The Creator (2023) User Reviews

visually impressive yet narratively flawed film

[weraqs · 7/10 · 25 November 2023]

Walking into the theater, my expectations were a mix of excitement and curiosity, especially given the film's intriguing take on AI.

From the get-go, "The Creator" impressed me with its use of the $80 million budget. The cinematography was nothing short of remarkable, reminding me of the visual flair seen in "Blade Runner" "Elysium", "I, Robot" and "A. I." The world-building was immersive, creating a believable and lived-in environment that drew me in.

The performances, particularly the dynamic between Joshua and Alfie, were the highlights of the film for me. Their interactions brought depth to the story, and I found myself genuinely invested in their journey. However, as the plot progressed, I couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment.

The story, which began with promise, started to unravel. The pacing felt rushed, and the plot became increasingly predictable. I noticed glaring plot holes that were hard to overlook, and the narrative lacked the depth I had hoped for. The ambitious theme of AI's humanity, which initially seemed thought-provoking, was undermined by the film's inability to maintain coherence.

While I appreciated the technical brilliance of the film, including the special effects and sound design, the script was a letdown. It was as if the movie wanted to say something profound about AI and humanity but ended up glossing over these complex themes, opting instead for a more superficial treatment.

The characters, aside from Joshua, felt one-dimensional. I struggled to connect with them emotionally, this emotional disconnect was particularly evident in the portrayal of the AI characters, including Alfie, who, despite being central to the story, lacked the depth to make their plight resonate with me.

While "The Creator" started off with great potential, it ultimately left me feeling underwhelmed. The film excelled in its visual storytelling but fell short in its narrative execution. It was a visually captivating experience, but the lack of emotional depth and narrative coherence made it a disappointing outing for me. I walked out of the theater feeling that the movie, despite its grand aspirations, missed the mark in delivering a fully engaging and thought-provoking sci-fi experience. It could have been a masterpiece, but a missed opportunity at best.

The Creator uses its budget masterfully, but it's not without its problems

[poseyfan · 7/10 · 29 September 2023]

This is a lesson to the movie industry on how to use a budget. 80 million dollars was used splendidly. The cinematography was amazing, (Not terribly surprising because Rogue One) acting was great, and the story was decent.

It wasn't without problems though. The story moves at an increasing pace and at some points you lose track of what's happening. Suspension of disbelief will be needed in some moments.

The theme of the story was to make AI to be more than just robots. I think they succeeded there, but at the expense of the humans. Most of the humans in the story ended up being one faced - except for Joshua.

The dynamic between Joshua and Alfie was by far the best part of the movie. The acting was great between the two.

It was a good movie. Not great by any means, but I'm all for supporting a movie that is trying something new.

Overall, I think Gareth Edwards should be given some more projects. AND filmmakers everywhere should learn how a budget should be used.

State of the art effects, but more holes than Swiss cheese

[Lomax343 · 6/10 · 28 September 2023]

Oh dear. I was really looking forward to this, and managed to get a ticket for a pre-release showing. I left disappointed.

One fact that too many film-makers have failed to grasp is that CGI alone does not make a film. Effects can make a good film better, but they can't make a mediocre film good. Marvel, I'm looking at you.

It's not enough to string a few action scenes together and finish with some really big explosions. You have to have a story - preferably one that hangs together coherently. This is what's missing from this film, whose plot-holes are more pronounced than the holes where the AI characters' ears would be. Just one example - our hero is on the run in an unspecified Asian county, where it's established that he doesn't speak the language. He breaks down. A van stops, and he's asked if he needs help. Asked in perfect English. That's bad enough - but then for no explored reason, our good Samaritan progresses from giving a stranger a lift to helping him through a police road-block, risking the lives of his five children in the process.

Why are there gardens on Nomad? Why, if it's the last word in military technology, is it as easy to blow up as the Death Star or a Bond Villain's lair?

The child-McGuffin is portrayed by an excellent young performer, but makes no logical sense. The nuclear blast in Los Angeles (seen in the trailer, so it's not a spoiler) is cited as the reason for the war against AI. There's one throwaway line about this late in the film - but it's just that: a throw-away line. Following it up would've led to a much more interesting film.

I've heard it suggested that this should be seen as a metaphor for America's involvement in Vietnam, If so, it's a tired re-hash and forty years too late. Also, that would mean regarding it as an intelligent film, which it absolutely isn't

Just one more big-budget wasted opportunity.

A love-hate letter.

[omul-andrei · 7/10 · 28 September 2023]

Right away, this is a must watch film. If you love cinematic imagery, this is po*n.

