Assassin's Creed 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review

The 4K UHD Blu-ray presentation of "Assassin's Creed" leverages the substantial capabilities of the Arri Alexa 65 cameras, stunningly capturing scenes at resolutions between 3.4K and 6.5K, and delivering them via a 4K Digital Intermediate. This ensures viewers experience the movie in native 4K resolution, showcasing an impressive level of detail across the board, from the intricate designs of period costumes and weaponry to the expansiveness of city landscapes. The film’s unique aesthetic, characterized by its heavy digital grading, comes alive with the enhanced color depth and High Dynamic Range (HDR) provided. Scenes set in Spain are imbued with a deep sepia tone, contrasting sharply with the cooler, blue-tinted present-day sequences, all while maintaining an impressive clarity that significantly elevates the visual experience over its Full HD counterpart.

However, the transfer is not without its faults. There are noticeable issues with banding in some of the mistier scenes, and despite the HDR's promise, certain darker sequences can still appear somewhat murky, with details lost in shadow falling victim to the movie's stylized cinematography. Nonetheless, the shadow detail that HDR does manage to reveal is often striking, making dark scenes more discernible and adding a level of depth previously obscured. The film's stylized visuals, particularly the use of a teal-orange palette and the sometimes aggressive grading techniques, see a marked improvement on the 4K format. These elements work together to create a more atmospheric and engaging visual narrative, despite some scenes suffering from softness potentially attributable to the original digital capture or creative intent rather than the transfer itself.

In summary, "Assassin’s Creed" on 4K UHD Blu-ray beneficially employs its HDR10 encode to enhance both brightness and color spectrums, resulting in a presentation that is often stunning but occasionally inconsistent. The added resolution and HDR bring out finer details and textures, notably in facial features and environments, providing a noticeably enriched viewing experience compared to its 1080p Blu-ray release. While it's acknowledged that the film's darkest scenes and stylistic choices may still present challenges even in 4K, the overall improvement in video quality—particularly in terms of detail sharpness and color rendering—underscores this release as the definitive way to experience the film, albeit with minor reservations concerning certain visual aspects.

The audio presentation of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray edition of "Assassin's Creed" is a monumental achievement, striking an impressive balance between aggressive immersion and meticulous sound design. Diving into the Dolby TrueHD and Dolby Atmos tracks, listeners are greeted with a soundstage that is nothing short of aural mayhem, thrusting them into a full-on immersion from the beginning. The Atmos mix, praised for its object-based audio potential, brings a three-dimensional sound field to life, making viewers feel as though they are navigating through 15th-century Spain alongside the characters. Directional sound effects—from galloping horses to clashing weapons—are layered with precision, enveloping the listener while maintaining clear and focused dialogue. The score, a significant component of the soundscape, is dynamically woven into the action, driving the narrative forward with resounding boldness and clear separation in its orchestration.

Enhancing the audio experience, the Atmos soundtrack boasts an array of discrete effects and atmospheric sounds that provide a palpable sense of immersion. The mix employs overhead channels effectively, creating an enveloping dome-like soundfield that, during action sequences, offers an increased dimension and depth of field. The auditory environment realistically mimics acoustics and spatial dynamics, from confined spaces to expansive battlefields, seamlessly integrating height channels to extend the sonorous environment around the viewer. Sound object placement is both precise and effective, adding to the mix's overall immediacy and impact.

Technical fidelity across the presentation remains consistently high, with a robust low-end lending authority to the soundtrack without overpowering finer details. Whether navigating through the quiet hum of fluorescent bulbs in the Abstergo Foundation or the cacophony of crowded streets in the past, the mix balances subtlety and sonic assault with aplomb. Vocal clarity and orchestral separation stand strong amid tumultuous sequences, ensuring that dialogue and score never lose their precision or warmth. While some may argue that this object-based format doesn't significantly surpass its multi-channel counterparts, it's clear that the Dolby Atmos track on the 4K UHD brings an unparalleled level of immersion and audio dynamism to "Assassin's Creed," catering to both audiophiles and fans alike.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray of "Assassin's Creed" includes a treasure trove of extras housed on an accompanying Full HD Blu-ray disc, offering an immersive behind-the-scenes look at the making of this cinematic adaptation of the popular video game. 'Take the Pledge: Behind the Scenes of Assassin's Creed' provides a comprehensive 40-minute exploration into the film's production, with in-depth interviews from the cast and crew, including the video game creators, covering a wide range of topics from the film and game universe. 'Conversations with Justin Kurzel', 'Deleted Scenes Conversation with Justin Kurzel & Justin Tellefson', and a collection of 10 deleted scenes (featuring an intriguing alternate ending) offer further insight into the creative process. Additionally, the inclusion of galleries featuring concept art, costumes, weapons, and unit photography adds a visual depth to the movie-making story. Alongside technical discussions on the score, visual effects, editing decisions, and story development, these extras provide a significant value to fans and cinephiles alike, illustrating the dedication to bridging the cinematic and gaming worlds.

