As one of the most topical films of the year, The Creator is a movie that seems like it could have been written by AI. Not just because the script has its share of cliches and stilted dialogue. But because the movie argues so passionately for the existence of the controversial technology. Gareth Edwards’ latest is at once just like every other Gareth Edwards movie you’ve seen, but also his strongest embrace of thematic clarity since his debut – Monsters (2010). Combine that with a lofty budget, and The Creator blends some of the scale of Rogue One & Godzilla with a story more contemplative than either of those features could hope to be. It’s more like if Star Wars was directed by Neill Blomkamp with a dash of Chris Nolan. This makes it catnip for sci-fi nerds, but an uneven script leaves you wanting a lot more than you ultimately get.
The densely plotted tale is shepherded by Joshua (John David Washington), a covert US military agent whose many (many, many) missions eventually lead to him harboring the most deadly AI creature on the planet, Alphie (Madeleine Yuna Voyles). Alphie is the latest volatile creation in a decade-long war between the Anti-AI United States and the extremely Pro-AI New Asia (Yes, they actually called it this). The pertinence of Alphie’s existence revolves around her ability to control the technological devices in her vicinity, a power that seems to be growing by the day. Joshua finds himself in an unenviable dilemma: choosing between loyalty to his country, or fighting for Alphie’s existence – as the young super weapon may be Joshua’s only hope of reuniting with his estranged lover (Gemma Chan).
The Creator, like most of Edwards’ past work, will hardly knock anyone out of their seat with the movie’s story or character work. It’s been an oft-criticized aspect of his filmography; Godzilla (2014) was lauded for its incredible usage of perspective and scale which showcased the titular monster in a terrifying new light, but we all were left underwhelmed by the performances from (normally solid actors) Aaron-Taylor Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen. Bryan Cranston, at the peak of his Breaking Bad fame, tried desperately to breathe some passion and humanity into that film, but they made sure to escort his ass out of there – lest the movie become too human. Rogue One (2016) has helped to re-brand Star Wars, giving the franchise a more serious tone amidst increasingly photo-realistic visuals. But that movie was still hampered by a litany of wooden and uninteresting ciphers, betraying the franchise’s preference for colorful characters over naturalistic acting.
In other words, it’s beginning to be a bit of a pattern, and The Creator does little to extinguish those criticisms. Chief among the issues is John David Washington, bless his heart, who is struggling here to be a worthwhile leading man. His story, Joshua’s story, is one of loss and intense regret. But Washington, unlike his dear old dad, exhibits only about 3 or 4 expressions throughout the entire movie. I thought everyone else were the androids?! He does retain a little bit of that signature Denzel voice, so every line of dialogue starts out as if it’s being spoken by Denzel Washington, but somehow ends in someone else’s voice. But he doesn’t look entirely comfortable here, or maybe it’s a lack of command; a far cry from arguably his best performance in BlacKkKlansman, which was 5 years ago.
To Edward’s credit, he does get a good performance out of the 9-year-old Voyles, and the young actor does have chemistry and a rapport with Washington. But the connection between the two characters has to overcome some pretty ham-fisted dialogue, as Alphie remarks on the supposed irony that neither will make it into heaven because Joshua is a “bad guy” and Alphie isn’t human. It fails to register an emotional response. The script struggles to breath life into the characters, as the likes of Allison Janey and Ken Watanabe come off as dull. Even this movie’s version of a Droid feels like a step down from Rogue One’s K-2SO.
Like the director’s previously mentioned films, the film’s best attributes are its visual effects, production design, and cinematography. Much has been made about how the movie looks this good on “only” an $80 million dollar budget. Edwards has touched on part of his process, which includes keeping green screens to a minimum and leaving the majority of the VFX work for the post-production process. The goal being to shoot on location (the film featured extensive shoots in Vietnam) and allowing the real world to act as the canvas for the special effects.
This isn’t necessarily new, and remains a fixture in TV on shows like The Witcher and The Game of Thrones. It’s a lot easier to accept a CGI dragon when it’s flying through real-life terrain. Yet, The Creator’s production process is a welcome change of pace, prioritizing sets, tangible space, and effective lighting. Edwards, after all, emphasizes immersion in his movies, and the film sets the tone early on with a beautiful shot on a beachfront as a platoon slowly rises from the waves. This movie loves explosions and dropping bombs over a body of water, but you get your money’s worth in these moments with some incredible effects and sound design.
I just wish the story itself wasn’t so well-worn and had a more thrilling narrative to tell. It’s difficult to get an audience on board with a fable that is essentially equating the proliferation of AI… with the struggles of oppressed groups fighting against a militaristic regime? Which would be the logical metaphorical analog, per the events of the movie. That misses the point of the hangups about AI – people don’t fear the technology in a vacuum, like some type of Terminator-esque fever dream. The public’s concerns about the technology deal almost entirely with other humans, both individuals and corporations, and how nefariously they may use the technology. Creating an US vs Them narrative around the issue, when the Them should really be corporate greed as opposed to the technology itself, misses the mark on what artificial intelligence even represents to the average person.
As the film continues to spin its wheels on these issues, the human stakes become less relatable as the movie goes on. What starts out as a cute romance eventually lands in a weird gray area, which calls into question what is authentic love and can your love be recreated in a different form? Like copying and pasting a code. I’m all for asking interesting questions, and The Creator wouldn’t be the first sci-fi movie to push the boundaries of what is genuine romantic connection, or what is simply an algorithmic/glorified sex doll.
Moreover, Alphie’s status as a symbol of hope doesn’t do justice to its freedom fighter message, remaining tethered to an uncomfortable topic about a forever changing technological landscape. I enjoyed large swaths of The Creator, and appreciated its ability to transport you to a new, yet similar world. But I didn’t enjoy the film’s idea of cathartic storytelling, which seems to mask real-world questions with a veneer of “inspirational” storytelling. Near the end of the film, the oppressed androids, or “simulants”, look up to Alphie as something of a Messiah. I wonder who the filmmakers believe is our real-life Alphie, or was it a matter of time before our biblical myth-making saw the robots take center stage?