The production is incredible. All the visual creative departments went ham on this, and it's incredibly beautiful, intricate and interesting.

However, the writing was, at times, terrible; even some of the acting, mainly the character named Josh wasn't good enough (the kid was great tho)

It felt like some of the scenes were "forcefully" inserted just for the sake of illustrating something, even though they had no logic or necessity (a robot bomb that's running? Really? Why not just shoot the bomb like you've already done dozens of time?)

And also let's not get into the philosophical opportunity that's missed here. I wished they would tangentially hit more some of the existential issues about AI vs humanity.

Anyway...Go watch the movie It's solid.

Yes thank you

[Darksidecrew · 28 September 2023]

This new sci-fi film from Gareth Edwards (Rogue One) was made for $80 million but looks like $350 million on screen. It's a global epic on a massive scale. This is how I like films to look, I think it was probably shot on digital but they've made it look like it was shot on film. It does have shades of Terminator, Blade Runner and even Terrence Malick but it also brings some new dimensions to some classic themes. Not only the craftsmanship but the acting is also top notch in this fully immersive tale. It moves very quickly which will help you get past sone story logistics that might crumble on closer examination. A superb effort that leaves the glossy soulless and often brainless blockbusters of recent decades in the dust. A quality film that I recommend supporting in the theaters.

The Creator is a modernized take on the Blade Runner formula that falls short of greatness due to a missing element

[kevin_robbins · 6/10 · 30 September 2023]

My wife and I caught The Creator (2023) in theaters last night. The storyline unfolds in a futuristic society where humans and AI robots find themselves in conflict, triggered by an AI robot-initiated a nuclear attack on Los Angeles that claimed a million human lives. A man, once assigned to bring down the leader of the AI robots, experiences a devastating loss of his wife and child during an undercover mission. The government offers him a chance to complete one last mission with the promise of reuniting with his wife, and he eagerly accepts the opportunity to right past wrongs.

Directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story), the film stars John David Washington (Tenet), Madeleine Yuna Voyles, Gemma Chan (Eternals), Ken Watanabe (The Last Samurai), Allison Janney (The Help) and Marc Menchaca (Ozark).

While the storyline bore strong resemblances to Blade Runner, unfortunately, the plot of The Creator proved to be highly predictable, with only one noteworthy twist, and I didn't find myself as invested in the characters as I had hoped. On the positive side, the acting, special effects, cinematography and settings were magnificent, but throughout the entire film, there was a sense that something crucial was missing. Additionally, the film's extended runtime led to certain sections that dragged. However, it's worth noting that the ending was satisfying, and every action scene and shootout was executed exceptionally well, making this worth your time.

In conclusion, The Creator is a modernized take on the Blade Runner formula that falls short of greatness due to a missing element. I would give this a 6/10 rating and recommend seeing it once.

Very good sci-fi movie

[RussHog · 8/10 · 1 January 2024]

My friend told me if I saw this in theaters some of the gaping plot holes would stand out more - but as it is I saw it at home and frankly I could care less if there were some plot holes this is a very good film with incredible world building.

It tells the story of human v AI and our hero is a former soldier who is sent to track down the AI's ultimate weapon. Turns out the weapon is a child AI - who may or may not have the secret to his seemingly dead wife's location - and now our hero betrays his people to keep the AI safe and try to find his wife.

His journey with the AI takes him deep into the heart of this world, and he eventually grows to care for the AI and rebels against his own people. It may sound cliche, but these kinds of stories need to be told again and again.

By no stretch of the imagination is this corny like Avatar, this was a very good by the numbers sci-fi movie. Well acted, great special effects, good action scenes, and a big heart with a cool final showdown.

Def recommended, too bad I didn't watch this in theaters.

Good but a touch underwhelming

[ethanbresnett · 7/10 · 29 September 2023]

The Creator seemed to promise so much through its trailer, and although it is still a very enjoyable film it feels a little too safe and run of the mill.

It's story follows the familiar tropes of humanity against AI, super weapons, chosen ones, and the reluctant guardian. None of these are overly original but they are decently executed in this film nonetheless.

The emotion of the piece is a bit hit and miss. Even though the performances are good, particularly Madeleine Yuna Voyles in the role of Alfie, I just didn't really connect to any of the characters. This lack of connection and emotion is one of the biggest things missing from this film.

There is no denying however that this film is beautiful. The natural landscapes are used well and the grainy camera style really adds a nice element. It also has a good score and the direction is very solid.

Ultimately The Creator is a really solid sci-fi film, but it just feels a little safe and derivative. Perhaps my expectations were too high as the trailer suggested this was potential a more high concept and emotionally gripping sci-fi, when I don't think that is the case. Still a good film though.

