An original science fiction film, released in the midst of a time when Hollywood is obsessed with returning to established franchises, would at least deserve our curiosity. Now, a science fiction epic, whose consensus seems to point to a modern classic, has our full attention. And that is what the first reactions of Endurance (The Creator), by Gareth Edwards.
Director of Monsters: Infected Zone (2010), godzilla (2014) and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016) presents us with a story set in the middle of a war between humanity and artificial intelligence. Joshua, a former special forces agent, is recruited to hunt down and kill “The Creator,” an AI architect who has developed a mysterious weapon with the power to end war… and humanity itself. But upon meeting her, he will realize that not everything is as simple as it seems.
Following last night’s world premiere in Hollywood, the trade press offered universal praise for the visuals, the story, and John David Washington’s leading performances (Tenet) and debutante Madeleine Yuna Voyles. Many critics described it as one of the best films of 2023, as well as one of the best original works of science fiction in a long time.
Without further ado, this is what the first reactions of Endurance:
Courtney Howard, from Variety:
Though it pulls from identifiable inspirations, #TheCreator It is 1 of the best original sci-fi epics in years. Massively entertaining, enthralling & profound on every level. Gareth Edwards constructs an immersive world & fills it with compelling characters. Absolutely radical. pic.twitter.com/fjAwuB0VtR
— Courtney Howard (@Lulamaybelle) September 19, 2023
“Although it is based on identifiable inspirations, Endurance is one of the best original sci-fi epics in years. Hugely entertaining, exciting and profound on all levels. Gareth Edwards builds an immersive world and fills it with compelling characters. Absolutely radical.”
Brian Davids, of The Hollywood Reporter:
#TheCreator is a massive feat for the sci-fi genre and the all-too-rare original blockbuster.
It’s the culmination of Gareth Edwards’ career so far, and it’s the ultimate version of the type of movie he’s been making since 2010’s ‘Monsters.’
More of this, please. pic.twitter.com/9gOnEpPa4K
— Brian Davids (@PickYourBrian) September 19, 2023
“Endurance is a great feat for the science fiction genre and an unusual blockbuster original. It is the culmination of Gareth Edwards’ career so far and is the definitive version of the type of film he has been making since Monsters 2010. More of this, please.”
Simon Thompson, of Forbes:
#TheCreator It is breathtaking in scale and vision. Very emotional, much more than anticipated. It’s ambitious and mostly hits the targets it shoots for. John David Washington turns in an engaging performance, a blend of strength and empathy. It should be seen on the big screen. pic.twitter.com/TWCVfSQpeC
— Simon Thompson (@ShowbizSimon) September 19, 2023
“Endurance It is impressive in scale and vision. Very emotional, much more than expected. She is ambitious and mostly achieves the goals she pursues. John David Washington delivers a captivating performance, with a mix of strength and empathy. He should be seen on the big screen.”
Griffin Schiller, The Playlist:
#TheCreator is a MASTERFUL piece of original sci-fi. Gareth Edwards is one of our GREAT filmmakers. A soulful, nuanced, Lucas-like interrogation of human beliefs/biases & our insecurity in the face of something greater. Spectacle & heart to the highest order. Pure cinema baby! pic.twitter.com/XPi6jEp2xb
— Griffin Schiller (@griffschiller) September 19, 2023
“Endurance is a MASTER piece of original science fiction. Gareth Edwards is one of our GREAT filmmakers. A moving, nuanced, Lucas-esque interrogation of human beliefs/biases and our insecurity in the face of something greater. Show and heart at the highest level. Pure cinema, baby!”
Germain Lussier, Gizmodo:
#TheCreator is a bold, fun, sci-fi delight. It has an engrossing story, gorgeous visuals, resonant themes, & epic action. My main problem is it didn’t make me cry. It tries. VERY hard. But a tiny lack of connection means it *JUST* misses being a perfect package. But only *just.* pic.twitter.com/rQhPfv6kIu
— Germain Lussier (@GermainLussier) September 19, 2023
“Endurance is a bold and fun sci-fi delight. It has a fascinating story, gorgeous visuals, resonant themes, and epic action. My main problem is that it didn’t make me cry. Tries. Very hard. But a small connection failure means it *barely* misses being the perfect package. But almost”.
Brandon Davis, of ComicBook.com:
#TheCreator it is astonishingly good. Best film of the year and best sci-fi film in ages, in my opinion.
Gareth Edwards flips expectations really impressively for a visceral, touching, and creative story of humanity.
Genuinely loved it. You have to see this one. pic.twitter.com/2IH7YTeSFh
— BD (@BrandonDavisBD) September 19, 2023
“Endurance It’s amazingly good. In my opinion, the best movie of the year and the best science fiction movie in a long time. Gareth Edwards defies expectations in truly impressive fashion with a visceral, moving and creative story about humanity. I really loved her. You have to see it”.
Joseph Deckelmeier, Screen Rant:
#TheCreator is a masterpiece & one of the year’s best movies. It hits on so many levels with AI being such a hot topic. Gareth Edwards does a masterful job of keeping the audience engaged every step of the way. Madeleine Yuna Voyles has to be in the conversations for The Oscars pic.twitter.com/n8XSTiNqcm
— Joseph Deckelmeier (@joedeckelmeier) September 19, 2023
“Endurance It is a masterpiece and one of the best films of the year. It touches on many levels, with AI being such a pertinent topic. Gareth Edwards does a masterful job of keeping the audience interested every step of the way. “Madeleine Yuna Voyles has to be in the Oscar conversations.”
Steven Weintraub, of Collider:
I’m so impressed with what #GarethEdwards pulled off on #thecreator. He’s made an original sci-fi movie in a time where making original movies on this scale is next to impossible and the film delivers on so many levels. Seek this one out and absolutely see it in a movie theater. pic.twitter.com/sQGSGqImG1
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) September 19, 2023
“I am very impressed with what Gareth Edwards achieved in Endurance. He’s made an original sci-fi film in a time when making original films on this scale is nearly impossible, and the film delivers on many levels. Look for this one and see it in a movie theater.”
Anthony Gaguardi, of ET Canada:
#TheCreator encapsulates the spirit of 80’s Anime and translates it into MESMERIZING live-action cinema. Think Akira meets Spielbergs AI While the lore can be dense, the STUNNING VISUALS & IMMERSIVE ATMOSPHERE have me eager for more tales from this VISIONARY UNIVERSE. pic.twitter.com/t7aaxUIBFM
— Anthony • The Movie Podcast (@AJGaliardi) September 19, 2023
“Endurance encapsulates the spirit of ’80s anime and translates it into a fascinating live-action film. Think about Akira known Artificial intelligenceby Steven Spielberg. While the story may be dense, the STUNNING VISUALS AND IMMERSIVE ATMOSPHERE have me eager for more stories from this VISIONARY UNIVERSE.”
Excited by these first reactions of Endurance? The film premieres on September 28 in theaters in Latin America.