STACK January 2017 Issue 147

12 / 68

A fter so many terrible translations
from console to cinema, video game
adaptations have a stigma attached
to them. That's about to change this year,
however, with the release of Assassin's Creed.
Gamers, prepare to take a leap of faith...
In bringing Ubisoft's best-selling game
franchise to the screen, Australian director
Justin Kurzel (Snowtown , Macbeth) has done
for video game adaptations what Christopher
Nolan did for Batman comics, delivering a dark
and dazzling fantasy-adventure that's grounded
in the real world and juxtaposes historical
context with the contemporary problem of
curbing violent behaviour.
A fantastic cast adds further gravitas:
Assassin's Creed reunites Kurzel with his
Macbeth leads Michael Fassbender and Marion
Cotillard, and the supporting roles include
Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson and Charlotte
Rampling. Yes, you read that correctly, Charlotte
Rampling in a video game movie – Assassin's
Creed means business!
Convicted murderer Callum Lynch
(Fassbender) is snatched from death row
execution by Dr. Sofia Rikken (Cotillard), a
scientist with Abstergo Industries, who have
developed a machine called the Animus,
which facilitates a DNA memory meld with a
genetic ancestor. Lynch is thrust into the mind
of 15th century assassin Aguilar to discover
the whereabouts of the Apple of Eden, an
ancient artifact that contains the "seeds of
disobedience" and could hold the key to
eliminating human aggression.
The Apple is also coveted by the Knights
Templar for a more sinister purpose, one that
will end their centuries-long conflict with the
Assassins and eliminate free will.
The action alternates between the Abstergo
facility and 15th century Spain in thrall to the
Inquisition, with the Animus allowing Lynch
to manipulate his ancestor in much the same
fashion a gamer will play their avatar – it's a
cool nod to the movie's roots, with the finely
choreographed parkour and fight sequences
remaining true to the game's visual aesthetic.
The mythology surrounding the Assassin
bloodlines and their war with the Templars is
also crucial – and dense, so you'll need to pay
attention (another first for a video game movie).
It's this blending of historical detail and frenetic
action – coupled with a moody ambience – that
distinguishes Assassin's Creed from its peers.
It's got style and substance.
With audiences becoming increasingly
desensitised to all the generic FX-laden
blockbusters of late, Assassin's Creed is the
visual and creative departure that the genre
needed. Kurzel has demonstrated that video
game movies don't need to be vacuous action-
fests, and having now triumphed with true
crime, Shakespeare and Ubisoft's finest, it's
exciting to contemplate what he'll do next.
Scott Hocking
RELEASED: Now Showing DIRECTORS: Ron
Clements, Don Hall CAST: Auli'i Cravalho,
Dwayne Johnson RATING: PG
Moana is a wholesome, beautiful tale of self-
discovery and identity, complemented by a gorgeous
soundtrack that could very well make it the next
Frozen. It’s the heartfelt story of a Polynesian chief’s
daughter who isn’t filling her father’s shoes. Moana
(voiced by newcomer Auil’i Cravalho) is destined
to take over from her dad, even if all she dreams
about is to be out on the ocean. Her island home
is in trouble, however, for long ago, the Demigod
Maui (a cheerful Dwayne Johnson in his voice-acting
debut) removed the Heart of Te Fiti – the life force of
the region. Without the stone, the crops are failing,
the plants are dying, and the fish are nowhere to
be found. To restore the island, Moana must hunt
down Maui and his enchanted fishhook, gifted to
him by the gods. Moana is quintessential Disney,
full of jokes for the parents and occasionally a real
tear-jerker, as our young protagonist tries to work
out her place in the world – through the preferred
medium of song, of course. From the soundtrack by
the great Lin-Manuel Miranda and Opetaia Foa'I to
the joy of Dwayne Johnson in a Disney film, there’s a
lot to love about the studio’s newest, instant classic.
Keep an eye out, too, for a Johnson musical number
and a post-credits scene that acknowledges a certain
Disney/Pixar film set under the sea… Alesha Kolbe
MOANA
Game changer.
ASSASSIN'S CREED
RELEASED: Now Showing
DIRECTOR: Justin Kurzel
CAST: Michael Fassbender,
Marion Cotillard
RATING: M
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12 JANUARY 2017
CINEMA
REVIEWS
RATING KEY:
Wow!
Good
Not bad
Meh Woof!
British actor Jason Isaacs, with a perfect Aussie
accent, introduces and narrates this bright, heart-
warming tale. He also plays the father, Michael,
who reluctantly takes his two young sons to a Perth
cinema to see Red Dog, circa 2011. This grumpy
businessman softens during the screening of one of
our country’s most beloved films; his eyes water and
his nose is blown. There is a difference between
this dad’s tears and the ones shed by everyone who
saw Red Dog; as a child, he was the original owner
of the pooch (who was named Blue back then) and
raised him from a pup. The connection is made
and Red Dog’s origin story begins. Red Dog: True
Blue flashes back to Michael’s youth in the 1960’s,
when he was simply Mick (played by Levi Miller).
Sent to stay on his grandfather’s cattle farm in
desolate W.A., he finds himself surrounded by quirky
characters that bring their own delightful brand of
Aussie humour to the story. Friendships are formed,
but none can compare with the bond that develops
between the eleven-year-old and his canine best
mate, Blue. Red Dog: True Blue is a different film
from its predecessor, and doesn’t tug quite as hard
at the heartstrings. Although targeted at a younger
audience, the entire family will love it. And for those
who’ve already been on the journey with Red Dog,
it’s a chance to discover where the legendary Pilbara
Wanderer’s journey really began. Sally Carlier-Hull
RED DOG: TRUE BLUE
RELEASED: Now Showing DIRECTOR: Kriv
Stenders CAST: Jason Isaacs, Levi Miller,
Bryan Brown RATING: PG