This week, Gareth Edwards, the director behind Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, debuted his original science fiction epic, The Creator. P.T., Greg, and I break down what makes the film worth seeing — even dazzling in some respects — while also acknowledging the flaws in the story. The wide-ranging conversation includes AI, the Vietnam War, and a slew of other science fiction films. You can listen to The Long Take Review on Substack, Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Movie News Check-In: A huge strike update, plus what else we’ve been watching this week. 1:50
The Short Take: Our general impressions of the film (spoiler-free). 16:58
The Recommendation Algorithm: Who should see this movie? What other science fiction films might be comparable? 29:30
SPOILER MODE 40:50
The Rhetorical Situation: How does current discourse on AI impact the reception of The Creator? How original is this film really? 1:23:55
Oscars Watch What kind of nominations could The Creator snag? 1:48:09
Image Credit: Variety
The Long Take Review hopes to highlight the value of the work done by the actors on strike. If listeners would like to support SAG-AFTRA, we encourage them to make a donation to the Entertainment Community Fund.
Intro and outro music is “Divers,” by Hara Noda. All music licensed through Epidemic Sound.
Logo art: Illustration 73265080 © Worldofvector | Dreamstime.com
The Creator Review