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

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