Just a few years ago, the concept of AI felt like a far-off science fiction concept that society was unlikely to see come to fruition in this generation. Now, in 2023, the term “AI” is brought up in everyday conversations about technology and used by the average person, making the “science-fiction” films of the past feel like all-too-real hypotheticals. THE CREATOR, the new film from director/writer Gareth Edwards (Rogue One and 2014’s fantastic Godzilla reboot), explores sentient AI in a time where the likelihood of developing something similar is getting higher and higher. While the film does not necessarily reinvent the wheel when it comes to artificial intelligence sci-fi, it is a compelling and emotional watch that fits perfectly into Edwards’ visually stunning filmography, with THE CREATOR being perhaps his most impressive visual achievement yet.
When the film begins we are introduced to Joshua Taylor (a charismatic John David Washington), who is living with his wife Maya (Gemma Chan) in the futuristic country of New Asia. In THE CREATOR’s version of 2055, the United States sees artificial intelligence as a force of evil to be eradicated from the Earth — a nuclear bomb was dropped on Los Angeles by AI, killing millions of civilians, which the U.S. took as an act of war between humankind and manmade intelligence. However, the country of New Asia still uses artificial intelligence in their every-day society, a sentiment that greatly offends the United States. Taylor is quickly revealed to be an undercover U.S. Sergeant who is tasked with finding and taking down “Nirmata,” the creator of new advanced AI that threatens the United States’ victory, and who also happens to be Maya’s father. Yikes.
Instantly, Edwards gives us a grand insight into the futuristic world he is building, and it is quite the sight to behold. He clearly takes influence from the great sci-fi films of the past (Blade Runner, Akira, etc.) to build a rich and alive universe that I could have lived in for hours more despite the war and carnage. The cinematography and visual effects are some of the finest of 2023 thus far, and should teach the big-budget CGI Disney films how to make a visually stunning blockbuster. Edwards uses practical techniques to build the settings, filming the New Asia sequences in Thailand and adding the larger-than-life science fiction elements on top of reality. The result is one of the best-looking science fiction films since Denis Villeneuve’s Dune. This achievement is astonishing when realizing that THE CREATOR was made for only $80 million — far less than half the amount of early 2023’s cheap-looking Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. It goes without saying that THE CREATOR is an instant frontrunner for the visual effects Oscar, along with almost every other technical category.
At the beginning of the film, Maya finds out about Josh’s true identity, causing her to attempt to escape without him during an American attack. The immense battle station known as NOMAD strikes as she is running, killing her and leaving Josh grief-stricken and guilt-ridden. The rest of the film takes place five years after this incident as Josh is recruited to return to New Asia in search of Nirmata and the dangerous weapon he has created. Josh only agrees to do so because there is evidence Maya may still be alive. Once he arrives things do not go as planned: the “weapon” is a small child (fantastic newcomer Madeleine Yuna Voyles), Maya is nowhere to be found, and Josh’s allegiance to the fight against AI begins to be questioned.
While the visuals and cinematography of THE CREATOR have been universally praised by critics and audiences alike, moviegoers appear to be split on Edwards’ screenplay and the plot, claiming it is devoid of emotional investment. Meanwhile, I found the emotional ambiguities and moral challenges to be the highlights of the film. One of my favorite aspects of Edward’s take on AI is his criticism of American imperialism. The America in THE CREATOR uses one incident as an excuse to deploy soldiers, tanks and warships to New Asia, killing however many innocent civilians and families as they deem necessary. Sound familiar? Edwards has stated that one of his influences in making this film was Francis Ford Coppola’s Apocalypse Now, a film that tears apart America’s involvement in the Vietnam War by showcasing the mindless atrocities and war crimes committed by America’s violence-craving troops. Much of Apocalypse Now’s DNA is apparent in THE CREATOR, adding an extra dimension to this sci-fi epic that provokes further thought.
Edwards also writes his characters with care and heart, causing the connections between them to feel honest and emotionally palpable. Every single scene with Washington’s Joshua contains great yearning for the unconditional love he felt with Maya, partially due to the writing but also due to an expressive performance from Washington, an actor who knows how to be understated and powerful. The connection between Josh and Alphie (the “weapon”/child) is also deeply felt, causing Josh’s doubt for the hatred of AI to be a natural character progression. Often it is stated by American soldiers whenever an AI character does anything human-like that it is “just programming” — but how can a real and emotional connection such as that between Josh and Alphie be anything but human?
The only possible downfall in THE CREATOR is its similarity to previous films of its type, but these similarities feel more like influences to me rather than blatant rip-offs. Edwards’ original screenplay works wonders in its own context even without having seen the films that influence it. If the tenth franchise film Saw X can be lauded for its originality, then I see no reason why THE CREATOR is receiving criticism under the same parameters. Leaving the theater after the film ends feels like returning from an adjacent reality, which is the highest compliment one can give an original sci-fi movie. 20th Century Studios took a financial risk with this film, allocating $80 million for a story without source material or a previous IP. Yet what THE CREATOR ends up proving to studios is that this risk is well worth taking and should be relied on more often, especially if the films audiences receive are similar to this stunning theater experience.
A-
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