Movie Review - Assassin's Creed

Assassin's Creed

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Charlotte Rampling, Michael Kenneth Williams, Denis Ménochet, Ariane Labed, and more.

Directed by: Justin Kurzel Screenplay by: Michael Lesslie, Adam Cooper, and Bill Collage Based on the Video Game Series Created by: Patrick Désilets, Corey May, and Jade Raymond Music by: Jed Kurzel Cinematography by: Adam Arkapaw

Premise: Cal Lynch was sentenced to death for killing a pimp. Except instead of dying, he finds himself in Spain rather than Texas. Due to his DNA, he's been picked up for a research program. One that taps into his genetic memory. The Institute is using this research not only to study violent behavior but also to find clues as to the whereabouts of the Apple of Eden. A prize that has been pursued by the Templars and the Assassin's Creed for centuries. The stakes are higher than Cal would ever guess. (Rated PG-13)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: Michael Fasbender does a great job with the double role of Cal and his 14th-century ancestor Aguilar. The two characters are polarized in different directions. It's fun to see the two figuratively and literally face off against each other and what drives them. Marion Cotillard as Sofia was also an interesting character. She's a brilliant scientist, yet is mostly blind as to what her research is being used for and her father's real goals. Jeremy Irons is masterful as ever. A charismatic man with giant agendas who doesn't care who and what he uses to achieve his goals.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: Lots of lovely and subtle touches from the special effect's team. In the game, the eagle is a symbol of the Assassin's Creed (since it is a bird of prey) and is used in several sequences. For the film, they expanded on this and used the eagle in both the present and the past. I thought it made for a beautiful tie between the two men and a nice sprinkle of mysticism besides. 

The recreations of the ancient cities were wonderful. They even made sure to add in the towers and a lot of the look and feel of the original game. 

The concept of the Animus, a virtual reality machine used to project the genetic memory of the subject, was altered somewhat to make it more cinematic. Still, I thought it was great! The 3D visual representations as seen by the doctor and techs gave everything a ghostly, haunting quality, while for Cal being in the past was solid reality. 

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: You get a little backstory on Cal, which serves to help the audience understand him. It's also used to set up some reveals further on. In general, I felt the plot was pretty straight forward with few surprises. That might also be because I know a little about the franchise. (Got to play the original game years ago - though I didn't get far. The baud rate on the main character's white room at the institute was low. So it would make me very dizzy, even though no one was moving!) 

Some neat explorations of free will, violence, even faith. There's even some fun mysticism thrown in for flavor. Magic, technology, God, the audience is left to draw their own conclusions.

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: The film has a lot of cool CGI and regular stunt work. Watching the assassins run through the old streets and roofs of Madrid was a lot of fun. Lots of hand-to-hand combat. 

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The film was shot in the UK, Malta, and Spain. The flavors of the locations come through in both the past and present. The cinematography throughout was excellent, taking total advantage of the sites. Several scenes are from just behind a flying eagle, and they were gorgeous. 

One neat section went from a painting depicting a scene in 1492 to later diving into the location back in time. Lovely! 

Conclusion: "Assassin's Creed" is a fun action film with some history and mysticism thrown in for flavor. While not exactly like the game, it keeps the most important points and makes for a satisfying ride.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price of Admission)

Movie Review - Wreck-It Ralph

Wreck-It Ralph

Starring: John C Reilly, Sarah Silverman, Jack McBrayer, Jane Lynch, Alan Tudyk, Mindy Kaling, Raymond S Perci, Ed O'Neil, and more.

Directed by: Rich Moore Screenplay by: Jennifer Lee and Phil Johnston Additional Story Material by: John C Reilly Original Music by: Henry Jackman

Premise: Ralph has been wrecking things for the Mr. Fix-It Jr. game for thirty years. He has no friends, he lives in a junkyard of bricks, and he gets no recognition for his contribution to the game by the other members. So when one of the building's tenants get upset at him and tells him if he gets a medal, he can live in the penthouse, Ralph decides he'll go off and do just that. Unfortunately, leaving his game during arcade hours has repercussions. Dangerous repercussions Ralph had never thought about. (Rated PG)

Review:

1) Voice Acting - Total Thumbs Up: John C Reilly is very convincing as the misunderstood and underappreciated Ralph. Sarah Silverman is utterly adorable as Vanellope. Jane Lynch is a lot of fun as Calhoun, especially when reliving her game backstory in flashbacks and having to deal with Felix (Mr. Fix-It Jr.)

2) Artwork/Animation - Total Thumbs Up: For the adults in the audience, especially those who liked or loved video games (and for those that still do), the film will well up tides of nostalgia as different games and the art used in them flash across the big screen. Having played most of the games mentioned in the movie myself, it was an utter treat to see my old friends brought back to giant sized life in the film.

From 64 bit to HD, old and new games are well represented. The artistry really shows though, once we enter the gaming world. Those with better, more complex software, even within their own game, move easier and better than others. This gave a nice touch of individuality to the characters, while also showing the restrictions on being who they are. The obvious research that went into the film with regards to old and newer games truly shows in their wonderful attention to detail.

