--- title: "The Creator: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/the-creator/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/the-creator" critics_score: 65 critics_reviews: 18 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # The Creator (2023): what the critics said Critics' score 65 from 18 reviews: 11 positive, 6 mixed, 1 negative. The reviews agree on one thing and split on nearly everything else. Almost every critic praises the look of the film: the world-building, the design of the robots and the New Asia setting, the scale Edwards gets from his effects, and the action. Where they part is the story. The warmer reviews find a heartfelt film with something to say about otherness and American violence, and a few call it Edwards’ best work. The cooler ones, and there are many, find a patchwork of familiar science fiction, with several naming the reluctant-guardian-and-powerful-child plot as borrowed goods. John David Washington’s lead performance divides them too; The Wrap singles out him and Madeleine Yuna Voyles for praise, while others call him disconnected. Sight and Sound raises the sharpest objection, that New Asia is a backdrop for Western destruction, and Digital Spy notes some Orientalism. The Times dismisses it as a Star Wars pastiche. The spread is wide. ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 29 September 2023. A shockingly good, tenderhearted sci-fi film that uses its AI premise as a symbol for otherness to interrogate American imperialism and violence, while delivering the director's most effective emotional core to date. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/the-creator-review-shockingly-good-and-tenderhearted.html) ## The AV Club — Justin Lowe Rating B+. 26 September 2023. Edwards delivers a thrilling, thoughtful, and immersive sci-fi epic that reframes AI conflict with an expansive perspective, notable for its resourcefulness, striking visual style, resonant themes, and compelling character dynamics. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/the-creator-movie-review-gareth-edwards-1850871302) ## Little White Lies — Leila Latif Rating 2/4/4. 27 September 2023. The critic praises the film's visually ambitious storytelling and inventive action sequences in a heartfelt sci-fi spectacle about war between humans and AI. They highlight the stunning world-building as a standout element. [Read the review](https://lwlies.com/reviews/the-creator) ## Time Out — Lou Thomas Rating 4/5. 22 September 2023. The review lauds it as Edwards' best film, a lavish action-packed sci-fi with spectacular visuals and chaos that thrills. They single out the gorgeous visual aesthetic and impressive action sequences for praise. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/the-creator-2023) ## Slant Magazine — Jake Cole Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 26 September 2023. Edwards balances arresting images with grounded emotional stakes in a humanist spin on dystopian tropes, emphasizing empathy, connections between characters, and a plea for peace over brutality in its treatment of AI and humanity. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/creator-review-gareth-edwards-john-david-washington/) ## Radio Times — Dave Golder Rating 3/5. 26 September 2023. The critic notes spectacular visuals and energetic action sequences but criticizes the generic storytelling and lack of originality or depth in its robot revolution narrative. They single out the cartoonish US military characters and under-explored central relationship as complaints. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movies/scifi/the-creator-review/) ## The New York Times — Nicolas Rapold Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 28 September 2023. The movie offers a provocative take on AI as an innocuous force but suffers from uneven tone, a disconnected lead performance, and straightforward blockbuster momentum rather than deeper insight. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/09/28/movies/the-creator-review-john-david-washington.html) ## Los Angeles Times — Glenn Whipp Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 26 September 2023. Gorgeous visuals and seamless effects impress, but the story is a sluggish jumble of familiar tropes about a reluctant guardian and powerful child, with underdeveloped characters and unconvincing ideas about humanity. [Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2023-09-26/the-creator-review-sci-fi-john-david-washington-allison-janney) ## RogerEbert.com — Christy Lemire Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 29 September 2023. The film looks spectacular with strong visuals and world-building but grows superficial, recycling ideas from predecessors and failing to deliver emotional depth due to flimsy characters. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/the-creator-movie-review-2023) ## The Hollywood Reporter — David Rooney Fi1m's normalised score 45/100 (inferred from the text). 26 September 2023. The film is an ambitious original sci-fi endeavor with impressive visuals and design, but it feels like a patchwork of familiar movies, with a dull lead performance, ersatz spirituality, and chaotic plotting that undermine its goals. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-creator-review-john-david-washington-gareth-edwards-1235596649/) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 35/100 (inferred from the text). 26 September 2023. Stunning footage of futuristic war cannot salvage a derivative plot recycling old stereotypes and sci-fi tropes, with limited emotional range from the lead and distractingly fake human-faced robots. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2023/film/reviews/the-creator-review-1235729849/) ## Empire — Alex Godfrey 26 September 2023. Praises the film's distinctive vision, stunning sci-fi design and thoughtful exploration of what it means to be human amid ethical dilemmas. Singles out the heartfelt story and visuals in service of a sensitive narrative as uplifting and enveloping. