The Creator currently stands as one of the year’s best, and one one of the year’s most unique films that feel like only comes every once and a while.

There was a lot of anticipation for The Creator going in. The trailers were promising and it showed that John David Washington continues to choose very prestigious roles. The film’s director, Gareth Edwards, has been very hit or miss for me. His work as a director understands how to subvert viewer expectations and create something worth watching know matter how good or bad it may be. Even if the film was bad in my eyes, I still would have found merit due to who was behind it. I forgot about my expectations as soon as the film started and only remembered after it ended, which says something about the quality of the film.

Positives

Instead of jumping straight into the actual narrative that kickstarts the plot, the film starts with a documentary-like montage to better explain what is to come. Camera techniques of earlier times are utilized to date how long robots have been in existence. It’s an interesting way to establish this world, but what comes next shows the upmost confidence that Edwards has with building this world.

The choices that Edwards uses shows that he wants to make films that are different, yet not spoon feed information to the audience. The film is cut up into different segments with a title card placed over a vintage black screen to signify what is to come. For a movie of this caliber, it added an independent and art-house feel that feels rare in a movie like this. What I also appreciated about Edward’s direction is how information is conveyed organically. The device that is up in the sky, also known as the USS NOMAD, is used in a way that builds mystery around it. There are even specific plot elements that are unlayered as the movie goes on to show more significance allowing for more of an emotional purpose. These particular moments had people in my theater in tears.

It is difficult to mention a whole lot about the film in fear of spoilers. There are plenty of moments in this movie where I was genuinely surprised, but that is just Edwards, once again, knowing how to subvert expectations. Furthermore, what I appreciate about his direction is how committed he is to the characters. John David Washington takes his role very seriously here as a character who has to try to do the right thing given his background and selfish ways. There is also newcomer, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, in her acting debut as Aphie. No matter how you may feel about it, I think nearly everyone will come out of this as though feeling like she is one of the best aspects of the film. The film also has a strong understanding of its themes, which feel timely to today.

On an 80 million dollar budget, it is extremely impressive what is accomplished here. For context, Expend4bles cost 20 million dollars more, going to show how important it uses to utilize a budget properly in order to get the best returns. While its modest opening box office weekend amounts to a little over 32 million dollars, it’s unsure to see if that will amount to a profitable return. The film isn’t trying to go for a sequel, a good box office return would help get more unique projects like this greenlit.

Negatives

No negatives

What Could Have Been Better…

If there was anything I would change, I would have added a few more scenes to allow for an even better flow. Sometimes, characters only come and go for the sake of the story. For example, two characters who are trying to search for another character just happen to show up at specific times. There is also one particular sequence that is very sudden towards the climax that involves John David Washington’s character. I think adding in a few more scenes wouldn’t have hurt and would have actually added more context and emotion to the particular scenes.

At 2 hours and 13 minutes, the film already feels like a lot. There were even people in my theater who I overheard asking out loud how long the movie was, because there is a lot put into its runtime already. I don’t think I’d be surprised if there were scenes that were cut for the sake of pacing. This is not a negative, but one particular aspect I would have beefed up if I had any say.

Overall, The Creator is a perfect sci-fi that has hints of other great sci-fi films, yet knows what to do to make its own. Its innovative worldbuilding and effective storytelling results in a perfect blend of sci-fi originality. John David Washington continues to establish himself as a household name and Gareth Edwards solidifies himself as one of the best sci-fi directors out there.

VERDICT: Perfect