The Creator

Humans created artificial intelligence, only to watch it go dangerously rogue and prompt a desperate effort to put the genie back in the bottle. That scenario has been a genre staple for decades, but The Creator gives those familiar themes some fresh relevance.

In this ambitious science-fiction adventure from director Gareth Edwards (Rogue One), there’s a morally ambiguous gray area separating heroes and villains. In fighting the robots and cyborgs we created, we’re really fighting ourselves.

Stirring if muddled, this provocative cautionary tale offers rewards for both the eyes and the brain. It’s set 50 years in the future yet feels timely, even if it exists in a bubble of sociopolitical idealism and oversimplifies the technological ramifications for contemporary mainstream consumption.

The dystopian story opens in 2065, a decade after a massive tragedy the prompted the United States began a war to eradicate all AI beings. This has created a rift between the American government and the continent of New Asia, which continues to embrace the tech.

Former soldier Joshua (John David Washington) is cynical after an incident involving his pregnant wife (Gemma Chan), who is missing and presumed dead. He reluctantly is coerced back into service by a callous colonel (Allison Janney) for an overseas mission to locate and bring down the source of the new wave of AI. “This is our last chance to win the war,” he’s told bluntly. “If they win, we’re extinct.”

Along the way, the skeptical Joshua’s paternal instincts cause him to become the caretaker of an orphaned simulant child (Madeleine Yuna Voyles) with secret powers, thereby splitting his loyalties.

The broader cutthroat power struggle is really an internal battle fueled by hubris, ego, and misplaced priorities. But is there a path to peaceful coexistence?

Washington’s richly textured performance conveys very human emotions in providing our window into this world. Expressive newcomer Voyles is more than just a cute pawn.

Meanwhile, despite some arbitrary twists, the chronologically jumbled screenplay avoids wallowing in bleakness or despair. Spectacle rarely overwhelms substance in this high-minded examination of spirituality, xenophobia, ethics, and evolution.

Edwards and Oscar-winning cinematographer Greig Fraser (Dune) craft a visually striking futuristic landscape marked by immersive world-building, cool high-tech gadgetry, and seamless special effects.

Beneath its bitter conflict, The Creator maintains a cautious optimism about our future without settling for cheap catharsis. And it’s just convincing enough to validate the heightened stakes.

Rated PG-13, 133 minutes.