The Creator – Movie Review (3/5)

THE CREATOR is now on Hulu and Disney+ and you’ll want to check it out. This sci-fi thriller action adventure hybrid is one of the most visually gorgeous movies. The AI story is heartbreaking. Read our full The Creator movie review here!

THE CREATOR is on Hulu and Disney+ now, which means it might finally reach the huge audience it deserves. It wasn’t the box office hit everyone expected it to be. And really, it is a shame because this genre hybrid is absolutely stunning.

The sci-fi thriller action adventure hybrid also has a heartbreaking AI story. Not least due to the very character-driven plot. And yes, some of the most wonderful characters are AI. The challenge, for me, is that the story has some weaknesses, which is a shame for the overall experience.

Continue reading our The Creator movie review below. Find it on Hulu and Disney+ in the United States from December 20, 2023.

The mission is simple

The Creator takes place during a future war between humans and artificial intelligence, which has (of course) been created by human beings. We follow Joshua (John David Washington), who has worked with the US military and is grieving the brutal events that take place during the opening scene.

Here, a mission results in the disappearance of his wife (Gemma Chan), who was pregnant with their child. Joshua believes her to be dead, so when the military shows up with proof that she’s alive, he’s ready to go back in.

He is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator aka Nirmata. This person is believed to be the architect of advanced AI. Also, they believe Nirmata has developed a weapon that can end the war between humans and AI once and for all.

The hero’s journey in The Creator

Oh yes, this is very much the hero’s journey, which is part of this movie’s downfall. I found several other characters to be at least as interesting and intriguing. Had the focus been less on solely completing the hero’s journey and more on the broader scope of character, I would’ve enjoyed it more.

Along with John David Washington (Tenet) and Gemma Chan (Don’t Worry, Darling), The Creator has an impressive cast delivering breathtaking performances.

This is especially the case for Allison Janney (Lou), Ken Watanabe, Marc Menchaca, Amar Chadha-Patel, and Madeleine Yuna Voyles.

As is often the case, the youngest cast member ends up making the biggest impression. Madeleine Yuna Voyles portrays a child AI that is more human than most (if not all) the human beings we meet.

A sci-fi thriller of epic proportions

In The Creator, we see a world at war. It’s set 15 years after a nuclear detonation in Los Angeles. This disaster was the result of AI being in charge, which means the US has banned the use of AI. However, other parts of the world are living in harmony with the AI they’re building.

This is especially prevalent in New Asia, where AI is involved with everything and has become an integrated and beloved part of their lives. In that sense, The Creator reminded me of A Murder at the End of the World (also on Hulu) which takes place in the world we know.

In what can only be described as a classic US tactic, the government and military decide that they cannot be safe until all AI has been eliminated. This results in a war on AI and everyone who uses it, so they are going after The Creator, called “Nirmata”.

For the record, the name Nirmata is described at the beginning of the movie, so make sure you pay attention from the very beginning.

Human versus AI?

It does become a human versus AI story, but only from the point of view of the US military. Other humans are living in happy harmony with AI. This results in a story that is much bigger and deals with the differences in culture and wishes for the world.

Most of the story plays out in New Asia, which means we get gorgeous scenes shot in Thailand and Cambodia. Enhanced with buildings and AI that isn’t there, but it does all look epic and surprisingly normal. Like a place that could actually exist right now.

Or maybe I’ve just been watching so much sci-fi that I immediately found it strangely familiar.

Watch The Creator on Hulu and Disney+ now!

The Creator comes from director Gareth Edwards, who previously directed Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Godzilla (2014). Basically, Gareth Edwards knows how to create these epic sci-fi action adventures. This gorgeous movie is no exception.

The screenplay also comes from Gareth Edwards who co-wrote it with Chris Weitz, but based on a story by Edwards. Chris Weitz began his screenwriting career as the co-writer of Antz which isn’t irrelevant to know when watching The Creator. He also wrote (adapted) and directed The Golden Compass.

The story isn’t as strong as it could have been, but it doesn’t ruin the experience for me. It simply doesn’t manage to elevate it to the level of the extremely impressive visual experience, I enjoyed. Maybe I expected something more or different, but I can still highly recommend watching it!

The Creator is on Hulu and Disney+ in the United States from December 20, 2023

Details

Director: Gareth Edwards
Writers: Gareth Edwards, Chris Weitz
Cast: John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Sturgill Simpson, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, Allison Janney