Angels & Demons is more entertaining than its predecessor, the Da Vinci Code. In adapting Dan Brown's religious-mystery book with the same name, director Ron Howard gave it beat-the-clock thriller elements, but still it doesn’t make an enjoyable movie experience.
The creepiest element from the first film which does not return is Tom Hanks horrible hair piece. This time they made Tom Hanks look a lot more natural and well... more human and less alien. Thank goodness for that since the first film his hair piece was very distracting to the point of taking away from his character.
Angels & Demons seems to be just Indiana Jones with some Bourne sprinkled in. The script tries to mask its many shortcomings in religious mumbo-jumbo to make us forget we’re watching an otherwise boring and unexciting film.Maybe it’s Tom Hanks’ very unengaged portrayal of Robert Langdon. That’s really depressing because it isn’t like Hanks isn’t at the top of his game, he just doesn’t give life to Robert Langdon. Where a flimsy story can be forgiven if the lead is charismatic and takes the film on his shoulders, Hanks believes Langdon to be as boring as the audience does. He seems afraid to give any sort of wit, charm, or just plain fun to the character. It’s not totally Hanks’ fault, the filmmakers give us no reason to be emotionally invested Langdon. By contrast, Ewan McGregor is probably the best thing about the movie. He does a great job with what he’s given and handles Patrick McKenna as a passionate individual. He has a certain charm to him that Hanks lacks to the point you almost like McKenna over Langdon. Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer, who plays physicist Vittoria Vetra, seems confused as she can’t decide if she wants to be smart, then cute or cute, then smart.
But it would be injustice on the part of the actors if they are the only one to be blamed because the script gives them almost nothing to do but stand around like helpless idiots. An action scene happens, explanation about the Catholic Church, more action, more explaining and you get the picture. If it’s not over-explaining every detail about Catholicism, it’s giving the characters silly things to do that serve no purpose. It also should be noted that while the Vatican has made vast improvements in technology, and the film is based around the Large Hardon Collider yet no one has heard of GPS. Many times Langdon announces "We have to go that way", which one character asks, "How do we get there?" No one thinks to whip out their Sony Ericsson phones and try to find the location, but rather pretend to be a married couple to find the next location. Akiva Goldsman and David Koepp’s (the writers) main fault is thinking they’ve given us smart entertainment. This movie wants to be intellegent, thinks it is but it isn’t. It also has the same misconceptions about being entertaining. The movie is really just laughable when you give it thought, which is probably why Goldsman and Koepp drown you in religious babble. Lines are sent out that serve no purpose to the story and some even evoke unintentional laughter. "It’s a pentagram”, proclaims Langdon after uncovering the symbol on the floor. This would work, assuming we hadn’t seen the symbol around fifteen times beforehand. The helicopter sequences are far more hilarious when they are not supposed to be.
With the pope dead and the College of Cardinals about to meet secretly to choose a replacement, a secret society known as the Illuminati has kidnapped the four likeliest candidates. Langdon is brought in to decode clues at various churches and historical sites throughout Rome to prevent the killing of the cardinals, one every hour, leading to a bomb explosion at the Vatican.
Accompanied by beautiful Italian physicist Vittoria Vetra (played by Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer), Langdon chases around the cobbled streets of Rome, gains access to the Vatican's secret archives and decrypts ancient codes to uncover the Path of Illumination, a sort of obstacle course that directs its way through a bunch of Roman landmarks, at each of which a cardinal is to be sacrificed in some dramatic manner related to the four elements – Earth, Air, Fire and Water.
Meanwhile, inside the Vatican there's still more religion-versus-science jabber-jabber being thrown at you by Ewan McGregor who plays the Camerlengo or the priest in-charge before a new pope is elected.
Truth is, when it isn't knocking you out senseless with all its boring bak-bak, Angels & Demons occasionally works as a race-against-the-clock thriller, with some nail-biting moments like that chilling confrontation between Langdon and the shadowy killer at a Bernini fountain.
Sadly the problem here is that the weaknesses far outnumber the strengths. The tired screenplay never allows the audience any thrill of discovery as they follow Langdon in his treasure hunt, and the dialogues consists of too much unnecessary detail about all things scientific and religious. By the time the end credits roll you feel you've finally escaped from a boring college lecture.
Angels & Demons doesn't make a lot of sense – guns go off in the church, priests fly helicopters, and secret pathways leading in and out of the Vatican can be found at every corner.
But guyz there's something to cheer, Ron Howard does a fantastic job as a cinematographer here making Rome come to life. If the film were to be judged on its photography alone I’d consider it one of the best of the year. Because of the controversial topic, the film was shot in a Vancouver, Canada studio rather than in Vatican City. The music is composed by Hans Zimmer with “Chevaliers de Sangreal” track. Violinist Joshua Bell is also featured.
Don’t compare this film with action flicks like Monsters vs. Aliens or X-Men Origins: Wolverine or even Star Trek. These movies gave a thrill and kept the viewer engrossed. They were the true paisa vasool.
RATING : 2 / 5
Reviewed by Ashish Gharde
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Show Timing
Inox Tuli Mall - 3 PM
Big Cinemas Sangam - 6:30 PM & 9:30 PM
Quote of the day
I love you when you bow in your mosque, kneel in your temple, pray in your church. For you and I are sons of one religion, and it is the spirit - Kahlil Gibran
