Angels & Demons Review

Published by Jeff Leins on: May 17th, 2009

After Frost/Nixon briefly reminded us that director Ron Howard is capable of great things, he returns to theaters with a follow-up to 2006’s The Da Vinci Code, which left little impression on audiences despite collecting $750 million worldwide.  It seemed the fuss being made outside the theater didn’t match much of a controversy on screen in a rather boring adaptation of the extremely popular novel.  People remember Tom Hanks’ “party in the back” haircut or the failed religious protests, but the film itself was forgotten minutes later.

Angels & Demons, the second history lecture from author Dan Brown, is as innocuous as the first, a mild diversion from our daily routines where the only symbols we see are during a commute or representing a faltering corporation.  The title suggests an epic confrontation and a welcome vacation from the worries of reality, but the film lacks a thrilling element.  As summer starts and school lets out for the younger crowd, you’ll feel like you should still be taking notes in case this nonsense will be on a test.  Make sure you write “Illuminati” in bold letters because the word is drilled here as clearly important.

The film opens to a team of scientists experimenting with anti-matter, a substance meant to replicate the “God particle” or the origins of mass itself.  Meanwhile, on the other side of the age old argument, the religious community is reeling from the death of a pope as Vatican officials ready preparations to vote on a new spiritual leader.  The massive gathering of mourning Christians in the enclave coincides, perhaps incidentally, with the mysterious disappearance of the dangerous anti-matter capable of leveling the city.

Some might be immediately concerned with potential faithless undertones in a science versus religion comparison within the walls of the Vatican.  However, you can rest easy knowing there is nothing particularly anti-Catholic about the film.  It is, however, anti-fun.

Luckily, after the last church scavenger hunt, law enforcement was able to hone in on the only man capable of stopping a diabolical bomber.  Symbology professor Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is summoned from his Harvard exercise pool and flown to the holy city to start following the symbolic bread crumbs.

Assisting him on the mission is one of the anti-matter experts Vittoria (Ayelet Zurer), while hindering his efforts are Commander Richter (Stellan Skarsgård) and the acting head of state, Camerlengo Patrick McKenna (Ewan McGregor).  First things first though, Langdon needs to explain the historical significance of each and every character, statue, and tile in the Vatican before settling down the business of investigating.

Here’s where the bold lettering of “Illuminati” is important.  To escape the supposed systematic execution by Catholic leadership, the secretive sect was driven into hiding well before Nicolas Cage started hunting for national treasure or even Indiana Jones searched for archeology exhibits.  This was long before the plot formula was written, to a time when villains carefully, silently infiltrated their way into organizations only to lay a perfectly organized map of clues for the opposition to follow.  I just wish these illuminated ones would have mentioned “this is where the bomb is hidden” in confession and saved everyone a boring two hour tour of the holy city.

The usually charming Hanks is average, dampened by corny jokes and tedious exposition, while Zurer flanks him only so Langdon can bounce revelations and “over here!” lines off someone.  There wasn’t anything special about Howard’s direction other than an artistic-looking answer to a ridiculously-written ending.

Angels & Demons is slightly better than its predecessor, but still a meaningless book adaptation.  Without the added element of controversial theories or much of a purpose for its existence, the film is flat and forgettable.

2.5 out of 5.