Preview
Since we just started our advocacy projects and because mine is on video games, this week’s film seems quite appropriate. I mentioned this particular film in an earlier post this semester and I finally got to watch it. Assassin’s Creed is based off the series of the same name published by Ubisoft. The Assassin’s Creed series started in 2007 and now has nine main installments with multiple spin-offs. The driving force of the story is the rivalry between two ancient societies – the Knights Templar and the Assassins Brotherhood. Abstergo Industries, a front for the present-day Knights Templar, captures Assassins and uses them in tandem with the “Animus” allowing the users to experience the memories of their genetic ancestors. Through this method, the Knights Templar hopes to track down artifacts known as the “Pieces of Eden” in order to create peace through total control. However, the Assassins believe that peace should be achieved through free will. In the film, Abstergo Industries fakes the execution of Callum Lynch and use him to discover where his ancestor Aguilar de Nerha hid the “Apple of Eden” back in 1492 during the Granada War.
The Good
This film really only has two things going for it – the action and the cast. Not much else. The action scenes are amazing. They really bring the gameplay from the games into a more realistic world. They are choreographed well and are extremely exciting. I think I actually got an adrenaline rush from watching, especially from a rooftop chase scene with a ton of parkour. The cast was great too. I’m a big fan of Michael Fassbender. In supporting roles, there was Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, and Michael K. Williams. It is a great group of actors with an unbelievable amount of talent. I think the setting was particularly interesting as well. The Granada War took place during the Reconquista and the Spanish Inquisition. The 15th century in Spain was a tumultuous time with many events taking place. Overall, it makes for a great opportunity for a film to harness a setting.
The Bad
Aside from the action, the rest of the scenes were just lacking something. The actors weren’t given enough to work with and use their talents leading to dry dialogue and uninteresting scenes between the action. If you are a fan of the games, then it is much easier to get through. Otherwise, you might just stand up and leave. While the film brings up a decent amount of backstory you fail to really get to know the characters and make any meaningful connection. The plot is even disorganized and unwieldy in many ways. The writers and producers had a ton of source material to work with and at the same time they managed to cut it down, they made a mess of what was there. Finally, the ending! Please can I get a redo here. It had no panache, little build up, and ended up being a weird twisty cliffhanger.
Final Notes
I was so excited that this was going to be one of video game adaptions that would finally break the mold and be successful. The advertising campaign made me excited, but it just ended up being another letdown. As much as I want to love this movie, there is something there just keeping me from being able to. The entire time I sat there I was always on the edge of liking it but then the film would regress in some way. It’s a terrible feeling that I just can’t explain. The ending ended up killing all my hopes of liking it. I just feel content. The elements were all there but the story just didn’t pull through. If you’re feeling bored with no idea what to do… maybe check this one out. Otherwise, just avoid it. The only people who might walk away happy are hardcore fans of the game series.
Yeah I have only heard bad things about this film since it was released. I’ve never played the games, but I know how popular they are, and I know a lot of people who have played them. Even these people pretty much thought the movie was just kind of… “eh”. TBH I’m probably not gonna check this one out, thanks for confirming what I had heard. Good review!
As someone who has never played the game, I think this movie would probably just leave me bored and confused haha. But as always, your analysis of the film was really good!
I haven’t seen this, but from the the people who have, I’ve heard that it was a major letdown as well. I think a lot of people were hoping, like you, that Assasin’s Creed would lead to a shift in the success of video game based movies, but it seems it just didn’t pan out.
That’s a surprisingly all-star cast for this film–I’m a huge Michael K. Williams fan ever since he was Omar Little on The Wire. What do you think the best video game turned into a movie has been? (Or does it usually work the other way around?)
I think for me it was Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. It has the elements that made the game successful and a decent plot, but nothing that really made it a movie worth watching again. It also had Jake Gyllenhaal, Gemma Arterton, and Ben Kingsley in lead roles. That’s a pretty good cast.