A new yet b&w take on man vs tech

[emrekiriscioglu · 8/10 · 26 September 2023]

To be fair this is a movie that deserves less than what I rate it. After my first viewing I'm inclined to be positive about it for several reasons, and I can confidently say that's because Gareth Edwards continues to show his strong points in filmmaking.

It's visually striking and easily builds its own world as a memorable sci-fi flick. There is a certain originality to grand scale designs of the human and AI sides of Edwards' world, and that may be the best thing about The Creator.

What's also an upside, albeit straight off Rogue One, Edwards is great at deconstructing hope only to build it back up towards the very end. The dreary military oppression combined with the intense, unending action in the majority of the movie strongly reinforces the idea of having little to no hope at a chance of fighting back. This makes the point where the tide turns for the better all the more uplifting and cheer-worthy.

Now on the less positive side of the things... The movie leaves no gray areas for you to form your own opinions on what's happening. It's strictly a black&white east/west conflict and I really don't think this is a good way of handling A. I. in movies. Strange thing is, the movie starts off with a much better subversion of your expectations, but gradually gets more predictable and dull. For a really long while, it even really pushes the limits of suspension of disbelief.

I'm still amazed by certain parts of The Creator, especially how it handles some of its story elements, and the A. I. assimilation in the eastern society, which is a more original take for the world it establishes. I think after some time and maybe a second viewing, problems I listed may look better or worse depending on how much it'll succeed in evoking the same positive emotions. I'm really curious to see if the charm is in the first viewing only. I really hope not, cause I enjoyed Rogue One even more on several rewatches, and I will hope the same for The Creator.

Beautiful visual and sound, great acting, but feel like written by a 10yo

[jamieturnough · 6/10 · 24 November 2023]

First of all, lets get to the good....

The visual effects are truly world class. Likewise, both the musical score and Dolby Digital sound effects were top notch! Hans Zimmer and the effects teams did a fantastic job.

The acting was also fantastic throughout for relatively known actors. Particularly the lead child actor/actress!

Now let's get to the bad.... As a Sci-Fi lover and aficionado, I can't tell you how annoyed I became as the storyline progressed. It's like it was written by a 10 year old. A 10 year old that wanted to cram every conceivable twist and turn into one movie, which became increasingly unbearable. Completely devoid of reality. It felt like the screen writer had never really watched, or been truly into Sci-Fi. Do they not understand films like this are the bread and butter to nerds around the world (like myself)?

The plot had more holes than all the cheese in Switzerland! Completely unbelievable from start to finish. Devoid of any actually research or basis in medium term science, which for a film set just 32 years in the future is crazy!

Having not read the book, it's hard to say if this is the directors, screen writers or authors fault (maybe all 3?). Long story short, they completely dropped the ball.

Both hero's and the villain's make it through countless and increasingly unrealistic ordeals, which simply take the edge off the great stuff in the film I mentioned above.

If it wasn't for the great visuals, sounds and acting, this would be a 4/10. However, given those part were great, I've given a 6/10.

It is such a shame. It could have been so much better if they hadn't tried so hard and simplified the plot. I hope future Sci-Fi screen writers take note!!!

The Creator looks great, but story is tired and full of holes

[prberg2 · 5/10 · 30 September 2023]

Oh, I really wanted to like this movie. Edwards did a great job with Rogue One. He missed the mark with this one. First the positives.

Movie looks amazing. The world feels lived in and something that I felt was a real place. Edwards is great at world building. Actors were all pretty great.. at least with the material they were given. Sound was awesome, and it was just well made on a technical level.

What didn't work for me was the story and the script. Edwards doesn't seem to have the writing skills that measure up to his strong director abilities. The story started out strong and had great potential in the first act. It was making the audience pay attention and see how it was all fitting together. The questions about AI seemed to be timely and thought provoking. Then it started to fall apart for me.

It just was so flat and predictable. Didn't go to the depths that it teased that it might explore. The biggest thing for me, the massive plot holes. So annoying! For a film that seems to be trying to make a world that we could believe was real.. then the writers need to make things make sense and the characters should do things that are believable for their situations. Few examples.

