“Godzilla” (2014), “Rogue One” and “Monsters” filmmaker Gareth Edwards finally returns with “The Creator,” a bold sci-fi original feature that is drawing attention for costing just $80 million whilst looking like an epic that cost at least double that.
The story follows a hardened ex-special forces agent (John David Washington) grieving the disappearance of his wife (Gemma Chan), who is recruited to hunt down and kill the elusive architect of advanced AI who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end the war.
He 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)
With 67 reviews counted, the film sits at 81% (7.3/10) on Rotten Tomatoes, a very good but not great score. A common remark in the reviews is that the production values and visuals are stellar, but the story and script are far less compelling and sadly it undermines the movie. Here’s a sampling of reviews:
“There is no denying that The Creator is a major new sci-fi adventure. If you’re partial to such things, Edwards’ ambitious, immersive film should prompt the intoxicating awe that you might have got from The Matrix and Avatar.” – Nicholas Barber, BBC
“The most fundamental reason why ‘The Creator,’ for all of its shortcomings and cliches, ultimately sold me on its optimism is that it succeeds as a blueprint where it fails as a movie.” – David Ehrlich, Indiewire
“Hardcore genre buffs will moan that the questioning of what it means to be human isn’t as developed as it is in, say, A.I. Artificial Intelligence, but this is still a spectacular blockbuster.” – Lou Thomas, Time Out
“As pure spectacle, The Creator is often jaw-dropping in its imagery, its relatively frugal special effects, and the detailed depth of its futuristic design. It’s shakier as drama and sci-fi” – AA Dowd, IGN
“Washington and newcomer Madeleine Yuna Voyles are terrific in a film that works better as an allegory for acceptance rather than a warning against AI” – Tomris Laffy, The Wrap
“Rogue One’s Edwards delivers a film which is reliably visually inventive even when the familiarity of the narrative can make it feel oddly stale.” – Fionnuala Halligan, Screen
“Overloaded with incidents, effects and explosions, ‘The Creator’ fails to develop the personalities and relationships that would give its central characters an affecting humanity.” – Mark Jenkins, The Washington Post
“Unfortunately, there’s precious little in ‘The Creator’ that feels fresh, particularly if you’ve seen one of the first two ‘Terminator’ movies, watched ‘The Last of Us’ or bought your kid (OK, yourself) a Baby Yoda plush toy.” – Glenn Whipp, The LA Times
“The Creator” is set to release in cinemas everywhere this Friday.
