There are a number of pressing concerns in the world that we should all be anxious about.

5/ Donald Trump

4/Russia

3/Climate change

2/ Still Donald Trump

1/ AI

All of these have featured, one way or another, in films over the years, but there’s certainly a growing presence for films targeting the number one issue – Artificial Intelligence.

British director Gareth Edwards takes on this growing menace in his latest cinematic outing.

Just as we feared, AI has got the better of mankind, and managed to detonate a nuclear bomb over Los Angeles killing millions. It’s then, and only then, that the West decide to ban AI, after the nuclear horse has clearly bolted.

And yet it still remains a genuine threat, with AI still used heavily in other parts of the world, especially New Asia.

Working for the US army is Sergeant Joshua Taylor (John David Washington); he’s managed to infiltrate the AI camp as an undercover agent, even having a relationship with one of them, Maya (Gemma Chan), who is pregnant with their child.

But when a mission goes wrong, exposing him, his wife and child die in front of him.

Five years on, and Taylor is brought back on board for a new mission; assassinate the entity known as Nirmata, before plans come to fruition that will enable the AI enemy to destroy their very productive space station known as NOMAD.

Taylor isn’t that interested, until they play him video that Maya is actually still alive, which is all he needs to accept the mission at hand. But will he be able to bring down the system that his own wife is a part of?

Even though this is only his fourth time behind the camera as director, Edwards is well schooled in all things sci-fi, having previously helmed his 2010 debut Monsters, 2014’s Godzilla reboot, and the 2016 Star Wars spin-off Rogue One, making him the perfect man for this particular job.

It is a film that is deeper than most, as it’s never quite clear who the baddie is exactly. And it’s this ambiguity that Edwards plays with throughout.

And although it’s told well, it is a story that is all too familiar; A heavy influence is the original Blade Runner, with that film’s replicants re-named simulants. It’s also similar visually, with skylines dripping with advertising screens and flying vehicles, with a sprinkle of District 9thrown into the mix.

Thematically though, it echoes that of Disney’s The Mandolorian, as it features a soldier who ends up looking after a young, powerful being, in this case Alphie, played superbly here by the young, brilliant Madeleine Yuna Voyles. Her character is the emotional core of the film, and is much needed, as the film elsewhere is all too detached and on the cold side.

And that’s its Achilles Heel, an action film devoid of heart for the most part. Yes it looks great in places, as Edwards has a keen eye for creating other worlds, but the film really suffers from lacking passion of any kind – except for Voyles.

It’s a wonderful sci-fi landscape, which is often captivating, with a story that often engages, but never quite enthrals on an emotional level.

The one takeaway from the film is this however – AI will be the death of us all. Or Trump. Definitely one or the other, unless...unless they’re the same thing...