Joshua was trying to get Alphie back after the simulants got him. He sneaks into their area by tip toeing, and flicks a switch on the leaders neck to turn off the robot. They have their power switch right there on their necks!? None of them could detect him as he was sneaking around? After he gets Alphie back, the simulants can't find Alphie. There is no tracking capabilities on him? We can track our cell phones in this day and age, and 50 years in the future, they wouldn't be able to track their most important "weapon/creation"? And why did they not protect their important creation. Also the Army comes in with these huge tanks (which were cool) and one explosive device completely disables it. Come on. And the flying base.. don't get me started. Joshua gets on board and destroys it so easily. The most important Army asset and it's practically defenseless. Had me rolling my eyes so many times. Making things make sense is important, especially for a film that tries to be realistic or believable. The army sends these running bombs to hurt the simulants. A missile would do the job and be so much more efficient.

I also had an issue with the plot point that the AI just wanted peace and for everyone to love each other. I feel like that is a sort of weak premise. Why would the AI have that perspective? If they were based on the humans or what you would find on the internet, why would they think just loving each other would be possible. The AI wanted to survive, hense the fighting, and that idea just doesn't seem logical. At least it didn't feel believable in the world of this movie. I could not buy that idea from what was presented in the first 2 acts of the movie. I loved the questions that were brought up in the movie, but I just feel like they were not developed in a smart of thought provoking way.

The movie could have been so much more. I wish it delivered for me... But I just left feeling disappointed and like the movie was an empty shell. Hopefully Edwards gets better material in the future and can bring his directing talents to material that is stronger and written in a more complete and thoughtful way.

Netflix, take notes!

[hdzazou · 8/10 · 2 January 2024]

Of all the epic sci-fis we've been fed, this one is, by far, the most satisfying. It won't beat the OG Star Wars trilogy or the new Dune installement, but it will, for sure, beat movies like Netflix's Rebel Moon or others in the like. It's a classic father figure taking care of, and leading, a child but set in a beautiful world that, to a point, could almost be ours one day. It starts with the feeling of another Terminor story but leads into something quite different, something of its own. Liked it more than I first expected and woukd definately watch it again for sure. Don't go in with any expectations and enjoy!

Confused in tone but awe-inspired visuals

[DanTheMan2150AD · 7/10 · 28 September 2023]

7 years on from his last big screen venture with the phenomenal Rogue One, The Creator isn't quite the comeback I had hoped for director Gareth Edwards. Visually, it's stunning with all of Edwards' 1980s science fiction influences on full display, but it often feels conflicted in tone and the subject matter it's trying to tackle, especially in today's world. Edwards pushes the relatable ordinariness of the androids and hybrid "simulants", but the potential menace of A. I. inescapably looms over the movie's head. For all its spectacular set pieces, detailed depth in its design and jaw-dropping imagery, the writing pulls the rug out from what could have been a modern sci-fi classic.

Stunning visuals/Garbage Script

[davemanson · 4/10 · 11 October 2023]

With stunning visuals reminiscent of Blade Runner and the more recent Rouge One this movie is stunning to look at. Unfortunately the script falls far short of living up to its inspired cinematography. It's full of plot holes and cringe worthy moments from it's extremely one dimensional villains. The plot twist are telegraphed from miles away and there are no real surprises to be had. Everything plays out exactly like you would expect it to. Which is a shame. The look and mood of this film is almost enough to save it. But in the end it falls flat and its potential is wasted. See it for the visuals. Forget it for its script.

Humanity evolves

[AfricanBro · 7/10 · 30 September 2023]

Before, I was curious if the movie would delve into thought-provoking internal dilemmas, whether the story would be good or not, if it would be an indie sci-fi or a grand, epic spectacle... because the trailers already teased at impressive visuals as a given, so I hoped that the rest of the movie would live up to them. Ideally, it's better to get into the movie without watching trailers, but I couldn't avoid them, the cinema had been playing the Creator trailers as previews for other movies for a while.

I wasn't getting myself too excited for this because it could've easily been a cliche and unimaginative, but it wasn't and still had an original feel to it. The short background was nice, especially since the human vs. AI theme has been explored before. It was good that the movie didn't dwell on developing plot points that didn't bring anything new to the table. The world-building was well done and gave the film a sense of familiarity.

I thought this was gonna be an indie sci-fi flick, but the sheer vastness and visual splendor put away any concern of the "small" budget it had being restrictive. It's remarkable, especially when you compare it to many other big-budget TV shows and movies that don't achieve this level of visual excellence. The explosions were cool and plenty; while still not being overdone. Visually, everything was executed perfectly; it was a true spectacle. I liked the slightly grainy texture it had, instead of the smooth shiny CGI feel like that seen in MCU films.

I liked the storytelling approach of breaking the movie into chapters. It gave the movie a sci-fi narrative or dramatic feel rather than being purely action-packed, although there was plenty of action as well. As I mentioned earlier, there were a lot explosions, but they were handled sensibly and maturely, yet still managed to bring that childlike excitement in me that likes seeing things go boom.

