OXCGN Reviews Assassin’s Creed Lineage Film (Part 1)

The sins of the father

by dkpatriarch

© 2009 David Hilton

Update #2: 15 Nov 09:

OXCGN’s full review of the full film HERE.

Update #1: 14th Nov 09:

Here it is, 36 mins of pure uninterrupted Assassin’s Creed 2: lineage Movie lovin’

The sins of the father

The sins of the father are visited upon the son…especially if those sins are to arrive too late to save someone and to be descended from a lineage of ruthless killer assassins.

Ezio's father has a secret identity

Assassin’s Creed Lineage (Part 1 of 3) is a short film using real actors and high production values released on Youtube and created by Hybride Studios, responsible for special effect work on the rather artistic films 300 and Sin City.

Ubisoft of course is getting us all pumped up for their second Assassin’s Creed game, which takes place during the Renaissance in Italy. The game’s story follows an up-and-coming Assassin named Ezio over the course of his life after witnessing his father’s death.

However, the first of the films show Ezio’s father, Giovanni Auditore da Firenzie, secretly donning the Assassin robes and working with the famous Medici family to secure Lorenzo De Medici’s power.

This involves tracking down conspirators, which include Rodrigo of the Borgia family, and discovering their plans to have Lorenzo’s ally, the Duke of Milan (of another famous Renaissance family, the Sforzas) publicly assassinated.

And this is where things begin to go wrong.

First he lets one of his enemies get a good look at him and survive.  Every super hero knows that you need to keep your real identity secret to protect the ones you love.

The ‘hero’ commandment “thou shalt not arrive too late” is also broken as Giovanni desperately tries in vain, climbing walls and pushing through crowds- just like in the games, to save the young Duke.  Not only that, he fails to prevent one of the Duke’s over avenging guards from killing his link to the rest of the conspirators.

"You're too late! Ow!"

Of course we know from the upcoming Assassin’s Creed 2 game that young Ezio will eventually himself desperately push through crowds to try and get to his father before he is killed, and will also fail.  He will then don the Assassin’s garb and follow in his father’s footsteps, killing his way through Venice, Florence, and Tuscany for, we presume, the greater good and a side dish of revenge.

The film is excellent.

It is a perfect vehicle to provide a bit of a backstory to Ezio’s heritage and his close relationship with his father.  It is clear from the framing of the first film how important family is to the father and son.  The film begins with an almost reluctant Giovanni having to leave his family to go assassinating, and ends with him returning and instructing his son on “thinking ahead” in chess.

Scenes of a loving if slightly worried wife, and happy children contrast with the death and violence that is his secret business.  With all these competing great families and their allies and all the death and manoeuvering between them it is very much like a Mafia setting or like the competing families of Romeo and Juliet.

This is historically accurate for the period in Italy, with city-states or even great towers (as in San Gimignano, which features in the game) being in constant competition with others.

The film’s believable acting, elaborate costumes, and cinematography are top notch.  The Renaissance cityscapes and indoor settings look authentic and realistic.  The transitions between scenes are also well executed, with my favourite transition being the one that blends the black and white checkered floor of the church with the chess board toward the end.

Sure, the film may be promotional material for Assassin’s Creed 2, but it is quality stuff and a lot of effort was made.

What’s more, from the movement of the Assassin up the wall to the acrobatic fighting scenes and slow mo, it not only just appears like it belongs to the Assassin’s Creed universe, but feels like it as well.

The bell slowly rocking back and forward to the dong, dong, dong, as the players in the ‘Assassination in Milan’ play stride to their positions, either to kill, to be killed, or to try and protect, reminds me of the very first Assassin’s Creed video I saw for the first game.

The short movie is very much in keeping with the games, which is more than I can say for most movies based on a game, mini or full length.

The ending of the first film hints at what is to come: the shiny gold coin picked up by Giovanni, and later shown in close up at the end, is of a winged lion holding a book: the symbol of  the city of Venice.

Also it is obvious that Giovanni’s identity as the Assassin is now known to Rodrigo, who escaped his ambush.  Giovanni’s beloved family is no longer safe.

I am looking forward to the next two films and hope they are included in full HD somewhere in the Special Editions of the game, as I’d love to watch them on a big screen.

Of course I’m also looking forward to the game.  We all hope the sins of the father (the first Assassin’s Creed game) aren’t visited on the son (Assassin’s Creed 2) but I’m pretty sure that the sin of repetitive gameplay and missions of the first game have been put to rest with the new game, Assassin’s style.

So, what did you think of Assassin’s Creed Lineage?  Let us know below.

ASSASSIN’S CREED 2 PAGES for your enjoyment:

• Assassin’s Creed 2 The Movie Official Trailer Out
• The Merchants of Venice
• Assassin’s Creed 2: The End Of La Dolce Vita
• E3 ‘09 Assassin’s Creed 2 details
• Medieval Manhattan: Our discovery of San Gimignano as one of the game’s locations
• Assassin’s Creed 2 images page
• OXCGN Dissection of Assassin’s Creed 2

© 2009 David Hilton

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