The Creator - A Review
I was nervous when this movie came out. Very nervous.
As is my wont, I had set my expectations set reasonably high based on the trailers that had released, and because I enjoy science fiction epics. I wanted it to succeed. So I was apprehensive when I went in to see it on opening night.
Another reason I was nervous is because this movie is an original intellectual property (IP). That means it’s not based on any other movies or material previously released. Unfortunately, movies like this tend to not succeed, and when they don’t, Hollywood execs are less likely to fund original IPs and will continue to funnel money into remakes and sequels.
That can lead to the Marvel problem we’re having. I’m tired of Marvel movies and shows. The last Marvel movie I saw was End Game, and I didn’t very much enjoy it. The last Marvel movie I actually enjoyed was Infinity War.
Maybe in the future I’ll write about why I loved one and not the other.
For now, one of my goals in writing this review is to get people to watch The Creator in theaters. Yes, you read that right. Go see it in theaters before it’s out. That way, when the execs in Hollywood see the numbers, it will catch their attention and they will be more likely to fund other original IP movies done by certain gifted directors like Gareth Edwards.
Photo by 20th Century Studios
But this all depends on whether The Creator was a good movie. If it’s a bad movie, why should you want to spend money to see it in theaters?
My review is as follows.
It’s awesome. Go see it.
No, but really this is my non-spoiler review:
The Creator is about a conflict between humans and robots when an explosion destroys Los Angeles and is blamed on AI.
I’ll be honest. It’s not a perfect movie. There are some problems with plot holes and internal logic that I joyfully overlooked. It’s also a beautiful movie, wonderfully shot. With a shoestring budget of a mere $80 million (purported), Gareth Edwards has made every dollar (and shot) count.
The Creator is about humanity’s relationship with AI. That makes it a bit controversial, but also super relevant. The ideas are beautifully expressed, and I’m very happy I saw it. You should, too.
Beware, here be spoilers.
The Good and the Excellent
Photo by 20th Century Studios
The characters in this story are very well realized. On one end we have the AI and its human supporters. On the other, we have the military who is just trying to protect humans from the dangerous AI. Colonel Howell, Allison Janney’s character, is given depth and strong motivation to eliminate the perceived threat because her children died in the LA detonation.
Maya, played by Gemma Chan, is on the opposite side. She empathizes with the AI because they took her in and cared for her when her parents were killed.
Joshua plays a jaded soldier who falls in love with Maya when he is sent undercover to hunt down the elusive “Creator,” who is the architect of advanced AI. Joshua David Washington plays this character very well, and brings his A-game. Everyone does. There wasn’t a bad performance that I could see.
The standout performance comes from Madeleine Yuna Voyles, who plays Alphie. As Senator Palpatine says in The Phantom Menace, “We will watch your career with great interest.” This is certainly true for young Madeleine. She is outstanding in The Creator and deserves all the accolades.
Photo by 20th Century Studios
I won’t spend too long on props and set design. It was all very good and well done with the kind of budget that Edwards had. He did a great job at getting us immersed in the world. The soundtrack, too, was excellent as always coming from Hans Zimmer. I have it downloaded on my phone.
I have a few favorite scenes that will stick with me until the day I die:
The bridge scene when Alphie confronts the second robot/bomb. It kneels to her in obeisance as if it immediately recognized who and what she was. Alphie places her hand on the robot as if to accept the reverence it gives her. It gives me chills just thinking about it. All she’s really doing is changing its programming—or something—but it’s a visually and thematically striking scene.
The last scene in the movie when the camera holds on Alphie as she looks out over the destruction of NOMAD’s fall. It is incredibly difficult for actors to cry and show happiness at the same time. Madeleine, who has never acted before in any movie, pulls it off. Somehow. The last second of the movie gets me tearing up. It’s so good. Really, this whole movie is so good.
What Lacked
I know that somewhere out there, Gareth Edwards has a longer cut of this movie. I just do.
When I exited the theater, I felt like I wanted more from the movie, even though I couldn’t quite put my finger on it. After listening to some other reviews, realized that I wanted more immersion into the world of The Creator.
