The Creator from Gareth Edwards is a mash-up of all your favorite sci-fi films. It’s Star Wars, Aliens, Blade Runner, and more – all rolled into one. And that’s not a bad thing because The Creator still manages to feel fresh as it tackles a subject on everyone’s mind these days: AI.
In this film AI has advanced to the point of being self-sufficient robots who have apparently detonated a nuclear bomb in LA. As a result, the United States goes to war with all AI and they are trying to destroy a specific AI designer in New Asia.
John David Washington’s character, Josh, is caught in the middle as he has fallen in love with Maya (an AI sympathizer) but is also working with the army to find and take out Nirmata (The Creator). Turns out there is some secret weapon that Nirmata is working on that will most assuredly turn the tide of the war in AI’s favor. Fortunately, the humans have a Death Star, I mean the NOMAD facility, which hovers around and drops bombs on people.
The star of this film by far is Madeleine Yuna Voyles who plays the AI secret weapon Alphie. She gives a knock-out performance. I left the theatre thinking that was the most powerful acting by a 7-year-old that I have ever seen. Seriously, she will leave you in tears and have you believing every second of what her character is going through.
Washington also does a good job portraying a young Denzel and can’t help himself from falling in love with Alphie. He protects her and sends her into danger, when appropriate. I think the AI bad guy in Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning Part 1 makes more sense in terms of the concept… I mean, the AI in The Creator apparently only exists in humanoid robot form. Where are the AI programs running amok through every computer system? I think it makes more sense that AI will grow beyond our control and roam throughout our digital systems rather than turn into a bunch of emotional and peace-loving robots living in Asia, but what do I know?
Overall, this is a very engaging film and it is refreshing to see some original sci-fi content on the big screen. Seriously, what was the last great sci-fi movie I saw? The Creator is well done and it certainly tugs at the heart strings.