Angels and Demons good, but not quite heavenly
In a laboratory in Switzerland, scientists have discovered antimatter, a spec of energy that could power an entire city for a day. What would happen if something with that much energy was taken by an ancient group hell bent on punishment and revenge?
You’ll find out in Angels and Demons, the film adaptation and prequel of Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code.
Once again directed by Ron Howard, Angels and Demons shows the return of a leaner, and yes I’ll say it, more attractive Tom Hanks (sporting a much better haircut than Da Vinci) as symbology professor Robert Langdon.
The Pope has died and thousands are gathered at Vatican City eagerly awaiting the white smoke proclaiming a new Pope not knowing that somewhere around them lies the antimatter, a ticking time bomb of destruction.
The top four cardinals expected to become the new Pope, the Preferiti, are kidnapped and it’s up to Langdon and saucy scientist Vittoria Vetra (played by Ayelet Zurer of Munich and Vantage Point) to save the doomed cardinals and track the ancient path of a group known as the Illuminati who take responsibility for the bomb.
With a stellar supporting cast of Ewan McGregor, Stellan Skarsgard and Pierfrancesco Favina, Angels and Demons is fairly fast-paced for a film that’s over two hours long.
Howard paid a lot of attention to detail but like most novel adaptations, Angels and Demons has some missing parts, characters and changes to the flow that you read in the book.
I suggest if you haven’t already, watch the movie and then read the book, I wish I did.
Photo courtesy Columbia Pictures. Tom Hanks, left, and Ayelet Zurer star in Angels and Demons, which has its moments but also strays a great deal from the bestselling Dan Brown novel.
