Fans of Assassin’s Creed have been waiting anxiously to get a glimpse at the upcoming film adaptation of their beloved property. We’ve seen plenty of promotional photos and heard lots of praise from the people involved, but today gives us our first real look at the movie. Check out the first trailer:
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As someone who has never played a single second of any the games in the franchise, I have to admit that I am deeply intrigued by what we see here. The blend of science fiction and period action is a big draw, especially when you see how much great stunt work and fight choreography is taking place. Completely removed from the Assassin’s Creed name, this would be a movie I’d be interested in seeing.
It doesn’t hurt to have a cast full of A-list talent. Michael Fassbender alone is a big draw but throw in Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, and Michael K. Williams and you’ve got a murderer’s (or assassin’s) row of fantastic actors. Director Justin Kurzel — who recently shot a version of Macbeth with Fassbender and Cotillard — isn’t treating the source material like it’s beneath him. Assassin’s Creed looks like a full-fledged piece of blockbuster cinema that’s taking itself completely seriously.
I’m sure some of the science in the science fiction is going to be a little wacky — the Animus is a kooky idea but in the most fun way possible — but if it’s grounded with the kind of fantastic period settings we see here, it’ll be an easy pill to swallow. The movie is still seven moths away so I’m sure there are more bombastic effects shots waiting in the wings, but I’m more than happy with the gritty fisticuffs we see in this trailer. Although, that final shot of Aguilar de Nerha diving into the city is pretty breathtaking.
Will Assassin’s Creed be the film that finally breaks the curse of video game movies? Ratchet and Clank didn’t seem to make much of a splash, but we’ve got Warcraft coming out before that, so it’s very possible that 2016 could be a banner year for the video game movie. From what I’ve seen in this trailer, things are looking pretty good for Assassin’s Creed. We’ll find out if it lives up to the expectations on December 21.
