Amidst a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence, Joshua (John David Washington), a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving the disappearance of his wife (Gemma Chan), is recruited to hunt down and kill the Creator, the elusive architect of advanced AI who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end the war — and humankind. Joshua and his team of elite operatives journey across enemy lines into the dark heart of AI-occupied territory, only to discover the world-ending weapon he’s been instructed to destroy is an AI in the form of a young child, in this epic sci-fi action thriller directed by Gareth Edwards (Rogue One: A Star Wars Story) from a screenplay by Edwards and Chris Weitz.
For in-depth thoughts on The Creator, please see my colleague Dom Fisher’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of The Creator offers up a notable uptick in quality over the already sterling accompanying Blu-Ray. The highlights in the film are brilliant and crisp with white levels more controlled with no instances of blooming to be found. The elements in the film taking place in darkness are more defined thanks to deep black levels. Skin tones appear more natural with crisp detail apparent in close-up and medium shots. While the difference may not be night and day, the incremental advances in fine detail in the production design and costumes are greatly appreciated. The HDR brings out the most of every color in a way that reminds you why you love the format. When we explore the environments, we tend to find at least one element that truly shines. This 4K UHD presentation is a pure visual treat throughout. The 4K UHD Blu-Ray is the way to go if you want to experience the movie at its greatest potential.
Audio Quality
This disc comes equipped with a dynamic Dolby Atmos presentation that impresses with an immersive soundscape. The movie is not an endless parade of action sequences, but there are key moments that announce themselves with great power and complexity. Sounds are appropriately rendered with pinpoint directionality from the more thrilling scenes to interpersonal moments of dialogue. The low end holds up better than we often expect from Disney with some vibrations rushing through you.
Dialogue is presented clearly without ever being clipped by any of the competing sonic elements. The track is saturated with environmental details that emanate throughout the rear and overhead channels. The height channels take on a significant amount of information which enhances the spatial dynamics of the track. The score lays the groundwork for many of the more emotional moments, and it fills up the room with confidence. The sounds of the various environments provide a worthy soundscape that radiates throughout all the speakers. This one has been given the audio track it deserves. There are English SDH and an array of different subtitles provided.
Special Features
- True Love – Making The Creator: A great 56-minute making-of documentary is provided that takes a look at how the cast and creative team brought this world to life, the documentary-style approach, the different facets of the cinematography, the shooting location, and much more
Final Thoughts
The Creator is an ambitious science fiction tale that does not quite meet its full potential, yet it still establishes itself as an adventure worth taking. Where the film fares the best is in the emotional work, more effective in Joshua’s dynamic with his young companion than with his wife. We are a sucker for stories about the power of love, and we appreciate the message being conveyed. The feature also gets so much value out of the effects on a relatively modest budget by Hollywood standards. Unfortunately, the narrative gets a bit convoluted and overly ambitious, allowing your attention to wane when you should be riveted. That being said, we welcome all big swings at original sci-fi stories, and we are glad this exists. Disney Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation and a cool documentary featurette. If you also long for new science fiction stories, this is worth checking out. Recommended
The Creator will be available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray, Blu-Ray, and DVD on December 12, 2023. This film is currently available on Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Disney Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.