Angels & Demons Movie Review

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Angels & Demons is much better in scope and style than its predecessor, the unholy but super-successful The Da Vinci Code. Yet, for all its action-filled suspense, the sequel failed to reach cinematic heaven.

Based upon the bestselling novel by Dan Brown, Tom Hanks returns to the role of Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon. Once again, he finds that forces with ancient roots are willing to stop at nothing to advance their goals.

This time, the antagonist is a secret society known as the Illuminati. Its a centuries-old underground organization and one of the oldest enemies of the Catholic Church. When the Illuminati threaten the existence of the Church, the Vatican calls on Langdon for help.

The Vatican is under attack at its most vulnerable moment. The Pope is dead, and the Church is going through conclave, the time when Cardinals elect their new Holy Father. Among the Cardinals are the preferiti, the ones deemed most likely to be elected Pope.




But when the Illuminati kidnap the preferiti and threaten to kill one each hour, Langdon must solve the puzzle before time runs out. Helping him in his quest is Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer), a beautiful and enigmatic Italian scientist.

Like Nicolas Cages Ben Gates in National Treasure, Langdon must embark on a nonstop hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, and deserted cathedrals to find his clues. Langdon and Vetra must follow the 400-year-old Path of Illumination in order to save the Vatican.

Angels & Demons marks the first time director Ron Howard has ever returned to a character a second time around. Even though the production value of the film is full of grace, Angels & Demons still failed to be captivating.

Framed like a ticking time bomb, this ho-hum thriller is blessed with incredible actors willing to play puppets in the by-the-numbers plot. Joining Hanks and Zurer are Ewan McGregor as Camerlengo Patrick McKenna, Stellan Skarsgaard as Commander Richter, and Armin Mueller-Stahl as Cardinal Strauss.

Hanks seems to be finally at home with the Langdon character. He physically looks good for the part and hes showing it off (the first time we see him, hes swimming in a Speedo in a Harvard pool).

The best part? Hanks cringe-inducing hairdo from The Da Vinci Code is gone so its now safe to watch this film. Cinematographer Salvatore Totino shot Angels & Demons beautifully. He used incandescent glows in the films outdoor Rome scenes, and iridescent lighting for its mysterious Vatican settings.

The movie is a sequel but in the literary world, Angels & Demons came out before The DaVinci Code. The filmmakers used the strained relationship between Langdon and the Vatican from the first film to move the plot forward in the second.
The script by David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman is perfunctory at best. My biggest problem with the film is its predictability. I was able to foretell who the villain is and their motivation way before they were revealed and I even havent read the book!

I wish Koepp and Goldsman explored the religion vs. science aspect of the film which was the main conceit of Browns works. It was hinted on in the beginning (the development of the God particle, or the origins of the universe, is intriguing) but was quickly dropped to advance the narrative.

Angels & Demons as entertainment is neither good nor bad but it deserves to stay in purgatory until the filmmakers figure out how to adapt Browns books properly.

And for that, Angels & Demons gets 2 ½ act of contrition kisses

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• manny
• movie
• guy
• angels
• demons
• davinci
• code
• tom
• hanks
• dan
• brown
• religion
• catholic
• science
• vatican
• thriller
• rome

[Siimon204]

I really hated it. :P I like the Davinci Code, muuuuuuuuuuuuuuch more... but ey Manny!

Could you make something ala "Top ten sience-fiction/sci-fy movies of all time"??? That would be sooo awesome!

[mdelar]

that's a great suggestion!  I'll do that :) have a great weekend!

[cleopatraXIII]

You are sooooo good at this! I feel like I am watching a television show. Great work 5 stars!

I read somewhere Bill Paxton was originally supposed to play Robert Langdon. (In DaVinci code)

[mdelar]

:) Thanks bunches! These pieces actually air on TV so this is a great compliment! Thanks soooo much again :) Have a great weekend!

[jamarianne]

Kuya Manny on a personal note..you are a Devout Catholic..do you believe in these stories?

[mdelar]

Yes, I'm Catholic, grew up in exclusive for boys private Catholic school...the doctrine ingrained in me...there's a part of me that loves to believe the DaVinci Code myth, after all...God gave us brains to think :) Have a great weekend Miss JaJa!!! Love, Kuya

[snowbelly311]

shut up Angels and demonds is the best movie i have ever seen you dont know anything

[dweetyboy]

I'm 14 and dumb as shit, and i understand the movie...

[Gandalfgrey93]

In the book Langdon goes up in the helicopter and it never explodes

[XtraCille]

Well I guess that I should have known by now, that a great book will never turn into a great movie as well....too bad. (in my oppinion Angels and demons was better that DaVinci Code - books)

[jucille1]

where is the full movie of the angel and demons?

[tejo29se]

I loved the movie as well, but I saw it because of Ewan McGregor --- he is such a great actor.

Tom Hanks is also great.

[emmanuelorda]

I hope The Lost Symbol will be in IMAX 3D

[ussreagan]

i don't know, i have both the movie and the book and tho they did changed parts, in my extra dvd of with THE MAKING OG Angels&Demons, Dan brown admits that some of the changes in the movie were suggested by him, so i don't see how can Ron howard NOT LEARN HOW TO INTERPRET dan brown when Dan came up with some of the things that were changed i nthe movie.

[mrlec]

Absolutely fucking agree. I don't know about the book, but this movie... i was like, hey, gimme back my time you basterd!

i found all this new hollywood blockbusters more and more lame and boring. Thank god the scripts of some tv shows are still good. cause movie industry sucks HARD.