Now let’s forget the last time Ubisoft tried to make a film (Prince of Persia… yuck!) and be positive about this.
I’ve loved the Assassin’s Creed video game franchise since day one. The scope of historical story that can be delved into is just a world of possibilities.
As far as I can figure out, this film version of the Creed is going to deviate a little from the established story laid down by the games, but that’s okay. If it was exactly the same, fan-boys would whine. And we don’t want that. Video game fans can get vicious when provoked. Just look up Call of Duty tournament fights on YouTube.
To get my film head back on, I’m genuinely intrigued to see what kind of journey this first AC film will take us on. The games are renowned for their epic story and a few killer twists here and there (that may have been an unintentional pun).
At this point I should explain that Assassin’s Creed hinges on a time-travelling story mechanic to make it work. The Brotherhood of Assassins are fighting the Templar Order (from the Crusades), who essentially run the world from the shadows, and have a machine called the Animus that can read a person’s DNA and let them relive the memories of their ancestors.
Pretty cool right? That’s why the games have been able to move from the Crusades, through Renaissance Italy to pirate raids in the Caribbean and the American War of Independence.
The film, therefore, has two settings. One in the modern day, with Michael Fassbender playing career criminal Callum Lynch, and also one set during the Spanish Inquisition, with Michael Fassbender playing Aguilar de Nerha, an Assassin.
Getting Fassbender doubly on board could be a master stroke from Ubisoft. He’s a face people recognise, so that will get bums on seats initially, but he’s also a genuinely brilliant actor in my opinion. Hopefully he can carry off the double role that is asked of him.
From what I’ve seen (as I’m writing this ahead of release) the Spanish Inquisition side of the film is going to be full of action, massive battles and swords swinging about, with a lot of jumping around, fleeing and free-running thrown in for good measure.
But I’ll be intrigued to see how they carry off the more cerebral elements needed on the modern side to make the film flow between the two settings. I don’t want to ruin anything, but there is something called “The Bleeding Effect” that could play heavily in that side of the story. AC players will be on edge for this.
Assassin’s Creed could end up being an absolute schizophrenic mess, but I think Ubisoft have a chance to offer cinema-goers an alternative to the conveyor belt of comic book movies. I have everything crossed for this film, I really do. Please be good!