The Creator (2023)

Score: A (9.5/10)

The Creator is a visually stunning sci-fi adventure featuring a relatively shallow but strongly built narrative surrounding AI and what people will do to stop its advancement.

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Rogue One stands as an underrated gem in the Star Wars franchise. The film features brilliant and awe-inspiring special effects for Star Wars and sci-fi fans to froth over. Those effects are only bolstered by the film’s excellent narrative, pacing, and story-accurate costumes and set pieces. The movie’s also unafraid to sacrifice the protagonists so the Rebellion could thrive later in the original trilogy. Almost everything in Rogue One made a good impression on fans and skeptics. However, none of it would be possible without Gareth Edwards as director, who used his position to combine every outstanding quality into one cohesive product. Some were excited to see what he’d do next, but the opportunity didn’t arise until seven years later with The Creator.

Much like Rogue One, The Creator includes brilliant special effects, arguably a more difficult task than in Edwards’s previous film. However, because of it’s heavier reliance on CGI, set pieces feel grander and more futuristic than in Rogue One, with the USS NOMAD being a perfect example. AI robots are also beautifully detailed, with those and more human-looking robots never feeling out of place alongside humans. The film also includes several shots well worth the time and effort to make audiences impressed by the film’s effects and set designs. In a time where highly-detailed special effects are a rarity in the film industry, it’s awe-inspiring to see a movie get it spectacularly right, making the film a visual spectacle.

However, one aspect lying in a more divisive area is the narrative. The Creator is in a future where humans and AI are at a crossroads. Some, like the United States, want to eradicate robots and AI because they will become the dominant species. Others, namely New Asia, believe humans and AI can live harmoniously. The film’s protagonist, Joshua, initially finds himself undercover and married in New Asia to gather intel on the Creator, the person behind New Asia’s predominant AI advancement. However, several years after his cover’s blown, he returns to New Asia to find and destroy a weapon built by the Creator to win the war between New Asia and the United States. Chaos ensues, causing Joshua to journey across New Asia, learning the truth about the Creator and its new weapon. Some might notice the movie’s narrative isn’t as deep as expected. However, its story remains faultless when combined with well-delivered acting performances, brilliant special effects, and well-timed plot twists. The Creator doesn’t need a deep or thought-provoking narrative to qualify as a high-quality blockbuster. It only requires a robust and well-thought-out one to leave audiences impressed once the credits roll.

One particular element driving the narrative that didn’t need more depth is the relationship between the protagonist and the weapon. Joshua and Alphie place each other into a father-son relationship, with Joshua learning more about AI’s similarities to humans and Alphie learning about the world and its inhabitants. As each plot thread reveals itself, the audience eventually cares about the two’s relationship, especially considering his lost love was expecting a baby before their separation. Seeing Joshua become the man his wife wanted him to be is a near-tearjerker, with Alphie only amplifying those emotions. The duo is the narrative’s structural and emotional driving force, completing the movie’s impressive narrative and visual effects.

Few movies leave a strong impression on me. Yes, movies like Whiplash are structurally perfect, and others like Oppenheimer and The Spider-Verse films are visually and thematically masterful. However, many “perfect” movies fail to establish a deep connection with me. The Iron Giant, Treasure Planet, and Klaus are a few films I love because they make me smile and happily reminisce about a simpler time in life. However, I’ve waited for one to make me reminisce about those no longer in my life. With The Creator, I never expected it to reach me so well, but the film’s ending made me emotional for the first time in years. I needed something to make me feel that way, and The Creator will always stick with me for doing just that. Much like Treasure Planet, The Creator is not a perfect movie. However, it does enough visually and thematically to connect with those who had a wonderful experience despite its imperfections.