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The Creator – Film Review

Cast: John David Washington, Gemma Chan, Madeleine Yuna Voyles, Ken Watanabe, Allison Janney, Sturgill Simpson, Ralph Ineson

Director: Gareth Edwards

Synopsis: War rages between humanity and artificial intelligence (AI) after a nuclear bomb is detonated in Los Angeles…

Review: Over the course of this year, it has been hard to ignore the increasing prominence of discussions surrounding the usage of AI and where the progression of this technology might lead. Will humanity and AI peacefully co-exist in the not-too-distant future, or will the machines rise and take humanity’s place? Given these questions, there’s something eerily prescient about the latest film from Gareth Edwards. It’s one of the most visually striking films you will see all year.

The year is 2070, and AI has been banned in the Western hemisphere after a nuclear bomb was detonated in the city of Los Angeles fifteen years prior. However, while the West has prohibited the use of the technology, it is embraced by the Eastern hemisphere, and they have integrated AI into their society. When the US learns that the AI is developing a superweapon that could turn the war in their favour, the US army sends Sergeant Joshua Taylor (Washington) to find the weapon and destroy it, only for Taylor to discover that this weapon is, in fact, a robotic simulant in the form of a young child (Voyles).

Humanity facing off in a struggle or at war with an advanced AI of some variety has been a well-trodden path in cinema history, with films such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Blade Runner and Blade Runner 2049, The Terminator and The Matrix franchises, and most recently M3GAN. All of the aforementioned films, in their own wholly unique way, presented a richly developed world which established the circumstances in which humans and AI were, if not at war, then distinct divisions between them. The screenplay, written by Edwards and Chris Weitz, via a newsreel prologue, establishes a fully fleshed-out world, explaining how the AI started out as allies, working side by side with humanity before going rogue. Given the regularity with which cinema has often tackled this subject, it would be easy for the film to be derivative of what has come before it. However, while there are obvious influences, the story asks pertinent questions about where this technology could go and whether integration between man and machine is possible.

Furthermore, as evidenced by some stunning imagery in Godzilla and Rogue One, Edwards brings some breathtaking visuals to this world, whether it is the AI who have integrated into society or the vast and behemoth military weaponry that the US has in its arsenal. The impressiveness of the visuals is even more remarkable considering the film’s relatively small budget of $80m, which should serve as food for thought given the high budget and comparatively poor quality of the visuals of some blockbuster films in recent months.

As the central character in this war between humanity and AI, John David Washington is as compelling as ever. We see how he was, at one time in his life, blissfully happy with his wife Maya (Chan) until a devastating event in his past transformed him into a world-weary soldier who chooses to protect this young child when he learns that there could be a connection to Maya. Speaking of the simulant, whom Taylor dubs “Alphie,” given that she was only seven years old during production, she delivers a remarkable breakthrough performance as the heart of the film and steals the entire show. The two build a rapport as they travel to prevent Alphie from falling into the hands of the US military. Furthermore, the discovery of this simulant gives Taylor a fresh perspective on the fragmented nature of the world he inhabits, which also feels very apt given the bitterly divided world we currently live in. With his experience with directing intense action scenes in a galaxy far far away and gargantuan kaiju beating each other up, Edwards brings that expertise to the film’s action set-pieces, backed by another superb score from Hans Zimmer.

Despite boasting some stellar names, the performances of the rest of the cast are hampered by a lack of development, particularly Allison Janney’s Colonel Howell who seems hell-bent on finding this new weapon and cares for little else besides that. Similarly, Ken Watanabe’s simulant soldier Harun is a badass and heroic fighter, but he doesn’t get room to grow beyond these traits. While the film’s exploration of AI and its potential future applications is thought-provoking and nuanced, the same cannot be said for its on-the-nose examination of how Western countries, particularly the US, can conduct invasive military campaigns on foreign soil, which feels somewhat heavy-handed.

Nevertheless, in an era where big tentpole blockbuster films tend to be attached to existing properties or as a part of a franchise, it is refreshing to see an original and thought-provoking piece of filmmaking come to the fore, particularly given its approach to a subject that humanity will be talking about for many decades to come. Could this film be prophetic? Only time will tell.

