Assassin's Creed

This film has character. On the one hand, it goes as far as possible against the fans of the game franchise, but at the same time it tries to make a distinctive artistic concept of the Assassin universe. The passages set in medieval Spain are visually stunning, the depiction of the Animus is boldly different (and better!) than we know from the games, and while it left me emotionally cold, I appreciate the personality that Kurzel brought to the table, and I can sense from it his desire to make the best possible film that isn't just a boring descriptive retelling of the game. The highly artistic Kurzel simply entertains me. It's a pity that people won't appreciate his honest approach and that there won't be a sequel. (16.07.2017)

It’s no fan service and it goes hard toward even the most welcoming viewer. It’s a non-Hollywood adaptation that mercilessly flushed over a hundred million and had no shame in doing so. It’s visually captivating bliss that tests the projectionists and the limits of how much the viewer is willing to accept the creative rules. (30.12.2016)

The curse of movies based on a videogame brand continues. This film is once again evidence of the fact that a good gaming adaptation does not need to mean a well-made movie. The computer game is based mainly on the atmosphere of the medieval setting. I always thought the story set in the near future wasn’t too great and I always sort of skipped it. Not only was it fairly nonsensical, but it also didn’t fit into the otherwise nicely depicted history at all. But Ubisoft wanted it this way and they sold it this way. However, the story of the film didn’t work at all although it offered good quality fimmaking, which could represent a pretty good experience. In the end, the only thing I got from the movie were the historical action sequences, which were absolutely perfect. The director of cinematography and the editor probably puffed a joint or two, but it was still within reasonably bearable limits. It was probably also because the film itself wasn’t too cheap so they didn’t have to patch things up and cover them up with a cheaper budget. Some of the stunt shots that I saw were really great. It’s a pity though that Fassbender and Cotillard didn’t get a chance to show off their acting. Emotions – none. Dialogues – horrible. And the plot? What was the whole thing actually about and what is it that was going on in there the entire time? Well, as I said the action was good, but the rest was pretty bad. (02.05.2017)

Well, it's not a good film, but in the end it's not a complete disaster either. Assassin's Creed alternates above average and sometimes almost great moments with moments when I almost felt sorry for the filmmakers. What goes well? Definitely the action, or rather almost everything from the past. The battles are quick, fairly straightforward and brisk, and at least the part where two of the heroes are running away from an entire city really hit the spot. The scenes of Spain being terrorised by the Inquisition do show the money, and the costumes, the production design and the visual effects look more than good too. Unfortunately, everything that takes place in the present is more or less ugly and terribly boring. I've played almost all of the games, and from the very beginning, these passages annoyed me. In the film, the uninteresting present takes up two-thirds of the running time. Most of the cast act like they weren't told what was wanted of them, it doesn't make any sense at all at times, and unfortunately Assassin's Creed is unaware of its stupidity and simplicity (nothing against it, I love it) and tries to pretend to be something more than a simple blockbuster. And it's not very good at it. In a few years, someone will edit a nice 20-minute video out of it with good action and nice sets. In the meantime, we have a movie that is boring most of the time or tries in vain to fulfill the ambitions of someone in the background who didn't understand that he was making an action movie. And those have to be entertaining first and foremost. (15.05.2017)

Even a stupid story can be told in a way that doesn't make sense. An unbearably long two-hour apple game, which sometimes disrupts a successful parkour and a scene that reveals that Kurzel thinks of it artistically, but completely counterproductive for a blockbuster. It is difficult to say whether the smooth transitions between history and the present represent any sophisticated commentary on the art of the Gamer experience. I don't have the strength to find out. The screenplay is horribly annoying, the characters have no inner logic and the storytelling has no cadence. I was expecting a cleansing surge of Gamer ecstasy, but this leap of faith ended in a complicated fracture. (21.12.2016)

Justin Kurzel has found that fabled compromise between portraying his own vision and sufficiently pleasing the fans of the games. In the current storyline, the contest for the apple still takes first place, but it is cleverly and necessarily minimized to its basic functions and outlines. There's no point in lying to ourselves, as this artifact has a line around it that is initially interesting, then tolerated, then in the end sadly stretched. The suppression of supernatural side motives is therefore only to the good, giving Callum the space to become a flesh and blood hero (something his gaming predecessor Desmond could only dream of for a long time). Michael Fassbender also works equally well as a torn victim of fate and an unbeatable Aguilar, forcing me to hold my breath and tense my muscles in the action scenes. But what I appreciate the most is that as a player (I have successfully immersed myself in the world of Abstergo and Co. a total of six times and the Ezio trilogy or Black Flag are damn high on my list), it doesn't just make me tick off obligatory trademarks of the story or genre, but on the contrary, it squeezes me unbelievably while waiting for a leap of faith. My only complaints are therefore about th elogical errors, which sadden me even more because I try my best not to dwell on them. However, the absence of anything other than police batons is a glaring handicap for the guards, and at times it bothers you, as does the unclear extent of Callum's genetic memory capabilities, which then obscure the most emotional scene of the entire movie. Despite these bumps in the road, Assassin's Creed has managed to land in the position of my favorite game adaptation, and their flop at the box office will disappoint me for a long time. (13.01.2017)

Kurzel filmed the Assassin in his own way and if he hadn’t had to cut down on the length, it could have been an excellent movie. This cut of the movie lacks explanations that would have helped the story to run more smoothly. Despite being a little banal (though fits magically together) the story should be told in full. The serious tone of it might not suit everybody. Paradoxically, Assassin’s Creed isn’t all fun, but about questions that viewers should ask themselves. (01.01.2017)

An interesting, artistically ambitious attempt. Visually, it’s similarly "black and white" and artfully polished as anything from Nolan or Spectre. But the script is gibberish and buries the personality and confident direction the creators were pursuing. The parkour is fine, and so is 15th century Spain, but everything in the present is rubbish. And in this case, I'm afraid that, unlike Warcraft, the players of this famous game won't be excited about the film adaptation. (07.01.2017)

I was looking forward to this movie, but it turned out to be a huge disappointment. I've played Assassin’s Creed, and I think it's definitely a top-quality game, but the filmmakers stripped away the best parts, threw them away, and served us some weird leftovers. In the game, I was annoyed by the flash-forwards. The plot of the film takes place practically entirely in the future and only occasionally ventures into the past, which was a let down for me. I was expecting something completely different, thus I was far from entertained. (14.06.2017)

I can't help but feel that I haven't seen such nonsense in a long time, especially in the mainstream scene. A film that wants to be a tribute to the gaming fan, but doesn't give a damn about the viewer. Great actors with incredibly silly roles, and only Fassbender shows physical prowess, even though there are too many effects anyway. A stupid script and overall uninteresting story. (26.03.2017)

Fight scenes pretty sweet, period (digital) stylization of Spain in the late 15th century impressive. So why only 2 stars? I found the way it odd how the whole thing fits together, to say the least. In some ways, it's an altogether stylish video game adaptation. On the other hand, at some points it feels too much like a pure video game sequence at the expense of a more cinematic feel, which in theory, players of the original games could appreciate. But that's not the case for me. (24.05.2020)

As a layperson who can’t compare it with the game, I can only praise this film. Right from the first shots the cinematography and the stunning production design are eye-popping. The music is the only thing I know from the game, and I can also positively evaluate it: it is close in spirit to the text and nice to listen to. I liked it so much, that I put on the soundtrack the moment I got home. The performances are good, too, just what you’d expect from Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard. The action and fight scenes are also brilliantly shot. After a long time I can say that I had high expectations for a film and I was not disappointed. (29.12.2016)