Review
The Creator (Sci-Fi, Action, Adventure) (2023)
Director: Gareth Edwards
Writer: Gareth Edwards, Chris Weitz
Stars: John David Washington, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, Allison Janney, Ken Watanabe
As artificial intelligence rose to prominence worldwide, a catastrophic event led the U.S. government to oppose its widespread use and further development. In the meantime, New Asia has continued to support the use of A.I., having advanced it even further to significant risk to the United States.
Having directed productions such as ‘’Godzilla’’, and ‘’Star Wars: Rogue One’’, avid visual effects artist Gareth Edwards provides an original sci-fi feature of an A.I.-integrated society waging war. Most of it was filmed in locations across Southeast Asia, layering its footage with science fiction elements. While granted a significant budget, much smaller portions were used thanks to the low-cost filmmaking technique and style in effect. It was produced by Regency Enterprises, New Regency, Entertainment One and Bad Dreams while distributed by 20th Century Studios.
With humankind advancing artificial intelligence further than ever, cutting-edge machines and robots benefit society. They’re able to perform any labour, even protecting humankind from other threats. However, an irreversible event detonating a nuclear warhead causing the destruction of Los Angeles changes governmental views on A.I. in a blink—the U.S. pledges to purge any artificial intelligence in the world opposing their legislation. New Asia, a region comprised of East and Southeast Asia, still worships these machines, developing the technology even further. Harbouring robots with advanced integration into their societies with Simulants, able to replicate human appearance and memory. Keeping an eye on this society, the U.S. plants undercover operatives to mingle and return intelligence to their government. Joshua (John David Washington) is one of these operatives, suddenly extracted from his task when an armed unit alongside NOMAD, an orbital search and defence station, discovers their hideout and launches an orbital strike. This haunts Joshua years after the fact, as he found his wife Maya (Gemma Chan) in New Asia, even expecting a child before she was presumptively killed. He’s informed Maya has been detected in recently scanned footage, alive and well. They convince Joshua to join a military operation to possibly find his missing spouse while infiltrating a secret Simulant facility housing a secret weapon capable of causing a fatal blow to the U.S. government.
Reminiscent of historic conflicts in Asia with U.S. intervention, Gareth Edwards provides a gripping consolidation of science fiction and genuine war. Forcing certain moral and ethical questions in an underexposed narrative.
Using an elaborate, foundational briefing to provide lore to the inhabited world of ‘’The Creator’’ provides memorable flair in a skilful approach. Washington’s Joshua is also granted some backstory, defining his intentions and depicting him as someone between allegiances; his true conviction lies in loyalty towards his spouse lured by his government, providing an incentive to a lingering hope within a pitiable soldier. Seldomly, answers furthering the previously established backstory are given, allowing the audience to question the circumstances morally and factually. Finding the subject and reason for the military operation stimulates Joshua’s hope, going against protocol with Allison Janney’s Colonel Howell, who is determined to find and exterminate what Joshua discovered, furthering that distance between duty and love.
What has shaped a seemingly unique and visually remarkable, clearly inspired by science fiction darlings such as ‘’Blade Runner’’ apace with war films such as ‘’Apocalypse Now’’ and ‘’Fury’’ feels narratively embryonic—attaching to the extravagance of the VFX and world-building which should rightfully be praised, despite it coming at a steep cost of progression within its story-telling. We’re served a typical father/daughter relationship. Still, since the Simulant only reflects Joshua’s real daughter, this weakens the emotional stakes, a common issue in action films, where storylines are introduced but then abandon meaningful progress—this is truly unfortunate for a film with such potential to shine.
Unwise to compare many films, an apparent perception comes to the forefront of my mind; while Edwards’ co-written production with Weitz thankfully comes across as far less cliched, Snyder’s ‘’Rebel Moon Part One: A Child of Fire’’ at least had a borrowed sense of story that still topples what ‘’The Creator’’ lacks altogether. Vastly more promise is held within a fragile shape, and the frailness of a much-deserved backing by the writers creates an impossibility in providing any recommendation for this narratively dulled experience.
Some last positives to take away are allowing talents such as Washington, Janney, and Chan to prove genuine talent, each having acted in unfortunate projects as of late, whether that be ‘’Amsterdam’’, Marvel’s ‘’Eternals’’ or ‘’Lou’’. ‘’The Creator’’ is to thank for allowing such an atonement.
Verdict
The integrity of imagination, the substance of a dream.
6,0
