The Creator
2024, Regency et al.
In two hours and thirteen minutes, I had a new Top Five member. Indeed, before the film was even over, I had added it to my top five. Then I did a series of double-takes. Released in 2024, why had I only heard of it two years later? And an $80 million budget? I saw that number and thought a digit was missing; it looked like a film that cost five times as much! Good god, how on Earth did Gareth Edwards (Rogue One) manage to get such an exceptional film on the screen for a pittance? Every studio should be lined up looking to throw gobs of cash at him.
But not everyone was impressed. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of only 67% (horrors!), it seems nearly every critic had had a bowl of grumpy before seeing this masterwork. They picked at it from every angle, especially unreasonable ones, and declared, There! Flaws! Derivativeness! Inconsistencies! Unevenness! Bah. Critics should look in the mirror first.
As a war(like) film set mostly in Asia, of course it will feel a bit like Apocalypse Now or perhaps that guilty pleasure Kong of Skull Island. It had a loose, natural style very reminiscent of District 9. There were also complaints of plot holes and inconsistencies. I saw precious few; but then again, I was paying very close attention to the film. Indeed, as I watched it, nothing else in the universe existed.
It checked off all the checkboxes: excellent performance, drop dead gorgeous cinematography, best-in-class special effects, editing, sound, music... why was this film not the talk of 2024? Why did it not sweep the Academy Awards? And with a special new award just for it: a five-star motion picture made for the price of two stars. Oh, and little Madeline Yuna Voyles... I had reservations at first seeing such a young cast member, but she is right up there in league with the likes of Amy Adams. What an awesome little actress. I hope she goes far in her career.
Regrettably, only one excellent making-of doc as an extra. Was salivating for more.
DKS 3/24/26
