Released: 29th September 2023 (UK and US)
Length: 133 Minutes
Certificate: 12A
Director: Gareth Edwards
Starring: John David Washington, Madeline Yuna Voyles, Gemma Chan, Ken Watanabe, Sturgill Simpson, Allison Janney and Ralph Ineson
After stepping away from major franchises, UK director Gareth Edwards has returned to the silver screen with his own science fiction story; on a visual level The Creator plays to his strengths but lacks the finer detail in story and characters.
In the late 21st Century, artificial intelligence has integrated itself with humanity. The western world views it with hostility after a nuke was detonated in Los Angeles while the eastern nations have found a way to co-exist peacefully. Amidst a long and grinding war between the two, Sargent Joshua Taylor (John David Washington) is a reluctant special forces soldier who lost his family to a western strike. Clinging to hope that his wife Maya (Gemma Chan) may still be alive, he accepts a mission to Asia that could end the war, only to find himself growing attached to the target. Alpha-Omega, also known as “Alfie” (Madeleine Yuna Voyles) is an android child with the power to control vast swathes of technology. The Creator doesn’t get off to a good start; the ties between the characters are very rushed and we aren’t able to get attached to anyone. There are hints here and there of Joshua’s grief, but the film doesn’t take the time to reflect on it. Still, things do pick up further down the line with a strong sense of escalation in the combat scenes. Like Rogue One before it, The Creator adopts a more critical view towards war and militarism, placing more emphasis on the suffering it causes. This thematic grounding works well, but without any memorable characters, The Creator struggles along at many points.
While the performances are capable enough, the characters in The Creator feel very standard-fare. On one side, we have the ruthless western forces and on the other a band of mostly spiritual and peaceful farmers. It’s well in line with Vietnam war films, albeit toned down for a 12A rating. Neither side is given much depth or dimension throughout the runtime; this places more pressure on Joshua and Alfie who also fall short. The dialogue is very clunky in the early-going and aside from a few slices of humour, The Creator struggles to build investment between the two. John David Washington is perfectly serviceable and Madeline Yuna Voyles does well enough for her film debut, but outside of the film’s conclusion, their emotional bond isn’t very effective. Some side characters are wasted on minimal screen-time, like Joshua’s old friend Drew (Sturgill Simpson) while others have a lot of missed potential. Ken Watanabe always does a good job with every role he plays and like most of the cast, Harun needed more material to make a mark as the leader of the eastern civilians. The western forces are lead by Colonel Howell (Allison Janney) and General Andrews (Ralph Ineson) who are both very shallow throughout; they needed more interactions with Taylor to make their presence felt.
Making use of a novel Asian setting, The Creator blends robotics with religious imagery and vast green fields. The relations between humanity and artificial beings are conveyed well with background interactions, solid make-up work and robotic movements that blend well with the scenery. Gareth Edwards continues his penchant for large-scale battles with some great special effects, vehicles and camerawork, especially in the second and final acts. The dramatic tension is sorely lacking, but you can see the build-up that takes place. The western forces start with basic ground troops and escalate to large attack transports that steamroll entire villages, informing the audience on who the real aggressors are. The gargantuan Nomad always looms large in the background and the climax features some hefty mid-orbit destruction; it’s a brilliant design from a wide array of studios including ILM and Weta Digital. The ambient soundtrack from Hans Zimmer is weighty and powerful, providing another thunderous backdrop to the action. It works especially well at night as the shots ring out between west and east.
The Creator is a frustrating sci-fi release that could have been so much better with added depth. On a technical and atmospheric level, the film is very well-made, but a weak first act and lack of connection undermine the biggest strengths. Fans of the genre will get some enjoyment out of the second half and climax, but this futuristic conflict won’t be making a major impression.
Rating: 3/5 Stars (Fair)
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