Movie Jacuzzi

Movie Review: Angels & Demons May 17, 2009

I think it is best that for the majority of this review, I resist mentioning The Da Vinci Code, but not for the reasons you may think. Yes, the Ron Howard/Tom Hanks sequel based on the best selling novel by Dan Brown is miles ahead of what was an absurd and just plain awful affair, but felt like a different movie in general, even though most of the themes were similar. Because Angels & Demons is a movie you can enjoy. It is not great, obviously. The story and execution carries so many plot elements and twists that it almost falls over its own weight. But ‘almost’ is the key here, and because the film stayed afloat, it soared to heights I never thought were possible. A movie with a focus, the pace is set fast enough to interact with Langdon’s mission while not weaseling out of exhilarating chases and action sequences. Its plot is a little messy and the structure could be better, but in this reviewers opinion, it was a well-done movie that provides the finest surprise of the year-thus-far. We deserved to watch this one first.

In seeing the movie, you need to be ready to follow a complex but often interesting plot. The Pope has died in the Vatican, four cardinals most likely to replace him have been kidnapped, and a large amount of antimatter has been stolen from CERN, a scientific research facility in Geneva. Not only will the kidnappers kill these popes every hour starting at 8 PM, but the battery in the antimatter container they stole, which keeps the antimatter from touching the bottom of the case, will run out at midnight. This will cause the entire Vatican City to blow up. Who could have pulled off such a scheme? When Professor Robert Langdon (Hanks) is brought into the case, he concludes it was a group called the Illuminati after a Vatican police official gets a message following the threat with only the group’s name. A rivalry between the Illuminati and the Vatican, which began in 1668, caused the Vatican to purge Catholics who were willing to accept science over creationism. Thus began the Illuminati becoming a secret society, finally out to get their revenge.

Having got that history lesson out of the way (just to let you know, I would not use any of this movie as a history lesson), Langdon and scientist Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer) track down the cardinals, who Langdon believes will be killed symbolizing the Illuminati’s connection to the four pillars of science: earth, water, air and fire. In a high-speed, bomb-ticking-and-about-to-go-off mad rush, Langdon and Vetra are off to protect the men of the church and save Vatican City. They are joined by Camerlengo (Ewan McGregor), the assistant to the previous pope, who is also involved with the idea inside the church that the pope may have died due to an inside job. These events lead to a very satisfying conclusion, one that wraps the plot elements up decently and provides a twist I admit would never have seen coming. The film had the opportunity of just ending at the two hour mark, before a massive plot twist that I am sure will divide audiences. But sticking to the story and venturing a little bit further paid off. It was an element I did not expect, but eventually liked.

All of this occurs while Howard ‘gently’ enough balances the scales between their ideas of science and religion. I will admit the subject is intense enough to possibly offend some, but I would say it respects both sides of the argument. When Camerlengo asks Robert Langdon about his faith, he responds ‘faith is a gift I have yet to recieve’. Sounds like something everybody can agree on. But my largest issue with Angels & Demons, if any issue, was the plot. While less on the ridiculous and more on the logical, there are plenty of implausible ideas thrown around. I will not spoil which- that will be for me to know and you to hopefully find out- but it is everything you would expect and probably more.

But elsewhere, the film deserves a pat on the back. It had a lot to hurdle over, and it meets that challenge acceptably. Hanks, as one of my favorite actors, once again does a solid job as the professor, and manages to be open enough in describe the situation to get the audience into the story. McGregor starts off pretty bland and generic, but later turns into a character you will be sure to remember. Ayelet Zurer does not give any more than the script allows her, primarily because most of the time she is just there listening to Hanks talk about events she already knows. Still, I found her performance good enough. It is certainly a well-made movie too, filled with fun stuff to watch. And the score, the only thing I loved from DVC, as just as great here. In the end, Ron Howard gives a good movie. Under these circumstances, consider that a favor from God. Movie Jacuzzi Temperature: 86°(B+)

Picture Ciatation: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/44/Angels_and_demons.jpg. I have learned that whenever you want to see a movie poster, Wikipedia is there for ya.