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Rating: 3.5 out of 5
A.I., aka Artificial Intelligence, has become a hot but also new scary topic today. We are now at the point in society where we can replicate someone’s voice to almost sound exactly like them. Give it a few years; we won’t even be able to decipher who is who. Hell, we are even at the point where we can face-swap a person’s face on a video and make it look like them. As technology improves and develops, humanity might face the fundamental question of being replaced.
Directed by Gareth Edwards, who co-wrote the screenplay with Chris Weitz, the Creator is a film where humanity is at war with A.I., and an ex-special forces agent is tasked with killing a being known as the Creator. In 2055, A nuclear weapon decimates Los Angeles, leaving the city in rubble. Humans blame A.I. for the explosion, while A.I. states it wasn’t their fault. As a result, most of the world’s nations declare war on A.I. to save humanity. In response, the formation of New Asia opposes this decision and continues to live and harmonize with A.I. Fifteen years after the vote in 2070, the U.S. military has created a deadly world-dominating weapon called NOMAD with the sole purpose of destroying all of A.I. in New Asia. Sergeant Joshua Taylor (Washington) is tasked with infiltrating New Asia to find the one called Nirmata, known as the Creator. While on his mission, Joshua falls in love with a woman named Maya (Chan). The pair marries, and Maya becomes pregnant. Joshua is happy and loving life until the U.S. military launches an attack where he is at. Joshua’s cover is exposed, and Maya leaves him for her A.I. family. As she tries to make her escape, NOMAD launches an attack, killing her and all the boats. Five years later, Joshua works at a disposal unit near Los Angeles. When he is recruited by General Andrews (Ineson) and Colonel Howell (Janney) to return to New Asia once again to destroy a new weapon called Alpha O developed by Nirmata with the sole ability to destroy NOMAD. Joshua shows zero interest until the pair shows that Maya is alive and well. Joshua, wanting to see his wife, agrees to the mission and, during it, finds a simulant with the appearance of a little girl. Joshua names the girl Alphie and soon discovers that the girl is the weapon. Joshua must decide to save the girl and destroy NOMAD or be reunited with his wife.
Let’s start off with the bad of this film. I wouldn’t say that it was awful, but repetitive to no fault of its own. The premise of humanity at war with A.I. is a story that has been told many times over. I feel like it is the basis of many films like The Terminator and The Matrix, to name a few. This one had A.I. doing its own thing in New Asia, but once again, humanity is at war with robots, to say the least. After a while, when you see one film with this storyline, they all start blending together. In this one, you have the usual ex-special forces person whose life has gone downhill and has a chance to redeem himself. When he finds the weapon, which is usually a child, he changes his mind to help. It seems to happen in many action films. Usually, we know the outcome of the film way before as the person usually dies.
Where this film departs is that A.I. in this film seems to be the pacifist, and the United States is the primary aggressor. The A.I. in this film seemed to practice Buddhism and live in little villages around New Asia. They have weapons to protect themselves from the U.S. might but also seemed unequipped to handle strong U.S. force. We see this with the weapon of NOMAD. A weapon that looks like a freakin Imperial Star Destroyer. It is massive, and when it scans the ground, it drops a weapon of massive destruction. With the weapon alone that moves worldwide, it seems like no one stands a chance.
The visual effects in this film are mind-blowing. You will watch this film for the visual effects alone because they are that fantastic. One way it is shown is with the fictional U.S. military space station NOMAD. The weapon’s design as it glides through the air would be something to look at in real life. It is massive and has a distinct shadow as it hovers over the ground. The people who were part A.I. were also visually stunning. It looked better than many movies that have a mixture between robots and humans. The wiring in their heads or even the personality of some were well done. You will not be disappointed with the visual effects. They are jaw-dropping.
I must give it up to John David Washington. He is starting to really show that he is a force in this world with his acting. You can tell that he learned from his dad, who is in the G.O.A.T. conversation. Washington, as Joshua, showed a man who is conflicted with what he is tasked to do. Once he made up his mind, he went full steam ahead even if he knew his own fate.
The Creator is one of those films that has AMAZING visual effects. The visual effects alone should get you to watch this film. Washington’s performance was also a highlight. On the other hand, the story falls short as it has been told many times over. Don’t let it hold you back from watching because it might give you thoughts on what it means to be human.
