"Assassin's Creed" is an action/adventure film based on the video game by the same name. Although, liberty seems to have been taken to distance itself far away from the actual lore of said video games since only the basic premise, terminology, and feel remain intact.
Coming off of "Macbeth," Justin Kurzel directs this film with similar visual flare and style that feel stylized enough to make it incredibly interesting while not letting it feel bogged down by too much green screen or CGI. The film overall has a real feel to it and if practical effects were minimal, I was definitely fooled because the visual effects did look good.
Unfortunately, "Assassin's Creed" fails as a movie overall by not delivering a memorable experience with so much great cinematic potential. On the script front, it just fails as a coherent plot that moves from point A to point B. It's easy to become confused by this mess of a screenplay that I genuinley wonder what happened in the writers room. Not only do events feel unfitting for the overall theme and direction of the story, but character motivations and related dialogue are truly head-scratching. As the film progresses, I constantly was asking myself why each character was doing what they're doing and where it was leading. The general premise itself hooked me and I thought I was in for a real treat but as the 2nd act progresses, the film looses all clarity and vision and becomes a simple showcase of impressive acrobatics and stunts.
The film however doesn't fail on every front. With a talented cast of Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, and Jeremy Irons, each role is well executed considering what content is there to be worked with. It's apparent everyone is giving it some real effort and they are entertaining to watch.
The film is also shot and scored nicely. I found the cinematography striking and composed beautifully. Excellent use of lighting gave the impression of real time action that had stakes. The musical score also felt not only entertaining but more original than most I've heard recently. Those technical aesthetics aside, action sequences lost their tension due to jarring cuts and poor editing choices. It seems that the saving graces of the film were slightly damaged in the cutting room.
Overall, "Assassin's Creed" wasn't just a disappointing film, it just didn't work. Enough talent helped make it watchable and pleasant to look at but at the end of the day, the script couldn't be saved and it became a wasted opportunity for a great film. Although it's not the worst movie ever made, I wouldn't recommend it.
Coming off of "Macbeth," Justin Kurzel directs this film with similar visual flare and style that feel stylized enough to make it incredibly interesting while not letting it feel bogged down by too much green screen or CGI. The film overall has a real feel to it and if practical effects were minimal, I was definitely fooled because the visual effects did look good.
Unfortunately, "Assassin's Creed" fails as a movie overall by not delivering a memorable experience with so much great cinematic potential. On the script front, it just fails as a coherent plot that moves from point A to point B. It's easy to become confused by this mess of a screenplay that I genuinley wonder what happened in the writers room. Not only do events feel unfitting for the overall theme and direction of the story, but character motivations and related dialogue are truly head-scratching. As the film progresses, I constantly was asking myself why each character was doing what they're doing and where it was leading. The general premise itself hooked me and I thought I was in for a real treat but as the 2nd act progresses, the film looses all clarity and vision and becomes a simple showcase of impressive acrobatics and stunts.
The film however doesn't fail on every front. With a talented cast of Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, and Jeremy Irons, each role is well executed considering what content is there to be worked with. It's apparent everyone is giving it some real effort and they are entertaining to watch.
The film is also shot and scored nicely. I found the cinematography striking and composed beautifully. Excellent use of lighting gave the impression of real time action that had stakes. The musical score also felt not only entertaining but more original than most I've heard recently. Those technical aesthetics aside, action sequences lost their tension due to jarring cuts and poor editing choices. It seems that the saving graces of the film were slightly damaged in the cutting room.
Overall, "Assassin's Creed" wasn't just a disappointing film, it just didn't work. Enough talent helped make it watchable and pleasant to look at but at the end of the day, the script couldn't be saved and it became a wasted opportunity for a great film. Although it's not the worst movie ever made, I wouldn't recommend it.