Episode 323 - Assassin’s Creed
Welcome back to Not A Bomb, the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: is it a bomb? This week, Troy and Brad strap themselves into the Animus, sharpen their hidden blades, and attempt a leap of faith into one of Hollywood’s most ambitious attempts to turn a massive video game franchise into a movie. It’s time to talk about 2016’s Assassin’s Creed.
And if you have absolutely no idea what an Animus, Apple of Eden, Assassin, Templar, or Abstergo is, don't worry. The movie will explain all of it to you.
Repeatedly.
Troy and Brad dive into a movie that had almost everything going for it. Michael Fassbender leads an absurdly talented cast that includes Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Michael K. Williams, and Charlotte Rampling. The film has a huge budget, impressive production design, some genuinely exciting action sequences, and a director in Justin Kurzel who clearly isn't treating the material like disposable video game nonsense.
Unfortunately, Assassin's Creed suffers from one enormous problem. It is absolutely drowning in Assassin's Creed lore.
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
Check out the trailer for The 80s: A Motion Picture Special
Cinova - The future of Movie and TV
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Welcome back to Not A Bomb, the podcast where we resurrect cinema’s most infamous box office disasters and ask the burning question: is it a bomb? This week, Troy and Brad strap themselves into the Animus, sharpen their hidden blades, and attempt a leap of faith into one of Hollywood’s most ambitious attempts to turn a massive video game franchise into a movie. It’s time to talk about 2016’s Assassin’s Creed.
And if you have absolutely no idea what an Animus, Apple of Eden, Assassin, Templar, or Abstergo is, don't worry. The movie will explain all of it to you.
Repeatedly.
Troy and Brad dive into a movie that had almost everything going for it. Michael Fassbender leads an absurdly talented cast that includes Marion Cotillard, Jeremy Irons, Brendan Gleeson, Michael K. Williams, and Charlotte Rampling. The film has a huge budget, impressive production design, some genuinely exciting action sequences, and a director in Justin Kurzel who clearly isn't treating the material like disposable video game nonsense.
Unfortunately, Assassin's Creed suffers from one enormous problem. It is absolutely drowning in Assassin's Creed lore.
Want to help support the show? Head over to the Not A Bomb Tee Public store and check our merchandise. Special thanks to Ted Blair for the amazing designs!
Check out the trailer for The 80s: A Motion Picture Special
Cinova - The future of Movie and TV
We're committed to hearing your feedback and suggestions. If there's a cinematic flop you'd like us to delve into, please reach out to us at NotABombPod@gmail.com or through our contact page. Your reviews and feedback are what drive us. If you enjoy our content, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Episode 299 - King of New vs. Gangs of New York (Movie Matchup Edition)
For the entire month of March, the guys at Not A Bomb are throwing it back to their old Movie Matchup format, pitting notorious box office bombs against each other in a battle for redemption. Two flops enter… only one survives. There can only be one!
This week, Troy and Brad aren’t just stepping into the ring, they’re calling the fight of the century. It’s a bruising, bare‑knuckle, cinematic heavyweight showdown between two crime‑soaked epics: King of New York and Gangs of New York. Decades apart, stylistically worlds away, but both swinging for the fences with operatic violence, towering performances, and enough swagger to level a city block.
King of New York (1990)
Directed by Abel Ferrara and starring Christopher Walken, Laurence Fishburne, Wesley Snipes, David Caruso, Victor Argo, and Giancarlo Esposito, this neon‑drenched gangster fever dream follows drug lord Frank White as he storms back into New York’s underworld after a stint in prison. It’s stylish, chaotic, and packed with performances so intense they practically melt through the screen.
Gangs of New York (2002)
Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day‑Lewis, Cameron Diaz, Brendan Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, and John C. Reilly, this sprawling historical epic throws you into the blood‑soaked streets of 1860s Manhattan. Rival factions. Political corruption. Revenge quests. And at the center of it all, Daniel Day‑Lewis delivering one of the most terrifying, magnetic performances of his career as Bill the Butcher.
The Matchup
This isn’t just a comparison; it’s a clash of titans. Frank White vs. Bill the Butcher. Modern crime mythmaking vs. historical gangland opera. Ferrara’s gritty, punk‑rock filmmaking vs. Scorsese’s grand, blood‑stained spectacle. Troy and Brad break down which film lands the cleanest hits, which one stumbles, and which earns the coveted weekly crown. Expect fireworks, body blows, and enough cinematic carnage to fill Madison Square Garden.
We Want to Hear From You
Got a cinematic flop you want us to tackle? Drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or reach out through our contact page. Reviews on Apple Podcasts or Spotify help us grow and keep the chaos coming.
