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LeftSideCut (3776 KP) rated Assassin's Creed (2016) in Movies
Nov 12, 2019 (Updated Nov 12, 2019)
Nahhhh
Assassin's Creed is a series of (mostly) decent games that I personally enjoy. It's got a simple yet solid premise that has a story running in a select time in history, whilst simultaneously having another story running in modern day. It's full of parkour action, and flashy combat, and lends itself nicely to a movie adaption format?
So just how on Earth is said movie adaption so damn forgettable?
It's got a strong cast - Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Brendan Gleeson, Jeremy Irons - all fantastic actors, and all completely wasted in a boring story, and boring script.
A huge part is the issue, is perhaps that a lot of the film is stuck in the modern day setting - there's only so much of Fassbender becoming unhinged whilst strapped to the (admittedly pretty neat re designed) Animus.
The parts set in the past (taking place in the 15th Century Granada War) is much more fun. It's here that the movie looks and feels like the beloved game series, and I like that the writers set it in a period we haven't yet seen in the games.
The costume design and setting looks great.
The action set pieces we get here are entertaining, even if they are sometimes hidden between quick cut style camera work.
But it's all a bit light on this side of things.
Assassin's Creed isn't an all out awful film, it's just a bit of a non event, lacking in excitement and proving to be mostly forgettable, leaving me with little desire to rewatch.
It's a shame - if Assassin's Creed can't be adapted well, then I have little hope left for anything video game related (Once again, except Detective Pikachu goddamn it)
So just how on Earth is said movie adaption so damn forgettable?
It's got a strong cast - Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Brendan Gleeson, Jeremy Irons - all fantastic actors, and all completely wasted in a boring story, and boring script.
A huge part is the issue, is perhaps that a lot of the film is stuck in the modern day setting - there's only so much of Fassbender becoming unhinged whilst strapped to the (admittedly pretty neat re designed) Animus.
The parts set in the past (taking place in the 15th Century Granada War) is much more fun. It's here that the movie looks and feels like the beloved game series, and I like that the writers set it in a period we haven't yet seen in the games.
The costume design and setting looks great.
The action set pieces we get here are entertaining, even if they are sometimes hidden between quick cut style camera work.
But it's all a bit light on this side of things.
Assassin's Creed isn't an all out awful film, it's just a bit of a non event, lacking in excitement and proving to be mostly forgettable, leaving me with little desire to rewatch.
It's a shame - if Assassin's Creed can't be adapted well, then I have little hope left for anything video game related (Once again, except Detective Pikachu goddamn it)

Rose (201 KP) rated Assassin's Creed (2016) in Movies
Jul 12, 2017
Visuals (2 more)
Fight scenes
Jeremy Irons
Story (1 more)
Not true to video games
I was cranky at the end of this
As a massive Assassin's Creed fan, I was very excited for this movie. I really wanted to like it: the visuals were great, the fight scenes were fun, and an interesting story. However, there were statements said that are absolutely not true about the Assassins and this ruined most of the movie for me. As an action movie, it's pretty good and the fight scenes are exciting. The costuming was great, as were the actors.

Cyn Armistead (14 KP) rated The Pirate's Wish (The Assassin's Curse, #2) in Books
Mar 1, 2018
Well, according to the acknowledgement at the end of the book, there was originally one enormous book which was broken up into The Assassin's Curse and The Pirate's Wish. I think they should have been published as one volume, but I obviously don't work in the industry. I definitely recommend that you have both books on hand before starting th duology, though.
I'm quite pleased with how the plot threads were brought together, and the main character certainly developed well. The book passes the Bechdel test with flying colors, too.
I'm quite pleased with how the plot threads were brought together, and the main character certainly developed well. The book passes the Bechdel test with flying colors, too.

Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated the PlayStation 4 version of Assassin's Creed: Origins in Video Games
Nov 18, 2019
Currently working my way through this, about 70% complete and totally invested in Bayek and his story of revenge for the death of his son.
The game has a really large open world and it can take forever to get from one side of Egypt to the other, even on a mount, so it's really great to have the vantage points spread out throughout the map.
This is my first proper foray into the Assassin's Creed games as I could never really get into previous games.
I'm looking forward to playing more on the PS4
The game has a really large open world and it can take forever to get from one side of Egypt to the other, even on a mount, so it's really great to have the vantage points spread out throughout the map.
This is my first proper foray into the Assassin's Creed games as I could never really get into previous games.
I'm looking forward to playing more on the PS4

David McK (3557 KP) rated Assassin's Creed (2016) in Movies
Jun 9, 2019 (Updated Jan 18, 2020)
What. On. Earth.
Another (IMO) failed attempt to bring a video game - in this case, Ubisofts long-running Assassin's Creeds series - to the big screen.
For those not in the know (anyone?), those games sees the player taking the part of a character reliving the memories of one of their ancestors through a device known as the animus, with a whole alt-past mysticism behind it all, and with a centuries-long war between the Templars (the bad guys, in all bit one game) and the Assassin's bubbling along in the background.
And, right there's, is why I think most of these video-game-to-movies adaptations fail: in the game, you're (as the player) are an active participant whereas in the movie theatre you're passive.
It probably also doesn't help that the film seems largely based on one of the more universally-disliked portions of the source material (i.e. the present day parts, which have more or less been completely dropped in the games that came out after this film) rather than the more-interesting past! On the plus side, however, at least they went for a new period of history to visit instead of something already covered by the games.
Another (IMO) failed attempt to bring a video game - in this case, Ubisofts long-running Assassin's Creeds series - to the big screen.
For those not in the know (anyone?), those games sees the player taking the part of a character reliving the memories of one of their ancestors through a device known as the animus, with a whole alt-past mysticism behind it all, and with a centuries-long war between the Templars (the bad guys, in all bit one game) and the Assassin's bubbling along in the background.
And, right there's, is why I think most of these video-game-to-movies adaptations fail: in the game, you're (as the player) are an active participant whereas in the movie theatre you're passive.
It probably also doesn't help that the film seems largely based on one of the more universally-disliked portions of the source material (i.e. the present day parts, which have more or less been completely dropped in the games that came out after this film) rather than the more-interesting past! On the plus side, however, at least they went for a new period of history to visit instead of something already covered by the games.

