REVIEW | The Creator makes interesting points about AI, but the film leaves much to be desired

Against the backdrop of a war between humans and robots with artificial intelligence, a former soldier finds the secret weapon, a robot in the form of a young child.

Is it a blessing or a curse that Gareth Edwards' The Creator should come at a time when artificial intelligence is one of the year's hottest and most controversial topics? In Hollywood, film industry workers are seeking protection against the threat of AI and other industries have expressed their anxiety too. The Creator, which was in development way ahead of AI's dominance in international conversation, taps into the anxieties we have today but still paints AI in a sympathetic and empathetic light.

By pure coincidence, The Creator is incredibly relevant and slightly incongruent with current sensibilities around AI. Though the film prods at deeper philosophical questions and contemplates the impact of technology on humanity, it still leaves much to be desired in terms of a theatrical experience.

The film is predominantly set in Southeast Asia and features countless sequences of gorgeous landscapes and scenery. Edwards got the early concept for the film when he was driving through the American Midwest. He noticed a strange factory with a Japanese logo on it. It fired up his imagination and immediately made him think of robots.

The Creator, which stars John David Washington, Gemma Chan and Ken Watanabe, has a near-future setting. It marries rural and futuristic aesthetics for a world that feels fresh. Though at a surface level, the film provides a tantalising sci-fi experience, the story is dragged down by overdone tropes and unoriginal writing.

Joshua (Washington) is an ex-soldier in a war against AI. His tragic backstory involves losing his pregnant partner, who fought on the opposite side of the conflict. He is reluctantly roped back into the fight against AI and joins a mission to recover a powerful weapon. Problems in the plan arise when Joshua discovers that the weapon, which can manipulate any technology, is a child.

Slowly but surely, he learns to understand the struggle of AI as he bonds with the powerful but naïve child named Alphie (Madeleine Yuna Voyles). The plot brims with initial intrigue but is hurt by structural issues. Instead of building forward momentum, the story drags towards the end, effectively running out of steam. The whole final act feels tacked on, even if it provides a satisfying ending.

What the film pulls off well is showing how the world society's idealism of AI takes an about-turn. AI isn't just the enemy; it's the enforcer of law and the doers of menial tasks. It is a foundational part of society. The Creator does a slick job of illustrating this without being too on the nose. The film's critiques of Western exceptionalism and imperialism also feel pointed.

The reference points for the film are clear. It's hard not to think of other sci-fi giants like Blade Runner. Though the Blade Runner comparisons are inevitable, the film seems to be okay with that. The 1982 film has its replicants, while The Creator has its simulants (its name for robots that mimic humans). In both films, cities feel oppressive and maimed by consumerism. Both films also ask philosophical questions about what it means to be human and ethical questions about self-aware machines.

But is The Creator worse off for being so clearly inspired by the classics? Not at all. The film is able to carve out its own aesthetic that feels modern and cool – all the best sci-fi films craft an entrancing atmosphere. 

The film relies on a few overused tropes to push its story forward. They are used to take away from the fact that almost all the characters feel empty and underwritten. The most tired of the tropes is the use of a woman's death to push a male character's arc forward. Here, it's used with minimal subversion to make Joshua a 'deeper' and more 'complex' hero.

For some, The Creator will be a gift and a breath of fresh air. It is an original sci-fi film, straight from the mind of Edwards. One can applaud his daring for creating a work that is not tied to previous source material, franchise or intellectual property. However, The Creator isn't anything new; it's open and proud about its homages and influences, at the cost of being derivative. Edwards' direction is rock solid, but the writing of The Creator fails to break away from overdone action and drama tropes. Edwards has still created a fascinating world with the potential to tell even greater stories. The film feels so fixated on hitting all the blockbuster beats that the quiet allure of its milieu becomes neglected.

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE: