★★★★★

There’s concern in some indie quarters that dynamic new filmmakers are being sucked into a studio system that cares not for directorial voice and vision but makes hey with the chewing and spitting of rising talent. Marvel’s Eternals suffocated Chloé Zhao and The Fantastic Four took down Chronicle’s Josh Trank. No such fear can land at the door of Gareth Edwards. Having cut his teeth with the micro-budgeted Monsters, Edwards has spent much of the past decade delivering big on blockbuster budgets. His Rogue One remains the best Star Wars since Darth Vader wasn’t Luke’s father. But now, the circle closes. Originality wins out. There’s no mistaking Edwards’ voice in The Creator, a shining example of what an indie director can do with the trust won from major financiers.