David McK (3557 KP) rated Assassin's Creed: Gold in Books
Mar 15, 2020
Assassin's Creed.
Primarily a series of Ubisoft-owned video games (of which I've played the majority - not all!), the franchise has also had a rather perplexing, Michael Fassbender starring, movie spin-off and a series of novels (which I just couldn't get into).
To that, we can now also add an Audible original (I think) audio drama.
And, I have to say, it's actually pretty good!
With some big star names adding their talents - I'm looking mainly at you, Antony Head (aka Giles from TVs 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer') - and pretty decent background incidentals, this drama also hews closer to the original Assassin's Creed games than the latter, in that it takes place pretty much equally in both the 'real' world (of the drama, anyway!) and inside the Animus!
The setting for the Animus, by the way, is in 1696 when Isaac Newton - Antony Head - has been tasked with running the Royal Mint, and with stamping out counterfeiting. As this is an audio book, it's also able to do something that I don't think would translate at all well into any other medium: the main Assassin character of Omar Khaled is blind! No idea how that would translate into a game ...
Primarily a series of Ubisoft-owned video games (of which I've played the majority - not all!), the franchise has also had a rather perplexing, Michael Fassbender starring, movie spin-off and a series of novels (which I just couldn't get into).
To that, we can now also add an Audible original (I think) audio drama.
And, I have to say, it's actually pretty good!
With some big star names adding their talents - I'm looking mainly at you, Antony Head (aka Giles from TVs 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer') - and pretty decent background incidentals, this drama also hews closer to the original Assassin's Creed games than the latter, in that it takes place pretty much equally in both the 'real' world (of the drama, anyway!) and inside the Animus!
The setting for the Animus, by the way, is in 1696 when Isaac Newton - Antony Head - has been tasked with running the Royal Mint, and with stamping out counterfeiting. As this is an audio book, it's also able to do something that I don't think would translate at all well into any other medium: the main Assassin character of Omar Khaled is blind! No idea how that would translate into a game ...

Pyramids: Discworld Novel 7
Book
'Look after the dead', said the priests, 'and the dead will look after you.' Wise words in all...

Charlotte (184 KP) rated The Assassin's Legacy (Minte and Magic Adventure #2) in Books
Dec 17, 2021 (Updated Dec 17, 2021)
Fun and engaging
Filled with fun, banter and cheeky assassins what's not to like?
The Assassin's Legacy is a good all around read. I love the different themes, monsters, family dynamics and folklore. Sasha is a charming man that just wants a peaceful life..... Don't we all? I really feel for him, trying to leave his past behind but being pulled back in and not in a good way!
A young adult plus read that will have you entertained from start to finish. Grab a cuppa, some biscuits and settle in for a cracking read.
@Merissa
Filled with fun, banter and cheeky assassins what's not to like?
The Assassin's Legacy is a good all around read. I love the different themes, monsters, family dynamics and folklore. Sasha is a charming man that just wants a peaceful life..... Don't we all? I really feel for him, trying to leave his past behind but being pulled back in and not in a good way!
A young adult plus read that will have you entertained from start to finish. Grab a cuppa, some biscuits and settle in for a cracking read.
@Merissa

Throne of Glass
Book
Meet Celaena Sardothien. Beautiful. Deadly. Destined for greatness. In the dark, filthy salt mines...

David McK (3557 KP) rated The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard (2021) in Movies
Jan 30, 2022
Sequel to 2017s 'The Hitman's Bodyguard', in which Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L Jackson and Salma Hayek all reprise their roles from that earlier film as the Bodyguard Michael Bryce, the assassin Darius Kincaid and that assassin's wife Sonia Kincaid.
This picks up relatively soon after The Hitman's Bodyguard (in which time around Bryce had to protect and deliver Kincaid to the International Criminal Court where he was to testify), with Bryce on vacation until that rest is interrupted by Sonia.
Cue a quick (and foul mouthed) tour of Italy as the trio race to stop a Greek millionaire (played by the Spanish actor Antonio Banderas) from bringing the EU to its knees by crippling it's communications.
Forgettable dross, really.
This picks up relatively soon after The Hitman's Bodyguard (in which time around Bryce had to protect and deliver Kincaid to the International Criminal Court where he was to testify), with Bryce on vacation until that rest is interrupted by Sonia.
Cue a quick (and foul mouthed) tour of Italy as the trio race to stop a Greek millionaire (played by the Spanish actor Antonio Banderas) from bringing the EU to its knees by crippling it's communications.
Forgettable dross, really.