Extras included in this disc:

• Take the Pledge: Behind the Scenes of Assassin's Creed: Insightful making-of featurette covering different production facets.
• Conversations with Justin Kurzel: A series of discussions on various aspects like The Score, The Cut, The Effects, and The Story.
• Deleted Scenes Conversation with Justin Kurzel & Justin Tellefson: A dive into the editing process and rationale behind scene removals.
• Deleted Scenes: Compilation of 10 scenes offering additional character and action insights.
• Legacy of Assassin’s Creed: Discusses the video game franchise's impact and the film's original story.
• Becoming an Assassin: Explores actor training for their roles as assassins.
• Tools of the Trade: Filmmakers share inspiration behind costume and weapon design.
• In the Realm of Realism: Covers the recreation of 15th century Spain and modern-day settings.
• Swift Moves and Stealth Maneuvers: Looks at the choreography and execution of action sequences.
• Gallery: A collection of concept art, costumes/weapons, and unit photography.

Assassin's Creed," a 2016 cinematic venture directed by Justin Kurzel, translates the sprawling narrative of the revered video game series into an ambitious, albeit muddled, feature film. Starring Michael Fassbender as Cal Lynch and Marion Cotillard as Sofia, the movie traverses a complex saga that zigzags through time from 15th-century Spain to the modern era. At its core, the premise involves a shadowy confrontation between the Assassins, guardians of free will embodied by the Apple of Eden, and the Templars, intent on harnessing this artifact for control over humanity. This adaptation aims to capture the essence of the video game saga; however, it introduces an original storyline that somewhat detaches from the established canon, focusing on Cal's unexpected recruitment by the Abstergo Industries to unlock his genetic memories and dive into the life of his ancestor, Aguilar de Nerha, an Assassin embroiled in the ancient feud against the Templars.

Visually, "Assassin's Creed" commands attention with its well-choreographed fight sequences and the sweeping grandeur of medieval Spain, all underpinned by Jed Kurzel's dynamic score and Adam Arkapaw's cinematography. These elements showcase the film's remarkable technical achievements, promising a feast for the eyes through dazzling parkour stunts and meticulously designed sets. However, despite its aesthetic merits and a promising concept anchored in exploring themes of free will and duality, the film falters in its execution. The narrative, ambitious in its scope, ends up feeling convoluted and disjointed, struggling to maintain coherence amidst its lofty philosophical aspirations and complex time-hopping plot. The overly intricate plot, paired with sometimes trite dialogue, fails to deeply explore its characters or their motivations, leaving much of its potential depth unexplored.

In essence, "Assassin's Creed" stands as a testament to the challenges of adapting a richly layered video game universe into film. While it successfully translates some of the franchise's iconic visual and thematic elements onto the big screen—most notably the vibrant recreation of historic settings and the kinetic energy of its action sequences—it ultimately falls short in delivering a compelling narrative. The film navigates a precarious balance between reverence for its source material and the pursuit of a standalone cinematic experience but ends up neither fully satisfying gamers familiar with the extensive lore nor completely engaging newcomers to the franchise. Thus, while it may serve as an entertaining watch for fans eager to see Ubisoft's storied franchise come to life and appreciate its technical virtuosity, it struggles to leave a lasting impact beyond its visual spectacle.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray release of "Assassin's Creed" directed by Justin Kurzel and starring Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard is a visual spectacle that serves as a solid example of the capabilities of the format, despite the film's narrative shortcomings. The adaptation of the popular video game series into a movie spans across two time periods, aiming to deliver a potent mix of action and storytelling. However, the execution falters with what many have pointed out as lamentable dialogue and a disjointed narrative that fails to fully develop its plot or characters, rendering the film somewhat hollow despite its aesthetic appeal. The 4K resolution sourced from a 4K DI, paired with HDR and WCG, offers superior picture quality over its 1080p counterpart, showcasing enhanced depth, color, and detail, although it is mentioned that the image remains notably dark.

The audio presentation shines with an excellent Dolby Atmos track, delivering a powerful and immersive experience with enveloping surround sound. While the film itself may not have been critically acclaimed or widely embraced by audiences, this release is lauded for its A/V quality, positioning it as a reference title for enthusiasts of the 4K UHD format. The extras, including behind-the-scenes footage and interviews, add value, making this package appealing to fans and those invested in home theatre technology. Despite these strengths, comparisons suggest that the leap from Blu-ray to UHD is not monumental but nonetheless appreciated for its enhancements.

In conclusion, while "Assassin's Creed" may not have achieved cinematic greatness or successfully translated its video game origins into a compelling narrative, its 4K UHD Blu-ray presentation stands out for its exceptional audiovisual quality. This release is recommended for fans of the franchise and 4K enthusiasts looking to showcase the capabilities of their home entertainment systems. Although the film itself is criticized for its storytelling and character development, this edition enhances the viewing experience with stellar picture and sound, making it a worthy addition to a 4K collection, especially for those seeking to impress with the prowess of modern home theatre technology.