What's new in Odeon's this week : Sunday 1st January 2017.

With the release of 'Assassin's Creed' this week and all the buzz around this big screen video game adaptation as supposedly re-setting the benchmark for the genre, I got to thinking about the genre and just how successful it has really been over the years. My research tells me that in terms of international success, some video game adaptations have fared reasonably well at the Box Office (taking that as a measure of audience critical acclaim) whilst for the most part the others have been complete duds. Here's a list of the good, and the not so good :-

#1 - 'Warcraft' released in 2016 - Global Box Office US$434M
#2 - 'The Angry Birds Movie' released in 2016 - Global Box Office US$350M
#3 - 'Prince of Persia : The Sands of Time' - released in 2010 - Global Box Office US$337M
#4 - 'Resident Evil : Afterlife' released in 2010 - Global Box Office US$297M
#5 - 'Lara Croft : Tomb Raider' released in 2001 - Global Box Office US$275M
#6 - 'Resident Evil : Retribution' released in 2012 - Global Box Office US$241M
#7 - 'Need for Speed' released in 2014 - Global Box Office US$204M
#8 - 'Pokemon : The First Movie' released in 1999 - Global Box Office US$164M
#9 - 'Lara Croft Tomb Raider : Cradle of Life' released in 2003 - Global Box Office US$157M
#10 - 'Resident Evil : Extinction' released in 2007 - Global Box Office US$148M

Of course for those that fared well enough there is your 'Super Mario Bros' (1993), 'Doom' (2005), 'BloodRayne' (2006), 'DOA : Dead or Alive' (2006), 'Postal' (2007), 'In the Name of the King' (2008), 'Far Cry' (2008), 'Tekken' (2010) and the animated 'Ratchet & Clank' (2016) that fared a whole lot worse and bombed both critically and commercially. Due for release early in the new year is 'Resident Evil : The Final Chapter', with a 'Tomb Raider' reboot due in 2018, 'Rampage' also due in 2018 and a 'Minecraft' movie due in 2019 amongst various others on the slate.

Starting off the new year we have just two new releases out this week, kicking off with a time travelling action adventure yarn based on a hugely successful video game franchise that melds the present day with 15th Century Spain; and then a Sci-Fi adventure set in deep space where those in deep sleep and are in deep trouble as two awakened souls strive to save their ship and all aboard it.

If action and adventure is your thing then this week is for you, and if it's not, then there are plenty of other films Reviewed and Previewed on these Blog pages in recent weeks that are still out on general release. When you have sat through your film of choice in the week ahead, remember that you are warmly invited to share your cinema going thoughts, opinions and observations with your fellow readers here at Odeon Online. Simply leave a relevant and constructive Comment below this or any other Post - we'd love to hear from you. Meanwhile, enjoy your movie.

'ASSASSIN'S CREED' (Rated M) - the hugely popular action adventure video game upon which this film is based first appeared on our gaming consoles back in 2007 courtesy of Ubisoft. Wikipedia describes the premise as being set in a fictional history of real-world events and follows the centuries-old struggle between the Assassins, who fight for peace with free will, and the Templars, who desire peace through control, and their indirect relation to an ancient species pre-dating humanity, whose society, along with much of Earth's biosphere, was destroyed by a massive solar storm. The games feature predominantly a Desmond Miles, a bartender in the present day who is a descendant of several lines of prominent Assassins. All in all seems like a perfect script for a movie. Since its early days Assassins Creed has grown into a series of nine main games and a number of supporting games too. There have also been a number of short animated films, comics, novels, graphic novels and even an Encyclopaedia. The games have sold approaching 100 million copies. And so kick starting 2017, we have a film, based on that game, Directed by Justin Kurzel and Co-Produced and starring in the lead role, Michael Fassbender. The film was made for US$125M and has so far taken US$49M since its release in the US and France just before Christmas.

Here convicted criminal about to be executed Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) is rescued by Abstergo Industries - the modern day version of the Templar Order. Heading up Abstergo is CEO Allan Rikkin (Jeremy Irons) whose daughter Dr. Sophia Rikkin (Marion Cotillard) is the organisations Chief Scientist. She reveals to Lynch that he is descended from a long line of Assassins that for centuries fought against the Templar Order, and that he is directly related to Aguilar de Nerha  (also payed by Michael Fassbender) - a 15th Century Spanish Assassin. Dr. Rikkin proposes that Lynch be hooked up to revolutionary new technology that they have developed - The Animus - that allows him to travel back in time to 15th Century Spain by unlocking genetic memories contained in his DNA. As he travels back and forth in search of a powerful ancient artefact he acquires the skills and learnings to fight against the modern day Templar Order operating under the guises of Abstergo in the present day. Also starring Brendan Gleeson as Joseph Lynch, Michael K. Williams as  Moussa/Baptitse a Haitian Assassin and Charlotte Rampling. The film has received generally negative reviews for its story and plot lines more than the performances from its lead characters, well choreographed fight sequences and stunning visuals, but, will it break the mould of dud video game adaptations?

'PASSENGERS' (Rated M) - Norwegian film Director Morten Tyldum who previously brought us 2014's 'The Imitation Game' here Directs this Sci-Fi adventure offering set in deep space. Made for US$110M and released in the US just before Christmas, the film has so far recovered US$57M and has received mixed critical reviews. The story here takes place aboard the starship 'Avalon', that is a state of the art vessel transporting 5,000 Earth inhabitants to colonise a far away planet called Homestead II. That planet is so far away from Earth that the journey takes 120 years, and those 'passengers' are in hibernation pods for the entirety of the journey. Except one, mechanical engineer Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) who awakens ninety years too early due to a malfunction in his pods system. After a year of traipsing around the ship all on his lonesome with no one except mechanical robot bartender Arthur (Michael Sheen) to keep him company, he happens upon Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence) fast asleep in her forced hibernation. After some soul searching and deliberation he decides to wake up Aurora and in time the two fall for each other despite her initial feelings of being cheated out of her future life. In time however, they discover that the ship is in danger having been damaged in an asteroid collision two years earlier that has created multiple failures in the ships systems. Working against the odds and against time, Jim and Aurora must save the ship and its five thousand sleeping inhabitants on board. Also starring Laurence Fishburn and Andy Garcia.

Just two new releases kicking off the new year, but with a raft of other very recently released movies now out on general release, there are a whole bunch of reasons to get along to your local picture house. When you have done so drop us a line here at Odeon Online, and in the meantime, I'll see you sometime in the week ahead, at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-