About the film (courtesy of 20th Century Studios):
From writer/director Gareth Edwards comes an epic sci-fi action thriller set amidst a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence. Joshua (John David Washington), a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving the disappearance of his wife (Gemma Chan), is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end the war… and mankind itself. Joshua and his team of elite operatives journey across enemy lines, into the dark heart of AI-occupied territory… only to discover the world-ending weapon he’s been instructed to destroy is an AI in the form of a young child (Madeleine Yuna Voyles).
The Creator is a visually stunning film, with Gareth Edwards and cinematographer Greig Fraser creating a vast and immersive world that feels both believable and alien. The film’s action sequences are also top-notch, with Edwards delivering some of the most thrilling and innovative sci-fi action scenes seen in recent years. He also does a good job of building tension throughout the film, and the climax is genuinely thrilling.
John David Washington, Gemma Chan, and Allison Janney each give masterful performances in their respective roles. Breakout performer Madeleine Yuna Voyles appears to be somewhat of a young prodigy in delivering such an emotionally charged performance, especially in the latter portion of The Creator, when everything matters more. She and Washington are the glue that binds this entire story together.
Tonally speaking, this film mirrors Edwards’ Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) in many ways. While anchored in futuristic technology and science fiction, The Creator stays grounded in its dramatic approach while building upon the emotional impact as the plot progresses. Neill Blomkamp found similar success in the way he told his story in another sci-fi drama, Chappie (2015). Hey, if the blueprint works, why not build upon it?
However, while The Creator is a feast for the eyes, it is less successful in terms of its story and characters, but only in the sense it’s so compelling that you yearn for more background and coverage of all of these interesting characters. The film’s plot is fairly straightforward, and there are few twists or turns to keep the viewer guessing. This being said, it feels as though Edwards (and possibly some of the decision makers at 20th Century Studios) was mindful as to not make the runtime excessive. For all that is covered over 123 minutes of runtime, its pace is rather brisk.
Despite its failure to reach absolute perfection, The Creator is still a very enjoyable and entertaining film. Edwards’ masterful direction and the film’s stunning visuals make it a must-see for fans of science fiction action. However, viewers looking for a film with a complex story and well-developed characters may be a tad disappointed some minor shortcomings in this area.
Overall, The Creator is film that deserves to be experienced in theaters and I feel you’ll have a pretty good time in watching. Only in theaters starting Friday, September 29th with early showtimes on Thursday evenings.
