In 2010, writer and director Gareth Edwards blew away cinema-goers with his haunting science-fiction tale, Monsters. The film was made on a micro-budget, but managed to appear vastly more expensive. Edwards’ skills caught the eye of the studios and he was quickly hired to direct Godzilla. After that came Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Then came a quiet period for Edwards, but now he has returned with another science-fiction epic, The Creator.
Whereas Godzilla and Rogue One were both based on pre-existing properties, The Creator sees Edwards get back to his basics. The story is original, free from the shackles of toxic fandoms, and has allowed Edwards to demonstrate the talent that audiences fell in love with during Monsters. Set in the near future of 2065, The Creator takes place amidst a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence.
Ex-special forces agent Joshua Taylor (John David Washington) is pulled back into the fight after new information about his missing wife (Gemma Chan) comes to light. Josh is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI who has developed a mysterious weapon with apocalyptic capabilities. His mission is thrown into turmoil however, when the identity of this architect is revealed to be that of a child.
Though the premise sticks close to a generic strand of science-fiction story, Edwards goes hard on emotional content. The Creator may have plenty of moments of action, but all of them are infused with a range of emotions, from grief and hatred, to forgiveness and melancholy. The impact of every action is felt, and has reason. This is not just carnage for the sake of spectacle. The emotional core runs deep enough to devastate, several sequences will render the audience into silent weeping.
Pushing the emotion laced throughout Edwards script is a stunning performance by John David Washington. Joshua is an interesting protagonist; his allegiances are somewhat grey, making him more anti-hero than traditional warrior. Washington is joined by Madeleine Yuna Voyles as AI Alphie, who is simply incredible. The union of both actors is phenomenal, Edwards having captured lightning in a bottle. Their interactions are beautiful to behold, the strange father-daughter dynamic between them tugs on the heartstrings, wringing even greater emotional connection for the viewer. The war falls into the background when they meet; The Creator might be one of the most emotionally intimate science-fiction stories in years.
Visually, The Creator is awe-inspiring. Edwards takes what he has learned thus far in his career and puts it to great use in creating a world of the future that feels organic. Edwards blends new world technology alongside the historical landscapes of Asia beautifully. The juxtaposition of modern and ancient crafts a world that looks real. The richness of its creation ensures that this is a setting that viewers will love to get lost in. To compare Edwards’ work in The Creator to one of the greats, he achieves the same level of world-building that James Cameron managed with Avatar.
Cameron has been a clear influence of The Creator, the focus on AI and the emotion of the characters is straight out of Cameron’s Terminator playbook. In fact, in so many ways, some too hard to articulate, The Creator feels as though it is a spiritual third Terminator film. This is the kind of story that should have followed Terminator 2, and if they have to try to resurrect that dying franchise again, Edwards would be a perfect pair of hands.
An emotional science-fiction juggernaut, The Creator whisks the viewer away to a mesmerising world. Whilst there, they are confronted with a highly personal exploration of parental responsibility and child-like innocence. Proof that Edwards is at his absolute peak when allowed to explore his own imagination, The Creator is a resounding success that deserves to be a box-office titan.
The Creator
Summary
Humanity explored through the eyes of a machine, The Creator is an intimate, emotional story with some expert world-building and mind-blowing action. This is science-fiction at its most epic and engaging.
The Creator arrives in UK cinemas from Thursday 28th September.
