Becoming The Muse

The Creator Movie Review

The Creator is a 2023 American science fiction action film produced and directed by Gareth Edwards. The movie was released in the United States on 29 September 2023 by 20th Century Studios.

The movie is set in 2070, when there’s war against artificial intelligence and an ex-special forces agent is recruited to hunt down and kill The Creator, who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end the war and mankind…. but its not quite what he expected it to be.

The Good

In a world of reboots, sequels and adaptations, The Creator is an “original” production which is not based on anything else, although the premise is not entirely new… there’s familiar aspects to Terminator Judgement day and The Matrix with a hint of Star Wars which isnt surprising since the director did Rogue One…

It is a visually stunning production that explores the themes of artificial intelligence, human identity and morality.

Given the technological leaps we have experienced in AI, the future that was once a dream in the Terminator movies, is now seeming more like reality, this thought provoking movie might even have you wondering if humankind is actually the villain in this tale or maybe Skynet wrote the script…. Make peace not war with the artificial intelligence.

John David Washington, is fully immersed in his role, delivering a solid performance as an ambiguous character whom one cannot make assumptions about.

Alphie brings a childlike wonder and innocence to the face of artificial intelligence and does a great job of showing how artificial intelligence learns from us and is the way it is because we are the way we are…

The father daughter bond between Joshua and Alphie warms up the otherwise dystopian post-apocalyptic world and helps the movie find its heart.

Alphie: Are you going to heaven?
Joshua: No. You gotta be a good person to go to Heaven.
Alphie: Then we're the same, we can't go to heaven. Because you're not good, and I'm not a person.

There is also a non-too subtle reference to global geopolitics, with America leading the war against the machines, wanting to win at all costs, while the Asian nations find AI to be more humane than humans co-existing peacefully until forced to pick a side… and they choose to stand with the machines.

The Bad

With a running time of slightly over two hours it feels like its got some unnecessary footage that could have best been cut for a tighter storyline. It starts of with thrilling action and world building, and loses steam along the way and concluding with a rushed ending that doesn’t fully resolve the plot…

By the end of it, you are not sure whose side anyone should be on and what is the exact point the movie is trying to make to us, as either side commits atrocities and it doesn’t fully explore the impact of AI or what a synergy would be like only an undefined us versus them, unprovoked aggressors against a peaceful folk… Big Bad America with a serving of xenophobia.

The movie has great atmosphere, but isnt quite fulfilling… like a beautiful meal with excellent plating that leaves you unsatisfied…

The Ugly

The plot pushes a storyline sympathetic to the artificial intelligence, which would be the kind of movie AI would produce as propaganda for us to be more receptive to co-existence and appreciate that machines have feelings too and want some of the basic things that we want too

Kami: What do you want, sweetie?
Alphie: For robots to be free.
Kami: Oh. We don't have that in the fridge. How about ice cream?

Dont let the title fool you, its not a spiritual epiphany about The Creator even if it does to try to suggest something profound or spiritual tied to AI… but it simply uses that as a backdrop than fully explore the nuances.

Final Thoughts

It’s a fun watch that raises interesting questions and may just stay in your mind for a little while after watching… Its not exceptional, but it ticks a couple of boxes.

Have you watched it? Is it something you would watch…. Do you think AI is out to get us?

~B