While it may not have the most well-developed characters, boasting mesmerising visuals and a thought-provoking approach to its topical subject matter in a richly developed futuristic world ensures this is a welcome return to the realm of blockbuster filmmaking for Gareth Edwards.

Bombshell – Film Review

Cast: Charlize Theron, Nicole Kidman, Margot Robbie, John Lithgow, Kate McKinnon, Connie Britton, Malcolm McDowell, Allison Janney

Director: Jay Roach

Synopsis: As the United States gears up towards the 2016 Presidential Election, one of the country’s most prominent TV networks, Fox News, is rocked by allegations of sexual harassment allegations against its chairman Roger Ailes…

Review: Back in 2017, the shocking details of the sexual behaviour of powerful men like Harvey Weinstein, and his appalling conduct of sexually harassing women became public. The disclosure of such appalling revelations gave life to such powerful and important campaigns like Time’s Up and the Me Too movement, which have started vital discourses about sexual harassment. Yet, one year earlier, thanks to the brave courage of women, an equally loathsome dynasty, deservedly fell from grace.

The attention of the entire United States, and the wider world alike, is focusing on the 2016 Presidential election, with controversial candidate Donald Trump emerging as the front runner for the Republican Party. But behind the scenes at the conservative leaning Fox News, the company’s chairman, Roger Ailes, is perpetrating a rampant scheme of sexual harassment against his employees. With employees so often powerless to do anything about it, it goes unchallenged for a significantly long period of time. Until some decide, that it’s time to drop an explosive bombshell on their employers.

Thanks to the work of the makeup team (lead by Darkest Hour‘s Oscar winner Kazu Hiro) Charlize Theron puts in an excellent, transformative performance as notorious Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly. She’s one of network’s greatest assets, but in the wake of wake of some sexist comments that are fired her way by following one of the televised debates, she becomes the centre of attention of not just Ailes the Fox News audience, but of the country as a whole. Kelly initially seems willing to let the matter slide, in order to further her career. But as time goes on, amid the rampant nature of the abuse that is going on, means that she has to take a stand.

The film approaches the matter from three perspectives, that of Megyn Kelly, Gretchen Carlson (Kidman), and fictionalised producer Kayla Pospisil (Robbie). The contrast between Carlson and Pospisil could not be more apparent. The former is starting to get extremely tired of the culture that she’s witnessing at the network, and is preparing herself for a possible legal showdown. Meanwhile the latter is determined to forge a career at this network, an approach that begins to waiver when Ailes himself (a brilliantly slimy John Lithgow) takes a liking to Kayla, and subjects her to the sort of demeaning treatment that he almost certainly subjected many women to. It’s a deeply uncomfortable moment that puts this whole scandal into perspective.

While it would have made quite the statement had this film been written and directed by women, writer Charles Randolph and director Jay Roach approach this tricky and emotional subject matter from an empathetic standpoint. Pitching this as a satire ran the risk of negating the heavy subject matter and making light of the abuse that these women suffered. The approach taken is at times, rather sensationalist and is scratching at the surface. Nevertheless, it doesn’t take lightly the awful abuse that these women endured. Regardless of political persuasion, it serves as a necessary reminder that there’s the bigger picture to focus on. Specifically, that women to this day experience this sort of harassment in workplaces across the world.

It could have been overtly gratuitous with some decisions it makes, but it chooses to keep the awful treatment that these women were subjected to front and centre, and never is that more apparent than in a heart-breaking scene between Kayla and a co-worker. Ailes and Weinstein have deservedly fallen from grace, but the bigger picture remains that predators like them almost certainly remain very much at large, in workplaces all across the world. Crucially, women must not be afraid to speak out, because when they do, it can shine a light on individuals who perpetrate such loathsome schemes. Change won’t happen overnight, but we can kickstart efforts to stamp out this repugnant behaviour.

Combining such weighty subject matter with satire is always risky. However, with a broadly empathetic approach to its storytelling combined with three strong performances, it’s a timely reminder of the vital importance of initiatives like Time’s Up and the Me Too Movement.