Honestly, I had no intentions of doing my homework on this one, and I feel I don’t need to justify that to you. It would be crazy for someone to see every previous film by everyone associated with a new release. I don’t have time to read the books, or in the case of Angels & Demons, even watch the previous entry The Da Vinci Code. There are two central kinds of franchises: those which follow one story for several movies, and those which contain new adventures with familiar characters. This is the latter.
Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is a Harvard symbologist who is called to action by the Vatican in the wake of the death of the Pope. Officials are receiving threats in the forms of religious symbols. Four cardinals, the most likely successors, have been kidnapped, and it is up to Hanks to piece things together in a n effort to rescue them. Coinciding with this, CERN scientist Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer) has discovered a missing container of anti-matter that is susceptible to a high risk of explosion. The two team up to stop the murders and prevent the destruction of Vatican City.
Two of the most noticeable assets of the film are the cinematography and editing. Numerous scenes are littered with dialogue and expositions (even an occurrence of off-screen necessity). Again, just as in Frost/Nixon, director Ron Howard has managed to make the most exciting dialogue scenes of the year. In many ways it’s a comfortable POV display, in which the audience feels as though they are standing next to Langdon. This creates a sensation of involvement. The cuts are shy of dizzying, and keep your eyes on matters of interest. Still, Hanks and his comedy skills are not edited away; proving how his casting invaluable.
Angels & Demons is not perfect. Unlike many suspense films, the antagonist is not leaving the breadcrumbs for the sake of entertainment. However the reliance of certain activities by the opposing party makes the scheme unlikely to succeed if not virtually impossible. Still the ride was thrilling, even if at times I was taken out of the film because of lackluster visual effects. CGI is in heavy use, mostly for sets and crowd enhancements. I can understand how this was necessary, but it’s not particularly realistic in appearance. Naturally, when one goes from seeing beautiful filming to a less than dazzling computer-Hanks walking into an obviously rendered hall, there is a disruption in the suspension of disbelief. Strangely, some effects at the tail end are very impressive, only making the earlier visuals seem more rushed.
I can’t say much more without delving into the twists, which are existent and sensible. I do believe that sharp listeners will be able to solve some of it, which Angels & Demons makes possible. However, the ultimate outcome is satisfying. It’s strange that a film that contains so much talking feels like an adventure. Occasional puzzles and things are welcome, but most of the time it’s based on info in Robert’s head. However, Hanks and Howard are gifted in getting the audience involved and this film never feels as though it requires prior knowledge to enjoy. Dare I say it, but right now, Robert Langdon is a better adventure star than James Bond and Indiana Jones combined. ***½
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