It was funny in a subtle way, they weren't trying to sneak them in and it's not getting big belly laughs. The pacing was good, and overall, it was was just a well-crafted film. The world-building was gradual, allowing you to learn about this world as the movie unfolded, rather than through an upfront introduction to it all. This world was well crafted, showed depth and thoughtful design.

Why would a war vet have an alarm clock that triggers his ptsd???? That was the one unintentionally funny scene, literally burst out laughing at that. Anyway, Sound track music score was great, different from what I usually remember Hans zimmer for, but I should say I don't have a keen ear for that sorta stuff. I was only paying attention because I knew it was zimmer.

It somewhat felt like a breath of fresh air, of course the human vs AI trope isn't new, but this was done right and didn't feel like a repeat or rip-off. It's a sci-fi film with heart and genuine emotions. As far as the plot, it reminded me of Hugh Jackman's solo Wolverine film, Logan. And the cast did well too, a very decent cast who put in wonderful performances, from both antagonists and protagonists sides. Standout was Madeleine Yuna Voyles, who portrayed the character Alphie exceptionally well. I was also impressed by Allison Janney's believably ruthless portrayal; Washington and Ken Watanabe once again showed their acting prowess.

The plot and its twists and turns weren't mind-bending, there were several moments where you could piece things together before the movie officially unveiled them or before the characters caught on. But, I consciously tried to avoid predicting where it was heading. The final act was a pleasant surprise, at one point in the movie, I thought it was reaching its end, but that it was just the beginning of the final stretch. So for me, it felt like a bonus lol.

I was curious as the movie went on if it was going to end a full story arc, or simply just a set up more sequels. I loved that it felt like a natural ending to the story while also leaving the door open for potential sequels. The ending seemed inevitable but I wish it was different, but as I said it felt natural so mixed feelings. The pacing was impressive, and the plot was lean, without any unnecessary stuff. Despite its simplicity, pretty significant events unfolded throughout the movie, keeping the narrative interesting.

This movie is emotionally evocative; beyond sci-fi, it carries the weight of a war drama, which naturally comes with emotional impact. The storytelling is told in a way that tugs at your heartstrings, particularly sympathizing with the AI robot side, but when it comes to the "bad guys," the Americans, you can understand their logic but don't necessarily side with them. The American military personnel are portrayed as very typical, following the textbook design. They view the other side not as people but as enemies, which makes them ruthless and seemingly heartless in their pursuit, all in service to their country bla bla bla.

One aspect I wished the movie had explored further is the theme of emotional dilemmas, particularly whether AI can be considered as beings with feelings. It attempts to touch on this with the "who gets to go to Heaven" theme, but the rest of the movie didn't delve as deeply into these themes as I had anticipated.

Unfortunately, I don't think it's a movie for everyone; it's more enjoyable if you're already a sci-fi fan. This is one of the reasons why I wouldn't rate it a 10/10. For me, that would place it on the same level as "Interstellar," a sci-fi movie so exceptional that it transcends genre preferences. Nonetheless, I still think it's one of the best scifi movies in years. While I'm tempted to say it's the best since "Interstellar," i think that sparks comparisons and I think it's more comparable to films like "Rogue One." Better, maybe, but I haven't watched that movie in years.

Full of Creativity and Beautifully Shot but The Creator Can't Escape Some Cliche Story Beats

[CANpatbuck3664 · 7/10 · 20 October 2023]

Starting my review of the creator with some comments on the acting, I'm surprised at how meteoric John David Washington's rise to the top has been. He's a good actor for sure but he's not just ascending the staircase, he's jumping a few steps at a time. He's anchoring the Creator as our protagonist Joshua. I think he's good in the movie, he's brooding for what feels like most of the run time but when he's given a chance to either be funny in short bursts or vulnerable near the end, he gets the job done. Madeleine Yuna Voyles is fine as Alphie, she accomplishes what's required in any given scene and by the end of the movie, she does what she can in regards to selling the bond her character has with Joshua. It's hard to deliver a noteworthy performance as a child actor/actress and she's better than passable. I keep waiting for the Gemma Chan's breakout role but this is one of her better performances as Maya. She has chemistry with Washington but she's given little to do on her own. She's appropriately cast and she sticks the landing in her part. My two favourite performances were from the veteran members of the supporting cast in Ken Watanabe and Allison Janney as Harun and Colonel Howell respectively. Janney pushes the envelope just far enough without descending into being a cartoon character, her character's palpable hatred for the Simulants creates tension and the amount of disdain she conveys through just a look is impressive. Watanabe brings strength to Harun when he needs to but there's also a lot of warmth when his character is bonding with Alphie.

