Did AI Write This Film? 'The Creator' Offers A Muddled Plea For Humanrobot Harmony

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Madeleine Yona Voyles plays Alfie, the mischievous robot boy in The Maker. 20th Century Studios description Hide description

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The use of artificial intelligence in Hollywood is one of the most contentious issues in the writers' and actors' strike, and the industry's concerns about it aren't going away any time soon. A certain fear is already noticeable on the screen. A mysterious robot body was the main villain in the recent film Mission: Impossible , and an artificial intelligence is the creator of an ambitious but confusing new sci-fi drama.

The film is set decades in the future and begins with a prologue detailing the development of artificial intelligence. It is depicted here as a race of humanoid robots who eventually unleash a nuclear weapon that destroys the entire city of Los Angeles.

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As a long-time resident of Los Angeles who has seen his city destroyed in countless films, I can't help but groan and groan at this latest disaster. It's a piece of history that combines many ideas from the best films of the past. After the Los Angeles disaster, we learned that the United States declared war on artificial intelligence and hunted robots to the brink of extinction; The few survivors were hidden in what is now New Asia.

Director Garrett Edwards, who co-wrote the screenplay with Chris Weitz, cites Blade Runner and Apocalypse Now as major influences. In fact, there is something disingenuous and cruel in the way Edwards references the Vietnam War by showing American soldiers terrorizing poor Asian villagers suspected of harboring robots.

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John David Washington plays Joshua Taylor, a suicidal former Special Forces agent. 20th Century Studios description Hide description

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The main character is Joshua Taylor, a suicidal former commando played by John David Washington. He reluctantly joins a mission to help destroy an artificial intelligence superweapon said to be capable of destroying humanity forever. In the ensuing fight, Joshua manages to track down a device that - in the style of previous science fiction films such as "Akira " and "AI" - turns out to be a robot girl, played by the excellent newcomer Madeleine Yuna Voyles.

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Joshua's boss, played by Allison Janney, orders him to kill the robot boy, but he doesn't. Instead, he goes rogue and runs away with a child he names Alpha or Alfie. Washington doesn't have much range or screen presence, but he and Voyles generate enough chemistry to make you forget you're watching another man make out with a young woman - another classic from films like "Paper Moon " and " Leon ”. : Professional .

Joshua's betrayal was partly due to his grief for his long-lost love, a human woman named Maya who had teamed up with robots. She is played by the underused Gemma Chan. One of the most disturbing aspects of The Creator is the way it equates Asians with cutting-edge technology. Blade Runner is the latest disturbing example of “techno-orientalism” that has inspired millions of articles.

After recycling many props, Edwards, best known for directing the Star Wars prequel Rogue One, attempts to bring back our memories of the great Hollywood scenes of the past. To his credit, he wants to give us a philosophically and visually impressive sci-fi film, something studios rarely do. The most fascinating aspect of the Creator is its world-building; Much of the film was shot in various Asian countries, and the combination of real locations and futuristic design elements is more convincing and grounded than if it had been shot entirely using computer-generated imagery (CGI).

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But even the most striking images — like high-tech laser beams shining on a beach at sunset — are tied to stories and characters that never take on a life of their own. Even the great Ken Watanabe can't breathe much life into his role as the brutal robot warrior who does his part to help Ieyasu and Alfie on their journey.

Ultimately, Edwards earnestly but slowly calls for harmony between humans and robots, arguing that AI is not as insidious a threat as it seems. It's a nice feeling, though, and one of the many reasons I left Creator wondering: Did the AI ​​write that?

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