watanabe, Sturgill Simpson, Amar Chadha-Patel | Written by Gareth Edwards, Chris Weitz | Directed by Gareth Edwards
Ever since the release of 2010’s Monsters, there has been considerable promise for writer/director Gareth Edwards which led him to high-profile works. That promise has since been compromised by studio interference, with creative differences on Rogue One: A Star Wars Story leading to Tony Gilroy overseeing reshoots. The Creator, Edwards’ first feature in seven years feels like a return to DIY filmmaking, allowing his vision to be fulfilled without the limitations that blockbuster filmmaking can bring.
An opening montage depicts the evolution of artificial intelligence, beginning as a novelty to make humanities tasks easier before giving the human faces to make the ‘Simulants’ more appealing, although it tragically ends with a nuclear bomb going off in Los Angeles. This is the starting point for America launching a war against artificial intelligence, with their plans involving invading New Asia – which has become a safe haven for AI.
In the middle of this war is ex-special forces agent Joshua (John David Washington), who is pulled back in after discovering new information about his missing wife (Gemma Chan). He is recruited to cross enemy lines and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI who has developed a mysterious weapon with terrifying capabilities. Joshua’s mission is thrown into turmoil upon discovering the weapon he must destroy is a young simulant child.
In an era where Pedro Pascal leads stories about a man taking care of a young figure as they travel across an unwelcoming terrain, The Creator does not break new ground. Thank goodness that the central pairing is so effective, with Washington delivering compelling work as anti-hero Joshua. He does not begin this mission with good intentions, his only desire is to recapture past happiness regardless of who he must threaten to do so. Acting opposite him is Madeleine Yuna Voyles, delivering tremendous work at such a young age as the weapon within a child’s body who experiences more of humanity across this journey.
Cinematographers Greig Fraser and Oren Soffer deliver gorgeous-looking shots which capture the location’s natural beauty, bringing stunning sights to this well-crafted world which feels so real. The visual effects exceptionally bring alive the creations, from the U.S. Military spaceship looming over the terrain, to the robotic citizens. There are also little touches which help make this a feasible reality, like a bomb robot bidding farewell to its companion before running to its end. It’s all effectively realised within an $80 million budget and highlights how there is no excuse for more expensive blockbusters to look worse (I’m looking at you, Thor: Love and Thunder).
It is unfortunate that the screenplay, co-written by Edwards and Chris Weitz, falls into lacking tropes whose avoidance would have benefitted the film. A special mention is deserved for Gemma Chan, whose interesting role is resigned to the tiresome trope of a woman relegated to motivation for the male lead, and a third-act attempt to include her feels clumsily handled. Yet The Creator succeeds at doing what science-fiction excels at; using fantastical stories to mirror real-world issues. Here, Edwards effectively depicts the destructive brutality that the U.S. inflicts as it invades under the excuse of people’s safety. It becomes clear that people have less humanity than the robots they dismiss as being “not real,” and it makes up this thoughtful piece of original cinema which deserves to be seen on the big screen.
**** 4/5
The Creator is in cinemas now.
