This article contains some spoilers, however small, for Assassin’s Creed. [dropcap size=small]A[/dropcap] lucky handful of viewers were shown a total of twenty minutes of the upcoming Assassin’s Creed film starring Michael Fassbender (X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: Apocalpyse) and Marion Cotillard (The Dark Knight Rises, Inception) and while twenty minutes may not seem a lot, everyone who saw the movie found the film to be impressive and well done. Could Assassin’s Creed finally be the first film based off of a video game that not only pays a proper homage to a popular video game franchise but also leaves fans happily satisfied? Read on for yourself to find out.
For starters, it is important to remember that both Michael Fassbender and director Justin Kurzel have put in a lot of work and effort into making Assassin’s Creed what fans have been hoping for. Michael Fassbender has been heavily involved in bringing Assassin’s Creed come to life for nearly four years now and Justin Kurzel has gone on record in an interview with Collider that he is “trying to do as much as possible in camera. We’ve gone and shot in rural locations and I was kind of determined not for this film to be a car park film, where you’re shooting just in green screen and your using most of post to help you out.” Sure, you can do a lot of special effects and work with a green screen but using an actual set and environment is much more realistic for viewers.
According to Gamesradar, Assassin’s Creed begins with tragedy and Callum Lynch’s (Michael Fassbender) beginnings are explained to viewers within the onset of the film. The film will do a great deal of work explaining the overall goals of the Templars, who wish to have absolute control over everything, and Assassins, who wish for freedom for everyone and everything to be attained, while also giving fans an idea of what heights and depths both sides will go to reach these goals in both 15th century Spain and modern day.
As was revealed in the trailer, Callum Lynch wakes up in the midst of Abstergo Industries after apparently being executed. As far as the rest of the world is concerned, Callum is dead and no longer alive. The Templars, who are the masterminds behind Abstergo Industries, were responsible for faking Callum’s death and plan on using him to access the memories of his Assassin ancestor who lived in 15th century Spain. Jeremy Irons (Alfred in Batman v Superman) plays the role of Alan Rikkin, who may or may not be a Grand Master Templar (it has yet to be confirmed), and he employs his own daughter Sophia (Marion Cotillard) to convince Callum that she is there to aid him. Marion Cotillard’s Sophia is an interesting character in the way that she honestly believes that she and the Templars are trying to make the world a better place.
“She has this ideology which is a very strong desire to understand violence,” explains Marion Cotillard. “Everything in her life is dedicated to finding this, but she’ll discover that her father has another agenda.”
Alan Rikkin’s overarching goal is to use Callum Lynch to gain access to his memories of his ancestor, Aguilar de Nerha. Aguilar is the last known Assassin to have possessed something referred to as “the Artefact” in the film. This mysterious item is something the Templars in 15th century Spain were hellbent on possessing and this obsession has only continued to be a central piece of whatever Alan Rikkin’s evil plan is.
Don’t be under the impression Callum Lynch is the only Assassin at Abstergo Industries. In typical Assassin fashion, the Assassin are deep undercover to uncover the truth behind the Templar’s plans while also taking down the inner ring of Templars from the inside out. The first Assassin that Callum meets goes by the name of Moussa (The Wire’s Michael Kenneth Williams) and in the first fifteen minutes of the film he directs Callum to jump out of the building while he still can before disappearing.
“[He’s the] trickster. He’s the ringleader of the Assassins in Abstergo, and he sees everyone’s gifts and recognizes their potential,” Michael Kenneth Williams explains. “He’s from a Caribbean ancestral background, and he’s a Voodoo poisoner. He has all that energy behind him. Can he fight? Yes. But would he rather sprinkle something in your tea and kill you softly? You bet”.
Moussa isn’t the only Assassin at Abstergo Industries, another Assassin who goes by the name of Lin is a Chinese Assassin “who discovers in her genetic regressions, who is well travelled and hardened by the struggles of life for a woman in 16th century China” makes an appearance. Could Lin be a decedent of the Chinese Assassin Shao Jun in 1505 China that appeared in Assassin’s Creed: Chronicles? It definitely is a possibility.
Assassin’s Creed will be introducing a new and much different version of the Animus than what fans are used to seeing. This new version of the Animus is different than the usual one in the way that a large mechanical claw grips the individual around the waist allowing Callum Lynch to go through the exact same motions as Aguilar’s as he relives his ancestors memories. It will be interesting to see how this plays out as the film progresses.
Callum Lynch’s ancestor Aguilar isn’t the only Assassin that is pitted against the Templars in 15th Century Spain. The French actresses Ariane Labed plays as the female Assassin Maria and don’t be distracted by her small size and frame. Maria is a whirling blade work of accuracy and death, easily taking down Spanish soldiers and Ariane Labed is quite happy with her role as Maria.
“First of all, I think the great [thing] is I’m the only woman around the guys, and I like the fact that it’s not a niche at all and she’s just a very good [character] and she’s a part of them. I think what I loved in this character was that it was basically that she’s a great fighter and the fact that she’s a woman is just an component and that’s it. The quality is evident and they don’t have to make a big deal of it, so yeah – I think that’s a very strong sort of political thing as well, and I love that.”
Assassin’s Creed continues to hold true to what has made the franchise so iconic. Using important events in history like the Siege of Granada and historical figures like the grand inquisitor Tomas de Torquemada (Javier Gutirrez), Assassin’s Creed is quickly beginning to show that this isn’t an ordinary film based on a video game that has too many action scenes and very a weak plot (Resident Evil anyone?). From a bird’s eye view of Granada, to Maria and Aguilar leaping from rooftop to rooftop, and even the camera following the deadly trajectory of an arrow, it may be time to take a leap of faith with Michael Fassbender and dive into the world of Assassin’s Creed.
Assassin’s Creed hits theaters December 21st, 2016.