Once Ralph goes to Sugar Rush though, that's when the art really impresses. With the Real 3D effects added on, the cotton candy, the giant gum drops, and the taffy swamps really gain texture, making the experience even more amazing.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: While in real life we look at games as often being clear cut as to the roles of the characters in them, in the gaming world, life is as complex as the human one, despite the characters' programming. And as is so often in life, sometimes those who seem good are not, and vice versa. Plus even good people can make bad choices.

On the surface the story seems simple and straight forward, but ends up having a few plot surprises and more depth than expected. And while kids will enjoy the movie a lot, this is one which will also be a big hit with the adults. Between the nostalgic elements, the deeper emotional currents, in-jokes, and play-on-words, parents might just end up even more entertained than the kids.

Conclusion: Fun film filled with both comedic and heartfelt moments. For video game players, young and old, the film will be a treasure trove of relived memories.

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Full Price To See Again!)

Movie Review - Resident Evil: Retribution

Resident Evil: Retribution

Starring: Milla Jovovich, Sienna Guillory, Michelle Rodriguez, Aryana Engineer, Bingbing Li, Boris Kodjoe, Johann Urb, Robin Kasyanov, Kevin Durand, Ofilio Portillo, Oded Fehr, Colin Salmon, Shawn Roberts, and more.

Directed by: Paul W S Anderson Writing Credits: Paul W S Anderson Cinematography by: Glen MacPherson Original Music by: tomandandy (Tom Hadju and Andy Milburn)

Premise: Captured after the unexpected attack by a brainwashed Jill at the end of "Resident Evil: Afterlife," Alice finds help from an unexpected source - her sworn enemy, Albert Wesker. His agent Ada and a small team of men have been tasked with setting Alice free and destroying Umbrella's underwater Siberian base. The Red Queen, Umbrella's AI, who has now taken over the facility, will not make the task easy. (Rated R)

Review:

1) Acting - Total Thumbs Up: The film gives unexpected avenues for the stars to show their acting acumen. Milla Jovovich has always done well in her action film roles, but we get to see another side of her talents in the early Suburbia section of the movie as a suburban housewife fighting for her life and reacting from it. Michelle Rodriguez also gets to show a different side as she too has multiple roles in the film. Aryana Engineer gave a good and layered performance despite her young years. The fact her character was handicapped and used voice and sign to communicate allowed for deeper layers for the character of Becky.

2) Special Effects - Total Thumbs Up: As with each of the preceding "Resident Evil" film, the budget for this one was high, and they made great use of it. Some true hard work went into the film and it showed.

They did a great job integrating the zones of the base with computer simulations and tracking systems used by the Red Queen. They made great visuals and also kept the audience informed on who was where. The attention to detail was high and really came through as the groups traveled through the different zones.

There were fights and explosions galore. And in a nice reversal, we even got chainsaw wielding zombies! The amount of flying bullet casings was quite impressive as well. Dumb zombies, hungry zombies, Russian smart zombies,  even armed and rocket launcher wielding zombies, it was a veritable smorgasbord of 'zombiness', which was a lot of fun.

There were the occasional segments of infinite bullet syndrome, but they did make the attempt to stay realistic on occasion.

The opening sequence was both unusual and attention grabbing. The franchise has always been very good with their openings - this one was one of the best.

3) Plot/Story - Thumbs Up: In previous reviews of the franchise I'd made the statement that as the budget went up, the story quality went down. I am rather pleased to say that in this instance, they broke the pattern. Of a whole, they kept the story simple and strait forward, which helped to keep it from careening into plot holes or other issues the "Resident Evil" films have shown in the past.

For those who've not watched the previous films, they have a quick recap picking up some of the most important details to share with the audience so they know what's what. For those who've watched them all, you'll get the added treat of seeing many of the characters from some of the previous films brought back, though not exactly as you've met them before. Made for some fun contrast and also gave some of the actors a chance to shine in a different line from the usual action personas.

A definite fun bit was the recreation of the opening sequence where the virus first showed up in Tokyo, Japan in "Resident Evil: Afterlife." They even got the same Japanese Business Man (Takato Yamashita) and the J Pop Girl (Mika Nakashima) to reprise their roles. Nice!

4) Stunts - Total Thumbs Up: The choreography during the fights were 'top notch.' Combine them with the great special effects, and it made for a fabulous viewing experience. The fight with Alice, the chain, the gun, and the Japanese zombies will stay with me for a long time - it was a work of art. Everyone gave their best and then some.

5) Locations/Cinematography - Total Thumbs Up: The panning scene where you see exactly where Alice is when she escapes part of her prison was utterly breathtaking. Water was a recurring theme and used in some very imaginative ways. Loved the visual with Michelle Rodriguez towards the end.

The recreations of New York, Moscow, Tokyo, and American suburbia were exquisite. It made the contrast even better when the illusion would occasionally crack and show the facility beneath. There were several rooms in the base proper that had great impact due to the use of light. Loved the lighting up sequence at the central hub. Lots and lots of visuals to keep the eyes occupied.

Conclusion: A lot more fun than I was expecting. Definitely one to check out. Just the high doses of action will keep the audience's adrenaline pumping to high levels throughout. And yes, we get left in a cliff hanger - AGAIN.

Rating: 4 out of 5 (Hubby's Rating: Worth Paying Full Price to See Again)