The Creator
Year: 2023
Rating: PG-13
Length: 133 minutes / 2.22 hours
Knowing how rare new science fiction movies are, I was interested to see what The Creator (2023) would say about artificial intelligence. Even if we’re currently seeing a rise in generative AI tools, the AI in The Creator are more like the replicants in Blade Runner (1982). And while Gareth Edwards hasn’t had a lot of movies under his belt, he’s proven that he can handle big franchises like Godzilla (2014) and Star Wars (with Rogue One (2016)). Unfortunately, this “original” film feels highly derivative of these previous movies in his filmography.
Plot-wise, much of The Creator cribs from Rogue One. The big orbiting doomsday device that looms as a threat over key battle sequences gives off big Death Star vibes. That there’s a MacGuffin that’s supposed to save the world/universe which causes the main character to undergo great sacrifice is yet another parallel that’s hard to ignore. Granted, many consider Rogue One to be a great film, so another military sci-fi that copies a lot of elements from it is bound to be great as well. I agree that there were some interesting technology concepts explored in The Creator, but the premise didn’t click for me.
Maybe the bigger issue I have with this film is how it tells us things we already know. Since it’s set in a future version of our world, it just reinforces the fact that the United States can be an imposing military force in Asia for no other reason than to maintain a global domination of military might. As the Vietnam War showed us, the locals who are being targeted by the U.S. military-industrial complex have enough grit and tools to stand up to the oppression of the American military. Overall, its message seems weak despite its impressive visuals.
A somewhat derivative “original” sci-fi film, I give The Creator 3.5 stars out of 5.
1/2