Cast: Brad, Troy
For the entire month of March, the guys at Not A Bomb are throwing it back to their old Movie Matchup format, pitting notorious box office bombs against each other in a battle for redemption. Two flops enter… only one survives. There can only be one!
This week, Troy and Brad aren’t just stepping into the ring, they’re calling the fight of the century. It’s a bruising, bare‑knuckle, cinematic heavyweight showdown between two crime‑soaked epics: King of New York and Gangs of New York. Decades apart, stylistically worlds away, but both swinging for the fences with operatic violence, towering performances, and enough swagger to level a city block.
King of New York (1990)
Directed by Abel Ferrara and starring Christopher Walken, Laurence Fishburne, Wesley Snipes, David Caruso, Victor Argo, and Giancarlo Esposito, this neon‑drenched gangster fever dream follows drug lord Frank White as he storms back into New York’s underworld after a stint in prison. It’s stylish, chaotic, and packed with performances so intense they practically melt through the screen.
Gangs of New York (2002)
Directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day‑Lewis, Cameron Diaz, Brendan Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, and John C. Reilly, this sprawling historical epic throws you into the blood‑soaked streets of 1860s Manhattan. Rival factions. Political corruption. Revenge quests. And at the center of it all, Daniel Day‑Lewis delivering one of the most terrifying, magnetic performances of his career as Bill the Butcher.
The Matchup
This isn’t just a comparison; it’s a clash of titans. Frank White vs. Bill the Butcher. Modern crime mythmaking vs. historical gangland opera. Ferrara’s gritty, punk‑rock filmmaking vs. Scorsese’s grand, blood‑stained spectacle. Troy and Brad break down which film lands the cleanest hits, which one stumbles, and which earns the coveted weekly crown. Expect fireworks, body blows, and enough cinematic carnage to fill Madison Square Garden.
We Want to Hear From You
Got a cinematic flop you want us to tackle? Drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or reach out through our contact page. Reviews on Apple Podcasts or Spotify help us grow and keep the chaos coming.
Cast: Brad, Troy
Episode 167 - Kingdom of Heaven (Director's Cut)
Welcome back to another exciting episode of Not A Bomb. This is the podcast where we go back and reexamine some of the biggest bombs in cinematic history and see if they deserve a second chance. On this week’s “epic” episode, we discuss yet another Ridley Scott film, 2005’s historical drama - Kingdom of Heaven (Director’s Cut). Based on a heavily fictionalized portrayal of the the Third Crusade, Kingdom of Heaven had mixed reviews and was a domestic flop on its initial release in May of 2005. Later that same year, Scott went back to the film and added back in 45 minutes of footage for a special showing on December 23rd in Los Angeles, California. The new director’s cut was embraced by the critics and eventually released on DVD. Most film enthusiasts consider this release to be the definitive version of the film. But do we agree, or is this just a bigger bomb? Listen and find out!
Timestamps: - Intro - (1:13), Background Information - (13:40), Kingdom of Heaven (Director’s Cut) Discussion - (47:50), Listener Feedback - (82:19) and Outro - (100:17)
Kingdom of Heaven (Director’s Cut) is directed by Ridley Scott and stars Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson, Marton Csokas, and Liam Neeson.
If you want to leave feedback or suggest a movie bomb, please drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or Contact Us - here. Also, if you like what you hear, leave a review on Apple Podcast.
Welcome back to another exciting episode of Not A Bomb. This is the podcast where we go back and reexamine some of the biggest bombs in cinematic history and see if they deserve a second chance. On this week’s “epic” episode, we discuss yet another Ridley Scott film, 2005’s historical drama - Kingdom of Heaven (Director’s Cut). Based on a heavily fictionalized portrayal of the the Third Crusade, Kingdom of Heaven had mixed reviews and was a domestic flop on its initial release in May of 2005. Later that same year, Scott went back to the film and added back in 45 minutes of footage for a special showing on December 23rd in Los Angeles, California. The new director’s cut was embraced by the critics and eventually released on DVD. Most film enthusiasts consider this release to be the definitive version of the film. But do we agree, or is this just a bigger bomb? Listen and find out!
Timestamps: - Intro - (1:13), Background Information - (13:40), Kingdom of Heaven (Director’s Cut) Discussion - (47:50), Listener Feedback - (82:19) and Outro - (100:17)
Kingdom of Heaven (Director’s Cut) is directed by Ridley Scott and stars Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson, Marton Csokas, and Liam Neeson.
If you want to leave feedback or suggest a movie bomb, please drop us a line at NotABombPod@gmail.com or Contact Us - here. Also, if you like what you hear, leave a review on Apple Podcast.