“The Creator” Serves Up An Original Story Complete With Stunning Visuals

The IMAX poster for The Creator, with an image of Alphie expanded in the background, and Joshua (John David Washington) in the foreground.

The human race is at war with artificial intelligence, and the elusive architect of the AI known as the Creator has developed an ultimate weapon with the power to end the war and all of mankind. Ex-special forces agent Jush is recruited to find and kill the Creator and discovers the mysterious weapon is an AI in the form of a young child.

“The Creator” is an original story by Gareth Edwards (Godzilla, Rogue One), who also directed the film. Edwards has built an immersive world with impressive visuals. The first act starts strong, establishing the relationship between Joshua (John David Washington) and his wife Maya (Gemma Chan), and living their lives among AI. However, the powerful weapon NOMAD invades the shore of their home, bringing destruction and forcing the people to flee.

Following the event, Joshua is asked by Colonel Howell (Allison Janney) to search for the AI weapon. Joshua ends up finding the weapon but is surprised to find it in the form of a young child. Unable to destroy Alphie as he was instructed, the pair journeys through New Asia – a territory that has embraced AI. As NOMAD follows their trailer, it leaves mass destruction in the wake of its path, killing many innocent people.

The world-building in “The Creator” is impressive, paired with stellar performances from Washington, Chan, Watanabe, and Madeline Yuna Voyles. However, it offered little when it comes to the depth of the characters, making it difficult to feel connected to them or the bond between them. It leads one to wonder if this story could have been better told in a mini-series rather than a 2-hour+ movie.

Our full review is available here: