Angels and Demons

Film Number: 05

Title: Angels and Demons

Director: Ron Howard

Cast: Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer,

Writer: Adapted from Dan Brown's book, Angels and Demons

Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Date of Release: 29th May, 2009

Plot Summary: Professor Langdon (Tom Hanks) is sent on a quest to save the Catholic church from annihilation. A threat is received from the Illuminati by the Vatican that outlines the execution of four cardinals that stand for election to the Papal's office and the ultimate eradication of the Church itself - that will be blown to bits with 'light'. The illumanati is a secret society based on pure scientific reason whose main objective is to eradicate religious beliefs that are based on faith in an unknown that rationalises life and the living. This destruction is to be carried out with antimatter, or 'The Divine Particle' that is generated in an Italian laboratory and stolen by the Illumanati. Langdon, along with Vittoria Vetra, a doctor researching the antimatter, sweep the streets of Rome clue after clue, deciphering Illumanati clues left behind by the great architects of Rome, in search of where the antimatter is hidden with the help of the police and the Carmalengo (Ewan McGregor).

My thoughts: As with all books that are converted into movies, this one tries so hard to match up to the majesty that is Dan Brown. Angels and Demons is my favorite of all four books by the author and the movie does little if any justice to it.

It should be said that a film with budgets as high as this one could carry out a more comprehensive look-into details of the book. For instance, the entire Illumanati cult is merely a flimsy part of the story line and not given due credit and explanation as in the book. Langdon and Vetra go about explaining the intricasies as part of conversation like documentary hosts. The broken manner in which the story is told leaves many loop holes at its end that stick out like a sore thumb thereby making the film and the talents of actors like Ewan MsGregor and Tom Hanks fall flat on its face. Important scenes weave in and out without justification and leave staring holes in the story, nevermind the completed unrealistic portions of daring helicopter flyers and miraculous discoveries that could so easily be lost in reality. It is this paradox between the real and made-to-seem-real that removes any credibility in the storyline and thus eradicates the moral of the story as gained from the book.

Even technically, the film relies to much on pushing the dark and troubled mood across that the frames are lost in that dark. There is so much more to the original story line than the film makes it out to be and it is wholly disappointing why this director is trying so hard at something that he clearly did a sloppy job of the first time around with Da Vinci Code.

The film does have some plus points. One is the stunning architecture that you can only imagine in reading the book. Rome acually comes alive, well, so to speak, with the sets created for this film. The locations in the film leave you wanting to see more, which in a way is another flaw of the film, for just when you begin to enjoy the view, the focus shifts away from it.

The film also makes a strong attempt to showcase the reality behind the religion using Dan Brown's story. Compared to the crap out there, it is a great film to experience, especially if you have not read the book. Overall, apart from some much required fine tuning of the film, and seggregating it from the book as it is, Ron Howard's attempt is appreciated and congratulated. Only, it could have been so very much better than it is.

My rating: ***