Following the release of the first trailer for The Creator, many sci-fi fans found themselves instantly intrigued by the film but skeptical about whether the actual movie would deliver. All too often, fans of the genre find themselves burned by clever marketing and disappointed by the time they leave the movie theater.
So is that the case with The Creator?
Well, the first reactions from film critics and blog outlets would have you believe that's not the case.
The world of The Creator is a futuristic counterpart of our own, where AI robots have developed awareness and some have even gained independence, leading to a protracted war with human forces.
The conflict between humans and robots changes when a nuclear bomb is dropped by the robot side, prompting humanity to launch a counterstrike to find and terminate the mastermind behind the catastrophe.
However, ex-special forces find something other than what he expected when he comes face-to-face with the architect of the attack, a child-like robot named Alfie.
Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, Godzilla) directed the film and co-wrote the script alongside Chris Weitz (The Golden Compass, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story). Legendary award-winning composer Hans Zimmer (The Dark Knight, Man of Steel, Dunkirk) is handling the score.
In previously released promo material for the film, John David Washington praised the director, stating, "Gareth has this ability to inject compassion in a sci-fi genre that usually leans on spectacle and danger."
With a tiny film crew, Edwards visited 80 sites throughout the world to give The Creator a realistic aesthetic. By using this manner of filmmaking instead of the typical sound stage and green screen techniques, Edwards was able to complete the movie for a manageable $86 million.
The Creator was thought to premiere next week at Fantastic Fest in Texas on September 26 but it seems there was a special advance screening held last night. The domestic release opens wide across North America on September 29.
The cast includes John David Washington as Joshua, Gemma Chan as Maya, Ken Watanabe as Harun, Sturgill Simpson as Shipley, Madeleine Yuna Voyles as Alfie, and Allison Janney as Howell.
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.