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-creator/) ## Screen Daily 26 September 2023. The review describes it as bombastic sci-fi with determined world-building and reliably visually inventive, though the narrative familiarity makes it feel oddly stale. They single out the visual inventiveness and attractive tech work as positives despite lacking intellectual depth. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/the-creator-review/5186274.article) ## Sight and Sound 28 September 2023. The critic finds the film striking but reductive, diminished by tired Hollywood tropes in its depiction of Asia and AI warfare. They single out the tone-deaf portrayal of New Asia as a mere backdrop for Western destruction as a major complaint. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/creator-striking-sci-fi-diminished-by-tired-hollywood-tropes) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw 26 September 2023. The film is an intriguing, stimulating and exhilarating sci-fi actioner that boldly tackles the AI debate with head and heart in vast, impressive visuals. Some narrative focus is lost in the climactic action spectacle. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/sep/26/the-creator-review-sci-fi-actioner-ai-gareth-edwards) ## The Telegraph 27 September 2023. Edwards delivers a visual effects miracle and one of the most affecting sci-fi films in years, with a stunningly realised world and conceptually ambitious story that excels in its mix of gritty realism and digital effects. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/the-creator-review-john-david-washington-gareth-edwards/) ## The Times 26 September 2023. The film is a shallow Star Wars pastiche with no original ideas or storytelling beats, crudely borrowing from superior sources like Star Wars and Avatar in its visually impressive but dramatically incompetent sci-fi epic. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/the-creator-review-a-shallow-star-wars-pastiche-bl5nwhb9w) ## Total Film 26 September 2023. Calls it a vividly realised snapshot of the future and a terrific achievement even in a crowded AI-movie market. Singles out the blend of spectacle with big themes of otherness and prejudice for creating something hugely original and imaginative, while noting some character dynamics needed more depth. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/the-creator-review-2023/) ## Digital Spy — Mireia Mullor Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 26 September 2023. The critic praises the film's stunning visuals and ambitious scale as a retrofuturistic sci-fi epic that redefines blockbusters, while noting flaws like uneven performances, a rushed ending, and some Orientalism. [Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a45299902/the-creator-review/) ## NME — Matthew Turner Rating 4/5. 26 September 2023. The critic hails it as one of the year's best sci-fi films, commending the impressive world-building, thrilling action, provocative script, and emotional climax. [Read the review](https://www.nme.com/reviews/film-reviews/the-creator-review-sci-fi-john-david-washington-3504521) ## Collider — Maggie Lovitt Rating 7/10. 26 September 2023. The film explores moral dilemmas around AI through striking visuals and a strong lead performance from John David Washington, but is undermined by a flawed plot and ambiguous messaging about the US military's role. [Read the review](https://collider.com/the-creator-review/) ## Consequence — Clint Worthington Rating B-. 20 December 2023. Edwards delivers a visually dazzling original sci-fi world with impressive designs and scale, but the story recycles familiar tropes and offers little that feels new or distinctive. [Read the review](https://consequence.net/2023/12/the-creator-review-john-david-washington/) ## /Film — Rafael Motamayor Rating 7/10. 26 September 2023. The critic finds it visually stunning with big ideas and performances but notes the script simplifies conflicts and lacks emotional resonance, comparing it to Avatar without the heart. [Read the review](https://www.slashfilm.com/1401759/the-creator-review/) ## The Wrap — Tomris Laffly Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 26 September 2023. The critic praises the film's original sci-fi world-building and striking visuals as a thrilling, old-school escapade. They single out the strong performances by John David Washington and newcomer Madeleine Yuna Voyles as the robot child Alphie for particular praise, while critiquing the muddled thematic handling of AI. [Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/the-creator-review-gareth-edwards/) ## Polygon — Joshua Rivera Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 29 September 2023. The film builds a rich, gorgeous future world full of philosophical potential about creation and humanity, yet it fails to deliver an engaging story or characters to match its visuals and ideas. [Read the review](https://www.polygon.com/reviews/23895762/the-creator-review-gareth-edwards-john-david-washington) ## Den of Geek — David Crow Rating 2.5 out of 5. 28 September 2023. The critic finds the film ambitious but ultimately artificial and shallow in its story, praising the meticulous world-building and visuals but criticizing the muddled narrative and lack of emotional depth. [Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/the-creator-review-star-wars-if-ai-were-rebels/) ## Film Stories — Ryan Lambie 29 September 2023. The critic praises the film's visually awe-inspiring sci-fi thriller that needs to be seen on the biggest screen, highlighting its tangible real world, seamless effects, and soulful storytelling. It is called the best science fiction film of 2023. [Read the review](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/the-creator-review-the-best-science-fiction-film-of-2023/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/the-creator.md