Story
In the opening monologue of Assassin’s Creed, we learn that for centuries the Knights Templar have been seeking the location of the mythical Apple of Eden. This object is said to contain not only the seed of humanity’s first disobedience, but also the key to free will. If the Knights find the Apple they’ll use it to control freedom of thought. Opposing the Knights Templar is the Brotherhood of Assassins, a group that has vowed to defend humanity against tyranny and preserve free will.
The main story then begins in Spain in 1492. The Knights Templar have kidnapped a prince to exchange for the Apple of Eden. As the exchange takes place, Assassins drop from the ceiling and attack the Templars. One Assassin, Aguilar (Michael Fassbender), steals the Apple and escapes.
The movie jumps forward to the present day where Cal Lynch (Michael Fassbender), a direct descendant of Aguilar, is being executed for murder. Following the execution, Cal is reawakened by scientists Sofia Rikkin (Marion Cotillard) and her father Alan Rikkin (Jeremy Irons), who are both Templars. Sofia and her father want to plug Cal into a machine that unlocks genetic memories. This will enable Cal to relive Aguilar’s experiences and memories, including where he hid the Apple.
Cal is hardwired to the machine where he relives the battles and violence experienced by Aguilar, becoming more like Aguilar after each experience. Eventually Cal leads Sophia and her father to the Apple. Templars and Assassin fight it out for the right to free will.
Themes
Genetic memory; religion and religious orders; mythical artefacts; free will and the control of free will
Violence
Assassin’s Creed has extended scenes of intense action violence, some of which is brutal. These scenes include executions and also the murder of one parent by the other parent, which is witnessed by their child. The movie shows minimal blood and gore, but it uses sound effects to suggest violent and gruesome acts. Here are some examples of this movie’s violence:
Sexual references
None of concern
Alcohol, drugs and other substances
Assassin’s Creed has minimal substance use. For example:
- In one scene a man pours some alcohol into a glass and drinks it.
- Executioners use an intravenous injection to execute a man.
Nudity and sexual activity
None of concern
Product placement
There is no product placement of concern in Assassin’s Creed itself, but the movie is based on a popular video game and tie-in merchandise is available.
Coarse language
Assassin’s Creed has infrequent coarse language and some name-calling.
Ideas to discuss with your children
Assassin’s Creed is an action adventure fantasy based on the popular video game of the same name. The movie is packed with extremely fast-paced and intense action violence sequences and gymnastics that should please adult and teenage fans of the game. Viewers who aren’t familiar with the game might find the movie a bit disjointed.
Assassin’s Creed is showing during school holidays, and it’s likely to appeal to younger teenagers and even tweens. You should note that the movie contains brutal scenes of violence, including executions, throat-slitting and the murder of a mother, which is witnessed by her child.
These are the main messages from this movie:
- The right to free will is worth risking everything for.
- Our genetic inheritance determines our predispositions.
You might want to talk with your children about the concept of free will and how it’s connected to acts of violence. Is free will part of what makes us human?