Should fans of Assassin's Creed video game watch the film?

Ubisoft's Assassin's Creed franchise is a classic example of how too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. For me, Altair and Ezio, will always remain the Assassins who made sense and were worth playing for, again and again.

Although, guiding Edward Kenway through the Caribbean singing sea shanties along the way wasn't too bad either. But you can't help notice how the franchise has been spiralling downhill with each passing episode.

Even Syndicate with its dynamic duo of Jacob and Evie Frye kind of, sort of, imploded by the end. That's not a pretty sight for diehard fans. But you know how fans are. They (will) keep coming back for more. 

Ubisoft, in a bid to re-examine the franchise, did not launch a new Assassin's Creed game in 2016. "We're taking this year to evolve the game mechanics and to make sure we're delivering on the promise of Assassin's Creed offering unique and memorable gameplay experiences that make history everyone's playground," the company said in a blog post in February.

This came as quite a shocker for fans who had been fine-tuned to playing a new "major" title every year since 2009. For the first time, since 2009, they did not get to play a new Assassin's Creed video game. But, they got to watch it. In film.

There have been Assassin's Creed films in the past, but they've all been short and/or animated. Not this one. The new film brings in a fresh perspective to the franchise while balancing historical facts (and fiction) and modern-day cynicism.

It brings in a fresh story (and a fresh protagonist), but, on the inside it is still guided by the same principles that guide every Assassin's Creed game.

On the one side, are the Assassins who work in the dark to serve the light, and on the other, the Templars who strive for absolute control. The Apple of Eden is used as a symbol to exercise and/or oppose free will and both the sides have - for centuries - been fighting to keep it from falling into the hands of the other.

In the film, as it is in the games, the Apple of Eden is an ancient artefact, the exact origins of which we do not know. It doesn't matter where it came from. What matters is, what it is capable of. After all, someone took the trouble of building a machine - straight out of the future - that makes a certain someone - preferably, sharing the bloodline of an Assassin - relive the memories of their ancestors, just so someone can find it.

Just so you know, you're not going to alter history. You're just going to relive it, as per the book. If you can find the Apple of Eden, good for you. If not, well, you're just another lab rat waiting to be replaced. And by the way, someone's on a very tight schedule, so you better make that quick.

That is - all but - the general undertone of Justin Kurzel's 116-minutes long big-screen adaptation of one of the most iconic video game franchises in the world.

If you happen to be a fan (and a fellow gamer), prepare yourself for utter disappointment. If you're not, you might just want to skip this one altogether. For Assassin's Creed is just another castle made of sand that crumbles faster than Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. The irony. 

Michael Fassbender is Callum Lynch. Young Cal aspired to be a stunt biker (perhaps) until that fateful day when he came home to find his mother murdered in cold blood. By his own father. He would have killed Cal too, but he couldn't.

Instead, he told him to go live in the shadows, for someone will be out looking for him and Cal must not be found. He is found. It took someone almost two decades to get a hold of him. But, someone did get a hold of him.

We are later told that someone had been keeping an eye on him all this while. We are not told why someone took so long to confront him though. Someone had a plan, perhaps. Someone did not take long to get to business thereafter.

Enter Sophia Rikkin (Marion Cotillard), leading scientist of the Animus project, at Abstergo Foundation. Although, Cal is her supposed patient, and Animus her supposed program, Sophia has little say in almost everything within the confines of the foundation. She is but a mere puppet to her father Alan Rikkin (Jeremy Irons), who is CEO of Abstergo Industries.

Animus, if you haven't guessed already, is the machine that takes you back, and Abstergo, the modern-day face of the Knights Templar. Also, if you haven't guessed already, Cal is the descendant of a master Assassin - a certain Aguilar de Nerha - and must relive his memories so he can help Abstergo find the Apple of Eden.

Classic Assassin's Creed, as fans would say. Only, it isn't that simple.

Assassin's Creed takes great pride in borrowing inspiration from historical events and characters. History has (always) played a pivotal role in pushing the franchise forward. Modern-day events - meaning all that happens inside and outside Abstergo in the present day - have served as mere props in these games. To emphasise that Assassin's Creed is a modern-day game set in the past and not the other way around.

The Assassin's Creed film, on the contrary, is based largely in the present. Which means there's lots (and lots) of Abstergo in the film. Which means there's lots (and lots) of Cal, and lots (and lots) of Sophia, and lots (and lots) of Alan Rikkin in the film.

Everyone doing the same old song and dance, over and over again. And because there's been lots (and lots) of the same old thing happening here - for a long time now - Charlotte Rampling, apparently, wants to pull the plug already. About time.

Justin Kurzel and co, just so they can add some visual variety to Abstergo, have re-worked on the Animus, quite a bit. It's different alright. Some would even say that it has a life of its own. But, this does not explain why it looks so much like a prop - they borrowed - from a Michael Bay movie.

Adding some more visual variety is a group of test subjects that were, apparently, of no good to Abstergo. One among them is Joseph Lynch (Brendan Gleeson), Cal's father. All of them, collectively, work to ensure Cal doesn't spill the beans on the Apple of Eden.

He's moody, Cal, and because he goes through all this carrying the same expression - a straight face with the occasional bouts of crazy - it's really hard to tell, you know. Remember, Ubisoft had a whole game dedicated to a rogue Assassin?

My problem with Abstergo, in Assassin's Creed, isn't the fact that it is so bland and boring. My problem with Abstergo is how forgettable every character is inside it.

I have seen Jeremy Irons as Rodrigo Borgia and I know what the man's capable of. That voice, that charm, the man is a force to reckon with, on screen. Not so much in Assassin's Creed though. He tries, believe you me, to be the authoritative one, the manipulative one. But, the script doesn't give him many credible dialogues to play with. All he does (mostly) is stare into nothingness.

That leaves us with Marion Cotillard: the lovely Marion Cotillard, who can pull of both - a Jeux d'enfants and The Dark Knight Rises - with effortless ease. And yet, in Assassin's Creed, it's really hard to tell what she's thinking, or rather, doing.

Probably, because she has little say in almost everything within the confines of the foundation. Probably, because Kurzel wanted her to be that way. To be disillusioned now, and vow revenge later. A possible sequel on the cards, perhaps.

Assassin's Creed takes you back to 1492 and briefly touches the subject of the Spanish Inquisition. But, that's all the history lesson you're going to get in this instalment.

Cal goes in (to the Animus), turns into Aguilar, delivers a blow, and comes back all in one fleeting sequence. Okay, there are a few more. Not telling you, how many though. All I can say is, it did not quench my thirst. Chances are, if you're an AC fan, you'll feel the same too.

Popular AC terms like bleeding effect and the First Civilisation are mentioned, but only briefly. The Apple of Eden, for now, sounds more like hocus-pocus than the technological marvel that it is in the games. And the leap of faith, although it looks as glorious as ever, lands you nowhere.

Because, Assassin's Creed (the film) isn't even half of what the franchise has grown to become: a cult classic. Assassin's Creed (the franchise) manages to find perfection in its imperfections, year after year; something that pulls gamers into playing these games, year after year.

Assassin's Creed (the film), however, barely scratches the surface, and for those who've grown to play (and love) these games, it will never be enough.

I haven't lost all hope though. As Lucy said in the beginning of the first Assassin's Creed game, "Give it a moment, the first time is never easy. Everything is going to make sense (soon)."

It will make more sense, next time, hopefully. If there is a next time, that is. 

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