Rating of
2/4
Entertaining Nonsense
GeminiSixty6 - wrote on 05/19/09
It looks like someones prayers were answered….Just not mine. In Angels & Demons we have a film with a lot more action than its predecessor The Da Vinci Code. A lot of people out there needed Angels & Demons to pack more of a punch then The Da Vinci Code did. I however don’t feel the same way. I felt that The Da Vinci Code was thought provoking and more entertaining than Angels & Demons. Sure this follow up has it share of action, but if I really wanted action I would be saving it for Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. At least that film is advertising itself correctly.
Cardinals gathering in Vatican City must elect a new pope following the death of the previous one. Before the deliberations begin four of the Cardinals are kidnapped by an ancient secret brotherhood of church haters calling themselves the Illuminati. In the film the Illuminati are a group of scientists seeking revenge for persecution they suffered by the church in the 17th century. The four kidnapped Cardinals were the top four in line to be the next pope. The Illuminati have threatened to kill one Cardinal an hour publicly starting at eight o’ clock. Then at midnight an anti-matter bomb will explode leveling Vatican City. Professor Robert Langdon (played once again by Tom Hanks) is brought in to decipher the clues to the Illuminati threats.
The entire time I was watching the film I felt like it couldn’t make up its mind on what it wanted to be. Did it want to be more religious or more scientific? In the end I came to the conclusion that the film was a little implausible and ridiculous. I mean seriously….anti-matter of all things? I already didn’t like the fact that Dan Brown’s prequel was being adapted to the big screen as a Da Vinci Code sequel. Also, I thought the entire plot of the film was predictable. Thru the first quarter of the film I saw where it was leading, and I knew who the ultimate mastermind behind the whole conspiracy was. I wish they could have masked it a little better. With all that said Angels & Demons does have a couple of shining stars. I loved the casting job. Tom Hanks is marvelous once again as the character he portrays. Ewan McGregor shines as Camerlengo Patrick McKenna. One can tell that Ewan put a lot of depth and emotion into the part, and I think it pays off. Ayelet Zurer and Armin Mueller-Stahl in supporting roles are examples of good casting, and fun to watch on screen.
So if you like the entertaining nonsense type of action films then I would recommend Angels & Demons. If you are more like me and thought The Da Vinci Code was pretty decent just the way it was, then I would probably stay clear of this one. You wouldn’t be missing anything important.
