“Everything is permitted…”
From the moment we heard that this movie had its genesis in a game, we were hesitant.
With 2016 predecessors such as Angry Birds and Warcraft, it seemed as though AC was more of a gimmick and less of an original standalone concept that could exist on its own terms.
Disclaimer: I speak as somebody who has never played the game, and yet watching this movie has made me wish I had.
Michael Fassbender (The X-Men series) plays criminal Callum Lynch who narrowly escapes death row, only to be flung into the world of Scientist Sophia (Marion Cottilard) who firmly believes that violence is inherently passed down genetically from our ancestors. But is it?
It soon becomes clear that the supposed rehabilitation that Lynch undergoes as fourteenth century Assassin “Aguilar” is really to seek out the Apple of Eden, which controls free will that rivals The Templars are trying to harness.
Fassbender is heartily entrenched in his role, and the dichotomy between his present and past self is striking. Jeremy Irons is as engaging as he is duplicitous, in the role of Sophia’s father and the driver behind the Animus device that transports Lynch to the past.
Where AC is perhaps lacking is the over reliance on CGI in the fight sequences, which at times stray from the narrative. Just as you shouldn’t have to watch your older brother play video games for too long, it can feel like you are a spectator in somebody else’s level.
Otherwise, it is a fun action adventure that expertly explores the theme of self-mastery in a world that tempts you to tap into your primal instincts.
Game on.
Verdict: 6.5/10
20th Century Fox
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