The Creator

The Creator is an original sci-fi movie written, produced and directed by Gareth Edwards (commonly known as director of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story).

Lets start with the positives first. The Creator looks visually superb. They have really imagined a interesting future earth and used the production budget wisely, not over extending what is possible, and creating a curious mix of retro and future looking technology. The cinematography and location shots featuring the spaceships and battle scenes are really well done.

On the negative side, the script is not very strong and we are not fully invested in what is going on or the characters involved. We neither see the bigger picture of this post nuclear reality, nor are we given significant smaller details and depth regarding the people and what they are fighting for.

It is a bit of a mish-mash of seeing robots caring for children and animals and dressed as buddhist monks and US style imperialism (think post cold war foreign policy), with marines massacring indiscriminately while looking for 'the weapon'. We are given a nugget of thought when the Human / Neanderthal analogy is dropped in but it is never followed up with any real substance to carry the idea forward. Therefore we don't know who to root for and the viewer is left hanging.

The acting is average and not great, perhaps reflecting the reality of the budget more than the excellent effects do. John David Washington feels out of his depth with the emotional range he is asked to give, and is eclipsed by the child actor playing 'Alfie'.

Overall, it's not awful, it's a bit disappointing as the potential was there and perhaps another draft of the script could have taken it to another level.

6/10.

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.

Additionally Thought the film is incredible to look at, much of what unfolds makes no sense. I'd liken this film to an iconic fashion show where the crowd Oohs and Aahs at the fantastic creations that unfold on the runway, that no one (bar Lady Gaga) would ever be caught dead in at a normal social event.

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.

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.

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.

While the film boasts spectacular cinematography, breathtaking scenery, and top-notch special effects, it's truly disappointing that the storyline is painfully inconsistent. Despite the promising concept, the narrative fails to maintain a cohesive flow, leaving viewers grappling with disjointed plot points. The movie's visual elements, from stunning set designs to captivating photography, create a visually immersive experience that almost compensates for its narrative shortcomings. It's a regrettable case of missed potential, where the brilliance of the visuals struggles to salvage a story that lacks the cohesion necessary to make it truly memorable.