Despite some solid work from the cast overall, I'd bet what's probably going to draw your attention in the marketing material for The Creator is the design of this dystopian world and how the war between humans and A. I. dazzles on the big screen. Gareth Edwards and his team weren't working with pennies but this is as impressive of a display for a science fiction movie that I've seen in quite a while. The cinematography is fantastic, the character design of the robots evoked Neil Blomkamp's work for me in the best way without ripping it off and the action set pieces are memorable enough to hold your interest. The movie is just as fantastical (or grounded depending on your opinion on the future of artificial intelligence) as any other sci-fi epic, but there's a beautiful mix of real imagination that keeps the movie grounded just enough that you can still take it seriously. I found it disarming that it was so excellently realized and even if you aren't enthralled by the story, The Creator is still a delight from a visual perspective.

I would describe The Creator as story driven as opposed to character driven but we spend enough time with Joshua, Alphie and their friends and enemies to get to know them. I liked the work done on the characters but I wasn't emotionally invested in whether Josh and Maya were going to reunite or if Alphie would make it away safely. I don't want to point the finger at the scriptwriters or the creative team, I was left wondering how much of this movie had been cut out and left on the cutting room floor. Scenes normally required to get us to invest in some of these relationships (e.g. Josh & Alfie, Josh & Shipley or Colonel Howell & McBride) felt like they were missing to me. I don't want to complain about the run time because The Creator isn't a short movie but I was left wondering if they cleaved off a little more than they should have.

My most prominent problem with The Creator was how easy to guess the overall arc of the plot was. I didn't discern what it was going to do minute by minute but you can get where the story will start, advance to and finish largely from the trailer. There are some surprises here and there but if you zoom out and observe the macro progression of the plot, this ground has been covered before. Cliche seems a little harsh of a description but The Creator still lacks something bold in where it decides to venture and I was a little disappointed by that.

The Creator really falls between a 7-8 for me but this is one of the rare situations where I'm going to round down. The film is still a spectacle and if you can get over that the plot is a little recycled in certain respects, there's a lot here to enjoy. Gareth Edwards and his team deserve kudos for making The Creator a worthy theatre experience. But I still wasn't blown-away by this movie and I wanted it to really kick into the next gear to get past the 8/10 mark. The Creator is a solid science fiction adventure that is worth checking out on the biggest screen you can but outside of it's CGI and visual sensibilities, I don't think it will have the staying power to make the huge impact it's clearly swinging for.

Wish I'd watched it sooner.

[ash-57223 · 8/10 · 13 January 2024]

In a world where a mess of a film like Oppenheimer is praised as a masterpiece and a genuinely well told story like The Creator is torn apart for minor flaws, one thing is clear: You can't trust reviews anymore. I avoided this one for a while thanks to other reviewers, but it turned out to be one of the better movies I've seen in a while. Yes, it's predictable, but so is everything else if you've seen more than 10 movies in your life. This isn't the Sixth Sense. It's a moving and generally well told and acted story of redemption that takes place in an impressing array of settings in a thoroughly detailed and imaginative world. If you've been avoiding this one due to the lukewarm reviews I'd recommend giving it a shot. For reference other movies I love include Gattaca, Bladerunner, The Fountain, Fearless, and Edge of Tomorrow.

Rogue 2 for China

[Flak36 · 7/10 · 2 October 2023]

I'll start by saying that I went to see it knowing nothing about the plot, so I didn't have any expectations at all. I enjoyed it despite its flaws that have been pointed out by so many already.

Everyone notices similarities with Terminator, Blade Runner, Avatar, and the visual effects and production design smell "Rogue One". This can be either good or bad depending on your point of view.

Unfortunately the plot has too many unanswered questions which made me scratch my head. I just couldn't accept some of the plot points in the story. Maybe I need to watch the movie a second time to understand it better.

I noticed at least a couple of moments where the editing is objectively bad and gave the impression that there wasn't enough footage to work with. I was also surprised to see Hans Zimmer's name in the end credits as the music didn't stand out in this movie.

Long story short, I appreciate what Gareth Edwards and everyone else involved achieved in this movie. Gareth Edwards wrote a good story but the actual screenplay needed a bit more work.

It's also insane that this was made with such a low budget and as a VFX artist myself I enjoyed the visuals more than anything else.

