Gareth Edwards made what is easily the best Star Wars movie of the Disney Era in Rogue one. A film that notably had fantastic visuals and a surprisingly decent plot. Edwards' first original film is a visual treat, with great action, acting and characters but a plot that is held together by conveniences and contrivances, that is then shattered by a rushed third act.
For the positive, for an $80 million budget, the visuals are spectacular. Every android feels convincing, the CGI is immaculate and the cinematography is excellent. This film spits in the face of $300 million superhero movies, and it shows that talent and effort will always trump money. The action feels real and visceral, with great sound design.
The performances are strong across the board, especially from John David Washington. This might just be his best performance since Blackkklansman, he really brings it in the emotional moments. But the star of the show is Madeleine Yuna Voyles who delivers an excellent performance, especially at such a young age. Her chemistry with John David Washington is palpable, and they are what anchors this movie down. The rest of the characters are serviceable, but the film delivers on its main characters.
Unfortunately, the plot lets this film down somewhat. The plot is moved forward with conveniences and contrivances, with antagonists showing up out of nowhere to instigate action, or the protagonists seamlessly moving from one place to another without repercussions. Where this gets extremely egregious is in the third act, which rushes the climax of the film, delivering potential pay-offs that had no setup and wrapping up the conflict in too easy a way. While the ending is still logical and fine and the visuals are still gorgeous, the rushed climax makes it much less satisfying.
There are also smaller issues regarding the world-building mainly how the US seems to be the only human nation in existence and there is a massive revelation regarding a major event that is briefly mentioned in a line of dialogue and then never talked about again. The big themes this movie wants to tackle regarding sentience are tossed aside. I would have liked some more moral ambiguity as well as it almost feels Avatar-like when it comes to the human antagonists.
Overall, The Creator had the potential to a great sci-fi movie. It has the visuals, the performances and the action that are worth your time and money. You might just feel disappointed however, due to film's missed potential in its lack of exploration of great ideas, its flimsy plot and rushed climax.
For the positive, for an $80 million budget, the visuals are spectacular. Every android feels convincing, the CGI is immaculate and the cinematography is excellent. This film spits in the face of $300 million superhero movies, and it shows that talent and effort will always trump money. The action feels real and visceral, with great sound design.
The performances are strong across the board, especially from John David Washington. This might just be his best performance since Blackkklansman, he really brings it in the emotional moments. But the star of the show is Madeleine Yuna Voyles who delivers an excellent performance, especially at such a young age. Her chemistry with John David Washington is palpable, and they are what anchors this movie down. The rest of the characters are serviceable, but the film delivers on its main characters.
Unfortunately, the plot lets this film down somewhat. The plot is moved forward with conveniences and contrivances, with antagonists showing up out of nowhere to instigate action, or the protagonists seamlessly moving from one place to another without repercussions. Where this gets extremely egregious is in the third act, which rushes the climax of the film, delivering potential pay-offs that had no setup and wrapping up the conflict in too easy a way. While the ending is still logical and fine and the visuals are still gorgeous, the rushed climax makes it much less satisfying.
There are also smaller issues regarding the world-building mainly how the US seems to be the only human nation in existence and there is a massive revelation regarding a major event that is briefly mentioned in a line of dialogue and then never talked about again. The big themes this movie wants to tackle regarding sentience are tossed aside. I would have liked some more moral ambiguity as well as it almost feels Avatar-like when it comes to the human antagonists.
Overall, The Creator had the potential to a great sci-fi movie. It has the visuals, the performances and the action that are worth your time and money. You might just feel disappointed however, due to film's missed potential in its lack of exploration of great ideas, its flimsy plot and rushed climax.