Angels and Demons, 2009, Film Review

Starring Tom Hanks, Directed by Ron Howard

May 20, 2009

Based on Dan Brown's bestselling novel, the film is the follow-up to 2006's The Da Vinci Code

The battle between science and religion rears its ugly head once more in this decent adaptation of Dan Brown’s 2000 bestselling novel.

The religious and historical scavenger hunt theme is erected again, this time with a brisker pace and an equally ridiculous plot, but the film is a success in that its race-against-time storyline is told more effectively than its predecessor’s, and it offers up a visual spectacle full of gorgeous real locations and brilliantly created sets.

Story

Harvard symbologist, Robert Langdon (played by Tom Hanks), once again finds himself at the center of a centuries-in-the-making battle and must uncover the mysteries of the ancient Illuminati while saving Vatican City and everyone in it. Seem a little farfetched? It is. Does it Matter? Not really.

Much like The Da Vinci Code, the film requires some suspension of disbelief on the part of the viewer. It plays pretty fast and loose with history and religion, and students of either of these subjects may become a little frustrated with the inaccuracies and generalizations. It’s advisable not to look too closely at the holes in the story. Better to sit back and enjoy it for what it is.

Because Angels and Demons was not as widely read as The Da Vinci Code, the filmmakers felt they could take more liberties with the story, thus making it slightly more realistic (insert eye roll here). While still completely implausible and borderline ridiculous, the movie does succeed in being a tad more “believable” than the novel so it was probably a good idea. As a whole, the story translates to film much more effectively than did The Da Vinci Code.

While the book was the predecessor to The Da Vinci Code, the film version takes place afterwards. Director Ron Howard decided to treat the story as a sequel because he felt that Robert Langdon’s experience unearthing the secrets of Christianity would warrant him being called in to save the day once again. Who else but the floppy-haired professor could follow such an elaborately laid trail of breadcrumbs and save the world in just one day?

Robert Langdon as Hero

Wow, is there anything this man doesn’t know? No character has ever had such a knack for deciphering every clue, unearthing every symbol, and solving every preposterous conspiracy theory ever put forth in the history of religion. This time he unlocks the mysteries of the past with a better haircut.

Angels and Demons is a fairly entertaining film that moves a little too quickly for viewers to fully appreciate the backstory, and may have been better suited to a mini-series. Where The Da Vinci Code was panned for being boring, the filmmakers have overcompensated in this film. Art, history, symbolism and religion are fairly complex subjects, and the brief overviews given by the film’s characters in an effort to keep up the pace aren’t really sufficient for viewers with no prior knowledge.

One of the biggest problems with the film is an audience who wants it to be something it’s not. It’s not a realistic story, but why should it be? It’s essentially the equivalent of a good beach read. Watch it, enjoy it for what it is, then forget about it. All-in-all, it’s fine.

The copyright of the article Angels and Demons, 2009, Film Review in Action Films/Thrillers is owned by Lauren Flanagan. Permission to republish Angels and Demons, 2009, Film Review in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.