Many sci-fi enthusiasts were immediately drawn to The Creator after seeing the initial teaser, but some were dubious about whether the actual film would live up to expectations. Fans of the genre are all too frequently let down by brilliant marketing and angry by the time the credits roll.
So is that the case with The Creator?
The initial response from film reviewers and blog outlets leads one to assume that the film will be one of the rare high sci-fi projects that actually delivers on its promise.
In the dystopian parallel universe of The Creator, AI machines have grown conscious and some have even attained independence, sparking a lengthy conflict with human forces.
A nuclear bomb unleashed by the robot side transforms the battle between humans and robots, causing mankind to undertake a counterattack to identify and eliminate the catastrophe's creator.
When an ex-special forces agent meets the mastermind of the attack, a child-like robot named Alfie, he discovers something he did not anticipate.
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 Monday 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.