Review bombed for political reasons

[sherylchilders82 · 8/10 · 14 October 2023]

The reviews of this movie are more misleading than I have EVER seen. Everything that is said is the opposite of what I actually saw. The 2nd or 3rd review in featured (at the time of this writing) didn't even get the gender of the child right, even though it's stated several times (despite the short hair, she's a girl!). Underwhelming? Void of emotion? I felt overwhelmed with emotion the entire film, and had tears streaming by the end. It wasn't just me either. I heard whimpering from a grown man a couple seats over, despite obviously trying to hold it in.

Granted, I'm fairly emotional, so maybe not everyone will feel as strongly. But, this is essentially a war movie. It is a war between AI and humans in the future, but science is not really the underlying theme. It has a definite Vietnam feel, and America is not the good guy (hence the probable reason for political reviews). There's also innuendo of anti-terrorist (read anti-Islamic) violence in recent wars. Take that and the lead is a Black man, his costar a young Asian girl, and the entitled demographics might feel a tad sensitive.

With that out of the way, I went into The Creator with very little info. As sci fi is one of my favorite genres, it was on my watch list for the Fall. I saw and loved Gemma Chan on Humans several years back and was so glad to see her, in sci fi again nonetheless. If you like this film, I recommend that show, as the theme is very similar. She is so perfect that she was convincing as a robot. It added a bit of depth to this film, I thought, too, if you knew she had that role history. And, without giving anything away, Allison Janney made a great female version of the stereotypical stalwart military general.

This is an anti-war film. It has some nice bits in there for those interested in natural history as well. The soundtrack is a little campy at moments, but is a huge part of the impact of the film. Speaking of camp, there is a little fun at parts (ie the dog), but it never outshines the serious tone. This is not an action flick that's going to make light of the violence. But, it's not depressing. On the contrary, it has heart and an optimistic message underneath it all. Plus, it was visually stunning. Everything from the aircraft to the people (including the robots) are perfectly designed and cast.

The Creator is a fantastic addition to its genre, both sci fi and war movie, driving the culture forward.

Movie about A.I. that feels like it was written (poorly) by A.I.

[mark-919-132298 · 6/10 · 28 September 2023]

As the title says. I wanted to like this movie and the world it attempted, but the plot just seems like A. I. had been used to write it.

Intruiging elements of the story, and world that it tried to build, seemed to have been passed over in favour other less important elements, or perhaps they just ended up on the cutting room floor.

The third and final act of the movie also seemed very rushed to the extent that it seemed nonsensical. How did they get onto the Nomad station so easily, and take it down what seemed like such relative ease?

As a result, it just felt like there was this huge pacing imbalance from one part of the movie to the next.

It seemed like in order to try and make the movie meet a certain run-time, they had to cut a whole lot of explanatory or world building elements out.

It almost seems like there could have been two movies worth of story, but they didn't have enough confidence in the material that a second movie would have been green-lit.

Whereas Rogue One had been written and filmed within the context of being a story set within the greater Star Wars universe, it feels like The Creator was written in the same way, but we had no pre-existing universe to work with.

What's it all about, Alphie?

[BA_Harrison · 5/10 · 27 September 2023]

The Terminator films warned us of the dangers of A. I., while the Spielberg/Kubrick movie A. I. painted a different picture in which robots served mankind. Gareth Edwards' The Creator gives us another take on the subject, bringing us a future where America has waged war on intelligent machines to cover up for an accidental nuclear explosion on home soil.

Edwards' film tries to blend sci-fi and action with the ethical issues surrounding artificial intelligence, but in doing so it becomes something of a mess, one that clumsily combines big-budget CGI extravaganza with hamfisted morality, with intended emotionally charged scenes hampered by some truly lousy dialogue (poor Madeleine Yuna Voyles, as Alphie, is given all the worst lines -- Kami: What do you want, sweetie? Alphie: For robots to be free. Gack!).

The film also doesn't make a whole lot of sense at times: I realise that the simulants are supposed to be very human-like, but did they really need to eat and drink? And cry? And why were some simulants young, and others old (one simulant is a decrepit Tibetan monk! Why would he be made like that?). And if Maya created Alphie before she got blasted into a coma, why would she have used her unborn child as the template? (to further the film's plot, of course!).

It's a shame that the script isn't less problematic, because the film is amazing to look at, a triumph of special effects and incredible production design: it's the stunning visuals that helped me make it to the end.

4.5/10, generously rounded up to 5 for IMDb.

Beautifully directed, decently written

[benjaminskylerhill · 9/10 · 28 September 2023]

Gareth Edwards proves himself to be an astoundingly brilliant director with The Creator, as he crafts a visual and auditory world rich with layers of detail, and characters that we quickly understand and naturally grow over the course of the story.

