The Creator (2023)

Film and Plot Synopsis

Amid a future war between the human race and the forces of artificial intelligence, Joshua, a hardened ex-special forces agent grieving the disappearance of his wife, 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 mankind itself. (Courtesy of 20th Century Studios)

‘The Creator’ Movie Summary

Thirty years in the future, the world is shocked when an artificial intelligence (AI) detonates a nuclear warhead over Los Angeles, California. Millions of people are either killed or injured. The Western nations declare war against AI and begin working to eradicate its existence from the planet, all in the name of preventing humanity’s extinction. However, an organized resistance is formed in what is called New Asia where AI is given sanctuary and scientists continue to advance and develop AI technology. The main individual behind this advancement is an unknown scientist codenamed Nirmata. To combat the threat of AI, the USS NOMAD (North American Orbital Mobile Aerospace Defense) is developed as an advanced space station capable of launching destructive missiles from orbit.

Joshua Taylor (John David Washington) is a United States army sergeant assigned to an undercover detail to locate Nirmata. During his mission, Joshua falls in love and marries his wife Maya Fey (Gemma Chan). Joshua’s handlers believe Maya is the daughter of Nirmata, but Joshua is unable to confirm the connection. One-night, military forces attack Joshua’s home and inadvertently reveal Joshua’s duality to a pregnant Maya. Devasted, Maya runs away from Joshua and the soldiers and appears to be killed by a NOMAD missile. Joshua is devasted by the loss of his wife and returns to the continental United States.

Five years later, Joshua has left military service and now works as part of ground zero cleanup crew in Los Angeles. He is approached by General Andrews (Ralph Ineson) and Colonel Howell (Allison Janney) who request his assistance in a mission to destroy a new weapon that is reportedly being developed by Nirmata. The weapon, codenamed Alpha O, is believed to be capable of destroying NOMAD. The loss of NOMAD would significantly shift the balance of the war in favor of AI. Joshua rejects their request until they show him a video that shows Maya alive. Howell indicates that if Joshua agrees to assist them then he will be allowed to find and reunite with Maya. Joshua agrees to help the military team.
Once in New Asia, the military team invades an underground base that they believe Nirmata is located at. Joshua becomes separated from the rest of the team but manages to enter a secured room where he discovers a robotic simulant in the form of a young girl (Madeleine Yuna Voyles). The robotic girl reveals that she can remotely control technology. Joshua ascertains that she is the weapon that he is looking for but instead of destroying her as directed, he decides to use her to locate Maya. Joshua gives the girl the name of Alphie and sets out to find Joshua’s former commanding officer, Drew (Sturgill Simpson).

She looks like a little girl now, but she’s growing. Whoever has that kid, wins the war. McBride (Marc Menchaca)

Once they find Drew, Joshua asks him to examine Alphie to determine her capabilities. Drew determines that Alphie can become the most powerful weapon on the planet with abilities to control technology that will continue to grow exponentially as she ages. Not long after, the New Asian police attack Drew’s apartment and kill Drew’s simulant girlfriend Kami (Veronica Ngo). Howell and her partner McBride (Marc Menchaca) also close in on Alphie. Drew helps Joshua locate Maya’s beacon, but Drew is killed before Joshua can pinpoint Maya’s exact location. Before he dies, Drew informs Joshua that the intelligence reports the military had five years before indicated that Maya was Nirmata. Joshua and Alphie are captured by New Asian forces led by Harun (Ken Watanabe), an AI simulant soldier that used to be an ally of Joshua’s during his undercover operation.

Harun informs Joshua that the nuclear detonation in Los Angeles was caused by a human coding error, and that the U.S. government cast the blame on AI. Harun explains that AI simply wishes to peacefully co-exist with humanity. Harun takes them to an AI village where Joshua manages to escape with the assistance of Alphie. Joshua returns to rescue Alphie just as Howell leads an attack on the village. Alphie attempts to use her abilities to stop the attack against the AI forces, but she is gravely wounded by McBride.

Joshua and Harun rush Maya into a building where Joshua finds a comatose Maya. Harun informs Joshua that Maya has been in a coma since the missile strike five years before. Harun also informs Joshua that simulants are prohibited from harming Nirmata; therefore, although they can keep Maya alive, they cannot euthanize her even though she will never regain consciousness. Harun also informs Joshua that Alphie is based on his unborn daughter with Maya, who was scanned while in utero. Devastated, Joshua makes the decision to remove Maya’s life support just as Howell and her forces arrive. Harun kills most of Howell’s men before he is brought down. Harun tells Joshua that NOMAD must be destroyed for the war to finally end. Howell creates a download of Maya’s mind after she dies.

Joshua and Alphie are captured by U.S. forces and transported to Los Angeles. Joshua is forced to kill Alphie with a localized electro magnetic pulse weapon. However, Andrews later learns that the execution was a ruse as Joshua told Alphie to shut down prior to the weapon’s discharge. While in transit to incinerate Alphie’s body, Alphie reactivates, and she and Joshua escape custody. Alphie is given Maya’s mind download. They board a lunar shuttle at the Los Angeles Space Port. Alphie uses her abilities to force the spacecraft to land aboard NOMAD. In a panic, Andrews orders NOMAD to launch a major offensive against all remaining AI bases around the world, fearing that Alphie may destroy the military’s ability to control their weapon.

Onboard NOMAD, Joshua plants a timed explosive on the station’s weapons while Alphie disables the ship’s power. On her way back to the space craft, Alphie discovers a simulant that resembles Maya and implants the download, although the simulant initially fails to respond. Andrews activates a tentacled robot that prevents Joshua from reuniting with Alphie. Joshua is forced to eject Alphie away from NOMAD in an escape pod so that she is not destroyed by the explosion. NOMAD begins to suffer a cascade explosion that halts the missile strike on the AI bases on Earth. Joshua comes upon the Maya simulant who now has the memories of his former wife. The two embrace and make amends as the base explodes around them, killing both. Alphie’s escape pod returns to Earth in New Asia where she is met by AI supporters who cheer her as the new Nirmata.