The Creator (2023), written by Gareth Edwards and Chris Weitz is science fiction at its best; it entertains with edge of your seat action and, at the same time, forces you to consider philosophical and ethical issues. Unlike other movies about humans fighting against Artificial Intelligence, like The Matrix and Terminator series, The Creator introduces a more balanced concept where neither side is pure evil, and both the humans and robots are acting out of fear of extinction.

One unique aspect of the story is the blend of tech and religion, where you see robots dressed in Buddhist monks’ robes and a robot’s body is cremated in what appears to be a Hindu ceremony. That may be a glimpse into the future, because it isn’t that hard to imagine a Pastor standing behind a pulpit, using a sermon written by AI.

This movie is certainly worth the cost of a ticket to see it on the big screen, because the action scenes are impressive, with seamless CGI and very cool military tech. A sobering thought is that what is considered science fiction today, is often reality in the not to distant future.

What I didn’t like about The Creator was the way Americans were portrayed as heartless brutes who only understand force. One American soldier, trying to find the entrance to a artificial intelligence lab, threats to shoot a little girl’s puppy. Granted, the soldiers in the scene believe that if they don’t find the lab, it will mean the end of humanity, but it was still reminiscent of the worst images from the Vietnam War.

Throughout The Creator, the underlying theme is the relationship between humanity and Artificial Intelligence. It’s an important issue to consider, because it won’t be long before robots are working alongside humans in warehouses, while other robots are tasked with caring for the elderly.

The Creator will keep your adrenaline flowing, while it tears at your heart strings, which is the result of great storytelling. As I left the theatre and turned on my cell phone, I looked down at the screen and thought to myself, “I hope it doesn’t want to kill me.”

Copyright © 2023 by J. Paul Cooper