This movie needs a director’s cut. It needs to be given the extended edition treatment.
The movie is about 2 hours and 13 minutes long, with those 13 minutes being mostly credits. If this movie had been closer to 3 hours long, I would have been content.
So, is this a criticism? I guess not.
“Give me more of your awesome movie, Gareth Edwards, you selfish bastard!”
Another criticism I would give is how Joshua and Alphie walked around New Asia out in the open while they were being tracked. It didn’t seem like they took any precautions to hide themselves. Perhaps they would have hid themselves for a little while longer if they had.
Photo by 20th Century Studios
Still, I can overlook that flaw.
The other part that confused me was at the end. Alphie was sprinting through the Giant Military Facility that is NOMAD. There were no one in the halls. No one there to stop her. Later, my wife gently reminded me that she was running through vacuum at that point. The personnel were also evacuated or in the process of being evacuated.
I guess I missed that part on my first viewing, but it made more sense on the second.
Speaking of Alphie, her powers were too convenient. I can’t explain that away. Edwards probably should have spent more time showing us the extent of her powers—their limits and strengths. That way, we could know when and where she can use them.
Maybe in the extended edition…
The Controversies
I want to address the big “problems” that people had with this movie.
One YouTuber said that The Creator uses the “tired trope” of a “tough guy protecting a special child” that’s the key to the future. So the problem is that the story is original and yet too familiar. Chris Stuckman said it best when he said,
“It is incredibly difficult to get a film made of this budget that’s not related to an IP, and you can’t go to somebody who has money or a studio that has money and say I can guarantee a return on your investment…
“…When you’re in that scenario…if they’re willing to listen to your original idea, then you have to come at them with a bunch of [comparisons] to other movies that have proven successful and say “it’s this meets this.”
“…So even when you try to make an original thing, you often times have to compare it to other things that already exist so that you can get the money to make your movie, and that is why even in big budget original films you sometimes see them feeling like other movies…and that’s the end of the story. There is no mystery. There is no ‘Hollywood is out of ideas.’ There is no ‘originality is dead.’”
Photo Copyright: Elizabeth Goodenough
Whether you agree or not about originality in Hollywood, it explains why The Creator feels so familiar. I guarantee this is exactly how Gareth Edwards got the funding to make his movie.
But getting the funding is just half the battle. You have to use it wisely. Based on this interview and his work on the movie Monsters, it’s clear to me that Edwards knows how to stretch every dollar of his budget. He clearly made a movie he cared about, but he had to do so strategically so that he could get the budget he needed.
So, you can say that the “familiarity” is this movie’s biggest downfall. Fair enough. That doesn’t stop it from being a really good movie, worth buying. I look forward to the 4K edition and any other cuts they have planned to make.
Now, let’s talk about AI.
First, to be clear, he AI in the movie and our current “AI” are not the same things. We don’t have true AI yet. What we have is generative models, algorithms that are biased and human-led. It’s not self-aware or intelligent in the true sense of those words.
Photo by 20th Century Studios
So when people say that The Creator is “pro-AI,” I have to wonder what they mean, and is that a bad thing?
I have my own thoughts on AI. True AI. I also believe in the responsible and ethical use of AI models. If robots ever get to the point where they are self-aware, then we (humanity) will have a huge responsibility, won’t we? I believe in the cooperation and coexistence of both humans and AI.
What resonated with me in this movie is striving for that ultimate goal of harmony between humans and AI. Ending the suffering, the war. I’m not one who views AI robots as simply a computer that needs to be turned off. If it’s true AI, and true self-awareness and growth, then they have a right to exist in peace.
Not war.
If AI decides to destroy humanity, then we’d better fight back.
Conclusion
The Creator is well worth your time. Again, it’s not a perfect movie, but it is a special and important movie. Important because it is an original IP that has been successful in theaters. Movies like this will lead to other original IP movies that are well-written, well-produced, well-acted, etc.
Let’s break away from the Marvel franchise trap and watch some good science fiction that isn’t based on a series or a comic book or even a novel. That’s what makes The Creator a breakthrough movie. Go see it in theaters.
