By John M. Delia, Jr.
There’s a creed that protects the world from evil. This creed is defended by assassins who will stop at nothing to guard us from things we do not understand. Throughout the generations theses assassins roam this earth in search of their identities so that one day they’ll find their self-worth. They are the Assassin’s Creed.
In the 15th Century we find Aguilar (Michael Fassbender), an assassin warrior safeguarding the whereabouts of the ‘Apple of Eden’ from the Templar brethren. Flash forward to modern time where convict Cal Lynch (also played by Micheael Fassbendrer), ancestor of Aguilar, has become a subject of the Abstergo Foundation’s Animus Project that’s working on perfecting mankind.
Guided with help from Abstergo’s lead scientist Sofia (Marion Cotillard) and her father Alan Rikkin (Jeremy Irons), Cal is able to understand his true destiny. Through this he faces the enemy along with co-prisoner and fellow ancestor Moussa (Michael Kenneth Williams).
Director Justin Kurzel works with a very interesting script using fantastic special effects and blends it all together extremely well. The action scenes are spectacular encompassing a variety of mixed martial arts and advances them throughout the film. There’s no question that Kurzel has almost seamlessly brought the very popular video game to the silver screen.
This present to past historical style filmmaking works here for video gamers and action film fans who like up in your face adventure. I’m sure those who have played the game must be bobbing back and forth as Aguilar fights his way from one battle to the next.
Assassin’s Creed has been rated PG-13 by the MPAA for intense sequences of violence and action, thematic elements and brief strong language. If you have gamers that are playing the video game, be assured they will have been exposed to most everything for which the film has been rated.
Final Star Grade: I give this a 3.5 of 5 stars for its exciting storyline and excellent special effects.
Additional Film Information:
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, and Michael Kenneth Williams.
Director: Justin Kurzel
Writer: Michael Lesslie (screenplay), Adam Cooper (screenplay), Bill Collage (screenplay), Patrick Désilets (video game creater), Corey May (video game creater), and Jade Raymond (video game creater).
Genre: Action, Adventure, Fantasy and Sci-Fi.
MPAA Rating: Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, thematic elements and brief strong language.
Runtime: 2 hrs. 20 min.
Release Date: December 21, 2016
Distributed by: Twentieth Century Fox
Writer, critic, film editor John Delia, Sr. has been on all sides of the movie business from publications to film making. He has worked as a film critic with ACED Magazine for more than 20 years and other publications for a total of 40 years. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Florida. John is a member of the Southeastern Film Critics Association and Critics Association of Central Florida Send John a message at jdelia@acedmagazine.com
