The Creatormarks a rare occasion in Hollywood in which a completely original science fiction film also happens tocost a fraction of other major blockbusters. DirectorGareth Edwardsis no stranger to spectacle, having kicked off Legendary Pictures' MonsterVerse withGodzillaand delivering arguably one of the bestStar Warsfilms withRogue One: A Star Wars Story.WithThe Creator, he takes a more grounded approach to building a world that’s been ravaged bya war between artificial intelligence and humanity.
At the tail end of this war, ex-special forces agent Joshua (John David Washington) is tapped for a mission to destroy a weapon the AI collective has developed, titled Alpha-01. Joshua discovers that Alpha-01 has taken the form of a young girl, whom he names “Alphie” (Madeleine Yuna Voyles). Joshua and Alphie start bonding despite his orders to terminate her, which leads him to interrogate his beliefs about the machines. WhileThe Creatormay be a bit of a mixed bagin terms of reception, there’s one thing for certain:the film does not contain a post-credits scene.
The Creator
As a future war between the human race and artificial intelligence rages on, ex-special forces agent Joshua is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI. The Creator has developed a mysterious weapon that has the power to end the war and all of mankind. As Joshua and his team of elite operatives venture into enemy-occupied territory, they soon discover the world-ending weapon is actually an AI in the form of a young child.
What Makes ‘The Creator’s Credits Different?
The Creatorends with a unique set of credits: white text that is laid over Japanese characters and accompanied by a stirring piano melody. The credits’ design is an homage toThe Creator’sworld, which is divided between humanity’s home of the United States, and “New Asia,” which has become a safe haven for artificial intelligence. A similar text is displayed in chyrons scrolling across the screen throughout the film, denoting the location and year when the scenes take place. Even thoughThe Creatordoesn’t have a post-credits scene, its credits paint a somber tone that sits with the audience and lets them reflect on the film’s story. Edwards took the very same approach with his franchise films asRogue One andGodzillaare fairly self-contained while expanding upon their universes - another rarity in franchise filmmaking.
But just because there isn’t a post-credits scene doesn’t mean that the film doesn’t have a rich and elaborate world to explore.The Creatorexplores the machines' civilization and their way of life. It also digs into the circumstances that led to the war between the race of artificial intelligence and humans. Edwards has been open about the films that influenced and shapedThe Creator,citingApocalypse Now,AkiraandBlade Runneras specific examples. Yet he also crafts a science fiction tale that genuinely feels fresh; different machines have unique designs, while the weaponry and vehicles feel far less futuristic than you might see in aStar WarsorStar Trekfilm.
‘The Creator’ Boasts a Magnificent Cast and Crew
In addition to Washington and Voyles,The Creatorfeatures a strong cast. The movie also starsGemma Chanas Joshua’s wife Maya,Ken Watanabeas AI soldier Harun,Ralph Ineson,andAllison Janney. Edwards even tapped hisRogue Oneco-writerChris Weitzto pen the script, whileOren Soffer’scinematography gives the film a distinct visual identity (Grieg Fraser, who also shotRogue One, worked on cinematography duties as well.) Finally,Hans Zimmerprovides a stirring score; Zimmer is no stranger to sci-fi epics, having scored bothDunefilms and a number ofChristopher Nolan’s films includingInceptionandInterstellar. Despite the fact that there isn’t a post-credits scene,The Creatoris absolutely worth watching - not just for the craft behind and in front of the camera, but also because it showcases the need for more original films in the science fiction landscape.
The Creatoris currently streaming on Hulu in the U.S.
Watch on Hulu
