Assassin’s Creed Review

Assassin’s Creed is not the train-wreck you may have been lead to believe. But whilst it’s not unwatchable, it’s pretty far from great.

I share a mixed relationship with the game series the film is based on. Later sequels didn’t grab my interest, leaving the ‘Ezio Trilogy’ on PS3 as the only games I’ve played. Ubisoft pumped out yearly entries, and ultimately harmed the franchise as they chased the money. Fortunately AC isn’t on a yearly schedule anymore, but it isn’t the behemoth it once was.

If you want to see live action Assassin’s it’s all here. Free running, hidden blade using Assassins. The costumes, weapons and overall style are just right, with the Spanish Inquisition providing a previously unused background for Fassbender’s Aguilar de Nerha to run around in. His physicality and intensity is well used here.

Unfortunately, everything else either doesn’t make a lot of sense, or is dull as dishwater. The film’s re-imagination of the Animus doesn’t hold up to scrutiny. Hooking onto the back of the subject, it moves with them as they experience the memories of their ancestors. Actually moving the body lends some credence to the ‘bleeding effect’, where the subject can learn from their ancestor. The film loves to cut between Aguilar and his descendant Callum as they fight, but what happens with bigger movements like swan dives or rolls? We don’t see them! It’s almost as though they’d designed themselves into a corner with that one.

I’d have liked to have seen more story in the past. That would have been really interesting. I quickly grew tired of the present day scenes, just like I did in the games! So fair play for consistency. Sadly Callum is the main character of this film, not Aguilar, which I believe is a fundamental issue with the film. Being constantly pulled back to the present day and exposition machine Marion Cotillard is a huge drag. Seriously, if all you’d seen of her was this and The Dark Knight Rises you’d wonder what the fuss was about.

Assassin’s Creed has allowed me to see the eagle, and hidden blades, and the leap of faith on the big screen. So from that point of view – an Assassin doing Assassin stuff – I’m content. But the rest of the film picks up too many bad habits from it’s progenitor, leading to a shaky and disappointing adaptation.