Angels & Demons (2009)


Angels & Demons (2009)


Director: Ron Howard


Cast: Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon, Ewan McGregor as Camerlengo Patrick McKenna, Ayelet Zurer as Vittoria Vetra, Stellan Skarsgård as Commander Richter, Pierfrancesco Favino as Inspector Olivetti, Nikolaj Lie Kaas as Assassin, Armin Mueller-Stahl as Cardinal Strauss, Thure Lindhardt as Chartrand, David Pasquesi as Claudio Vincenzi, Cosimo Fusco as Father Simeon, Victor Alfieri as Lieutenant Valenti, Franklin Amobi as Cardinal Lamasse, Curt Lowens as Cardinal Ebner, Bob Yerkes as Cardinal Guidera, Marc Fiorini as Cardinal Baggia (as Marco Fiorini)



Symbologist Robert Langdon (Hanks) is called to Rome to help decipher
the mystery behind the Illuminati before a new science experiment blows
up the city.

The Da Vinci Code broke records in 2006 but for the vast majority of
Dan Brown followers it did not do his award winning book justice and
though running at a good 2 and a half hours, seemed to bore many.

Having read the book, I was perhaps one of the few who enjoyed Tom
Hanks and Audrey Tautou attempt to solve the mystery of the murder in
the Louvre but for Angels and Demons the scales were raised once more
as lead star and director return.

Having asked around, most people seem to prefer Angels and Demons to
The Da Vinci code for an entertaining read and it seems as critiques
and fans, whilst still not fully justified, prefer this latest
adaptation to the 2006 release.

This Howard picture certainly has a more clinical energy and exercise
to it as unlike Da Vinci, Tom Hanks' Robert Langdon has only one night
to solve the mysterious activities of the forgotten Illuminati in the
Vatican and because of the time limitations, the action and desperation
up the ante and deliver an excitement that certainly beats The Da Vinci
code but also generates plenty of twists and stunning murder sequences.

The interesting factor of this 2009 release is the constant elements
being justified for the murders. Earth, wind, water and fire are all
included in drastic and powerful sequences to pronounce a feeling of
overall power to the situation.

This really does justify the tag of thriller with a constant tension
and sharp drama with the issues and beliefs once more given a full
working over.

Just like 3 years ago, there are many debates and discoveries of
symbols once believed to be lost forever and Langdon is again the key
character to show everyone the light in and amongst the controversy of
other pressing circumstances.

It is fair to say Dan Brown is a complex writer; he certainly likes to
cram issues and dramas in amongst his action and thrilling sequences.
As well as trying to discover the Illuminati, there is also the
scenario of the election of a new pope, the dealings with a new
scientific experiment and the power of Religion is again present. All
interesting to discover and listen to, if occasionally the debates and
dialogue tend to send your mind drifting but as there is so much in the
novel, this was always likely.

Ron Howard, who kept a frankly ordinary type of direction rolling in Da
Vinci, returns in perhaps the worst way possible. His jerky ever moving
camera styling does nothing to keep the pressure up, and we can never
fully accept what is happening on screen thanks to this frankly awfully
portrayed style. He is certainly no Paul Greengrass and this is by no
means Bourne.

Slick and stylized this is faster and more interesting than Da Vinci

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