He made an $80 million movie that looks like it cost at least twice that. This cost less than half of what Thor: Love and Thunder cost. Let that sink in.

Edwards shows he's a better director than writer, as the film is far from original, borrowing concepts and themes from plenty of old classic sci-fi stories. And it's also burdened with some clunky dialogue and rushed, convenient crucial plot points.

Yeah, it's imperfect. But it's made with a confidence and care that goes beyond the degree of admirable. It's an earnest expression of love, redemption, sacrifice, and forgiveness put out by a filmmaker who really cares for the characters whose story he's telling.

It's a work of art that, even with its flaws, deserves to be seen.

An Original Sci-Fi Story

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 27 November 2023]

In 2055, a nuclear warhead is blown-up in Los Angeles and humans blame an AI for the explosion. As the result, most of the nations declare war on AI to save the human race. However, people from the New Asia continue to live with AI. Fifteen years later, the US military has developed the ultimate weapon called NOMAD to destroy the AI in New Asia that resist. Sergeant Joshua Taylor (John David Washington) is sent undercover to New Asia to find where the creator of the AI named Nirmata is hidden and he falls in love with the New Asian Maya (Gemma Chan) and they get married. Maya becomes his wife and is pregnant, when the US military team launches and attack where Josha is, exposing his cover. Maya flees with her AI family in boats, but the NOMAD explodes the ships. Five years later, Joshua is summoned by General Andrews (Ralph Ineson) and Colonel Howell (Allison Janney) to return to New Asia to destroy a new weapon called Alpha O and developed by Nirmata that may be capable to destroy NOMAD, but Joshua shows no interest. They show a video of Maya alive to convince Joshua to join the team that will be moved to destroy the weapon. He succeeds enter in the hidden compound and find a simulant that has the appearance of a girl and gives the name Alphie (Madeleine Yuna Voyles). Instead of delivering to Howell, he flees with Alphie to meet his friend and former commander Drew (Sturgill Simpson) to find what Alphie is and the whereabouts of Maya. But he is hunted down by the police and by Colonel Howell.

"The Creator" is the most original Sci-Fi recently released by the industry. The plot has a different view of the artificial intelligence (AI), showing them as pacific machines that would like to coexist with humans; on the other hand, American government is evil and manipulative. The opposite of Terminator franchise that give a warn against the AI> Even the destruction of Los Angeles, as explained by Harun, performed by Ken Watanabe, was caused by a human coding error that the U. S. government blamed on AI. The special effects, cinematography and direction is top-notch, and deserved a better screenplay. The beginning is too abrupt and only explained in flashbacks, and the viewer begins to watch the movie without understanding the situation of Joshua and Maya. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Resistência" ("Resistance")

Lots of stuff happend then it ended

[Jim_Screechy · 5/10 · 17 November 2023]

I watched this from start to finish without being drawn into the story at any point.

I think John Washington is miscast here, I had the same exact experience when i watched Tenet... found myself very disconnected as I he didn't seem to make a proper connection with the role he was portraying.

That is not to say the film isn't without issues. They have been fairly well documented by other reviewers so I'll not labour the points here.

My main issue is with the lack of emotional involvment with the characters. The film measures zero on the emtional richter scale, but more, the screenplay just doesn't manage to get you excited or involved with anything that is unfolding. Additionally, the characters seem to have little connection to each other. In fact it is only at the end of the movie that Joshua and Alphie seem to have any tangible emotional cohesion.

Contrast this with The Golden Child 1986 where Eddie Murphy plays Chandler Jarrell and the connection he makes to The Golden Child played by J. L. Reate. Here you can see what a great connection is established on screen and the massive difference in outcome it produces. Both films have two similar sets of pairings in almost identical scenarios with a stark contrast in outcome.

Anyway, for me the film was a big dissapointment, I can't say John David Washington was the cause of this since the Movie has many other problematic aspects, but the ones I've mentioned were particularly significant for me.

5/10 sadly.

Really promising but doesn't meet my expectations

[constantinnicolaou · 7/10 · 9 January 2024]

The movie, overall offers some special moments and tries to stand out but there are some plot holes not to mention that the protagonist is not persuing me to follow his persoanl story and goals.

I mean, this could be a good pilot for a series or so, but definitely can't meet the success of other sci-fi movies.

The main idea of the script is pretty good and gives yousome new uspects of the whole AI unicerse and the connection it may have with humans. But is this really enough to lead you to success or at least make it to the top of its category. I really dought that. It fails to to stand out but it's a nice try. Don't regret watching this but would like to have gained more.