The Creator (2023)

Rating: 8.8

The Creator is EVERYTHING we've been craving as film fans. Thought provoking, original concepts made by a true visionary with a complete mastery over his craft. Also the best handling of our current challenges with AI. It's so tastefully woven. Engrossing, thought provoking and visually arresting —I'm completely in love with this film.

The Creator is truly something special - a masterful piece of incredibly original sci-fi! This film definitely has many influences from George Lucas, Ridley Scott and James Cameron but Gareth Edwards also managed to give the film its own voice. It’s one of the most fully realized sci-fi films I’ve ever seen, both thematically and in world building. We haven’t had big, bold, original sci-fi like this in years! It’s so refreshing and exhilarating to see a movie so original and creative deliver on its premise! What it lacks in depth of characters and story, it makes up for with an incredible aesthetic. Mind-blowing visual effects, production design and cinematography.

The highest praise I can give the visual effects of The Creator is that you just don’t see them. The fidelity of integration between the live footage and CGI is so good you don’t see it.

I’m so impressed with what Edwards was able to pull off with this film (and all for ONLY $80mil). He’s made an original sci-fi movie in a time where making original movies on this scale is next to impossible and the film delivers on so many levels! It’s a must see spectacle; truly a jaw-dropping, remarkable cinematic experience. A soulful, nuanced, Lucas-like interrogation of human beliefs/biases and our insecurity in the face of something greater. Spectacle and heart to the highest order with a legendary 3rd act! Pure cinema!

I can't stress enough how important it is for film fans to go out and see it this weekend. It's a masterful visual feast and an intimate examination of humanity. It's fresh, made by passionate artists. It's WHY we go to the movies!

If you want more original action sci-fi films instead of endless uninspired remakes & sequels, I'm begging you:

Go see The Creator in theatres.

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Film Info:

Premise: Amid a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence, Joshua, a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving the disappearance of his wife, is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end the war-and mankind itself.

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20th Century Studios

Directed by Gareth Edwards

Screenplay by Gareth Edwards & Chris Weitz

Story by Gareth Edwards

Cast: John David Washington, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, Gemma Chan, Allison Janey, Ken Watanabe

Runtime: 2hr 13min

Rating: PG

Action, Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller

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IMDb Rating: 7.3/10

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 68%

RT Audience Score: 76%

RT Critic Average: 6.8/10

RT Audience Average: 4.1/5

Metacritic Score: 63

CinemaScore: B+

Letterboxd: 3.6/5

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Fun Fact: Gareth Edwards tried to make this film as traditionally as possible. In preparation for filming, he visited a virtual reality studio and was confused by seeing a poster explaining the process of filmmaking on the wall. Upon inquiring why such an obvious poster was on the wall, Edwards was shocked to find out that it was over 100 years old. Edwards then decided to take a different approach and talked the studio into letting him film without green screen, and filming on-location, using smaller cameras, using guerrilla-filming techniques, employing Industrial Light and Magic and then adding in the sci-fi elements later.

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Trailer: