A VISUALLY STUNNING
SCI-FI ACTION BLOCKBUSTER
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In the future, artificial intelligence has paved the way for ingenuity and advancements of technology to all. This includes the rise to the creation of Simulants, humanoid robots, who have become “more human than human”. However, after a nuclear blast that was set off in Los Angeles by them, the West decides to ban the technology, fearing it will strike again against humanity. Meanwhile, in the republic of New Asia, A.I. robotics and Simulants have sought sanctuary there, with the military might of the West seeks to end the mechanic constructs, with their colossal overlord warship NOMAD that is looking snuff out pockets of resistance as well as looking for the elusive mastermind leader of the A.I. named Nimrata. Meanwhile, a man named Sgt. Joshua Taylor (John David Washington) was preparing to welcome a baby into the world with his partner, Maya (Gemma Chan), but military forces interrupted such prospects, with Joshua believe his love was killed during a raid attack. Years later, Joshua has been pulled back into duty by General Andrews (Ralph Ineson) and Colonel Howell (Allison Janney) on a mission in New Asia to find and destroy a superweapon that the A.I. have created. What Joshua discovers is a young child, Alphie (Madeline Yuna Voyles), coming to the realization that the powerful girl knows of Maya and could possibly know where she is. Safeguarding Alphie from pursuing human forces and evading capture from local law enforcement, Joshua gets entangled in the Simulant defense, exposed to a new understanding of life amongst such creations and the price of freedom on Earth.
Of course, this brings me back around to talking about The Creator, a 2023 sci-fi action film and the latest feature film to tackle the usage of A.I. intelligence. I can’t remember exactly when it was (I think first half of last year) when I first heard about this movie, with the film being promoted as a big science fiction film that was to be directed by Gareth Edwards, the mind behind Rogue One, and with actor John David Washington being attached as the lead role for the upcoming film. From that alone, I was definitely interested in seeing this movie. When the film’s movie trailer was released online, I was immediately in love with it, with the showcased footage from the movie looking to be exciting and quite riveting. After that, I did keep on seeing the preview many times during the “coming attractions” previews when I would go to the movies throughout the entire summer months, with the trailer being attached to a lot of the blockbuster-esque variety. So, the idea of the movie was always on my mind. Even more so, that the trailer itself looked fantastic and promised a lot of sci-fi action entertainment. Thus, I was very eager to see The Creator when it was set to be released on September 29th, 2023. I did actually see the movie on its opening day, but I decided to a few days after, to get my review out for this movie. And what did I think of it? Well, I actually liked it. Despite some well-too familiar tropes and a slightly derivate plot, The Creator is a solid sci-fi action feature that is visually stunning to behold and has some good world building nuances throughout this cinematic endeavor. It’s not the quintessential sci-fi feature of A.I. examination, but it is still quite entertaining and feast for the eyes to behold.
The Creator is directed by Gareth Edwards, whose previous directorial works includes such films like Monsters, Godzilla, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Given the success that he had achieved from Rogue One, I was curious to see what Edwards’s next film was going to, with this movie marking his return to the director’s chair since his 2016 endeavor. To his credit, I think that Edwards very much succeeds with this endeavor and, while it may not outshine what he did with Rogue One, it still is quite compelling and cineamtic to watch. To be sure, the tale being told in The Creator isn’t the most ingenious plot device (more on that below), but Edwards certainly knows how to creatively present this familiar narrative of artificial intelligence to make both informative and appealing to address such sci-fi material. Of course, the movie’s themes of tackling the subject of humanity as well as A.I. conscience understanding and political / military involvement are the feature’s “bread and butter”, with Edwards conjuring up some moments where character’s reflect upon such nuances as well as ethical inner turmoil that plays upon the various characters. Additionally, the action in the movie is quite enticing and definitely carries a lot of weight (bombastic and emotional) within those sequences. It’s not as “full throttle” as some viewers might be hoping for, but I quite enjoyed the balance of action and drama in the film and gives a more cohesive story presentation, with neither one feeling intrusive towards one another. Still, the overall execution and staging of such actions scenes definitely work in my opinion and lend credence towards the film’s world of warfare tactics and military dominance playfield. Thus, Edwards should be praised for that.
The Creator’s entertainment value is found within the film’s world building aspect and how much detail that Edwards presented. Unlike how Rogue One: A Star Wars Story was presented within the context of the Star Wars franchise (following its rules and landscape within a galaxy far, far, away), Edwards helps blend a sense of Earthly realism and sci-fi nuances together in a way that certainly “harmonizes” with each other to make for a fantastical mixture. In truth, The Creator’s film world definitely seems believable and attainable in the not too distant future of Earth, with the usage of real-world reminders of villages and cities that offer an Asian cultural representation (the primary setting for most of the film is in New Asia)as well architecture layouts, designs, and motifs, but also show certain type of futuristic aesthetic to make for reach for the science fiction realm. Moreover, the setting and world building projections feels real due to the fact that the movie’s story plays at part within its presentation, with the provided context and understanding of its mechanics and purposes feeling concrete to further bring us (the viewers) into this world. For me, the world building aspect is brought to life while seeing the merging of real-life actors, practical locations / props, and CGI renderings to help bridge the particular gap of between modern reality to sci-fi future, with either one overpowering one another or discrediting. Plus, I do like the idea of the simulants in the movie by feeling like the next progressive state of robotic evolution that is combined with humanoid likeness and synthetics. Again, it’s a more practical presentation rather than being the sleek chrome metallic or just a hodgepodge construct. In the end, the point I’m trying to drive home is that The Creator’s world feels real and practical by having the right amount of laws, rules, and explanations throughout many nuances to make for one of the strongest highlights that the movie presents.
As the war between humans and simulants nears its conclusion, Sergeant Joshua Taylor is called back into duty, embarking on a mission to find a “superweapon” to help end the conflict, yet discover there is more to it than what he bargained for in the movie The Creator. Director Gareth Edwards’s latest film takes the classic nuances of “humans vs. robots” and puts in new and bold spin that, while not exactly original, still feels both exciting and enticing from the get-go, especially against some of the latest Hollywood blockbusters of late. While the movie is held back with some derivate plot elements and not expanding enough within some other nuances, the project is a spectacular undertaking that definitely works, with notable thanks from Edward’s direction, some great world building, an amazing visual presentation, and a solid cast across the board, especially Washington and Voyles. Personally, I liked this movie. Yes, there were a few areas where the movie needed a better storyboarding / script process as well as some derivate moments, but, on the whole, I felt like the movie was quite engaging and entertaining from start to finish. Definitely felt like a blockbuster endeavor, yet still had more potency and captivating conviction to make a solid viewing experience. I don’t think it’s Edwards best work (that still belongs to Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), but I would say that stands right behind as his second best work. Thus, my recommendation for this movie is a “highly recommended” one, especially for fans of sci-fi blockbuster action flicks and / or those who are looking for a better movie out of late from Hollywood (i.e. those who are tried of sequels and franchise tentpoles). There has been some talk of this movie being the start of film series and, while I do welcome that idea and already began to speculate on such notions of what narrative could be, I think that there would have to be a strong plot to make for a compelling sequel. As it stands, I think that this film can stand on its own merits without a sequel prospect or franchise tag. In the end, The Creator, while delving into all-too familiar territory a few times, is a visually stunning science fiction feature that mixes both character, action, drama, and the philosophical conversation of artificial intelligence for an alluring and cinematic motion picture.
4.2 Out of 5 (Highly Recommended)
The Creator is 133 minutes long and rated PG-13 for violence, some bloody images and strong language
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