30 May,2009 09:36 AM IST | | Tushar Joshi
What's it about: Lets cut to the chase. Dan Brown's Angels & Demons is far superior a product than his worldwide bestseller Da Vinci Code.
Unlike Da Vinci, Angels has more twists and turns to keep you engaged till the end. Similarly, its motion picture adaptation has evoked more excitement and curiousity following the tepid response its predecessor got. Robert Langdon (Hanks) is back.
Set against the backdrop of the Vatican City, the film is a thriller that seeks to trace the origins of one of the most secrets societies in the world the Illuminati.
A group formed hundreds of years ago, has resurfaced to destroy the very roots of Christianity.
They not only kidnap four cardinals set to elect a new pope, but also murder a scientist and brand him with their trademark symmetrical symbol.
While Langon's years of research compels him to be part of the mission, Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer) seeks revenge.
His accomplice in this task, she's the daughter of a scientist brutally murdered by the Illuminati to steal a canister that contains something called 'anti-matter' a technology that if triggered can detonate Vatican City.
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Langdon and Vetra must follow the path of Illumination and trace the villains behind the conspiracy.
What's hot: There can't be anything more rivetting than history embedded with a plot that contains suspense and drama.
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Beginning with the death of the Pope, Howard wastes no time in adding momentum to the story and taking it forward with utmost immediacy.
Given the fact that Brown has laced his literary work with so much historical data, Howard has a massive challenge in producing all that in a little over 120 minutes.
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Even though the crew didn't shoot in the actual Vatican City, the production guys have done a masterful job in creating the aura of St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel where the new Pope is being elected.
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Camerawork deserves a special mention.
What's not: Ron Howard is to Tom Hanks what Nora Ephron was to Meg Ryan. However, their vintage chemistry is clearly missing and I guess the two have come to terms with it.
We understand Howard has to rush through the plot because there is so much to say and show.
Howard tampers with the sanctity of the book, altering many subplots (Vittoria never discovered her father's body, the Illuminati and their age-old history) and breezing through some important scenes.
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The screenplay is shoddy and amateur. References to the Papal history and facts about the symbols of the Illuminati fall flat and fail to evoke any response.
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Whenever Langdon has a point of realisation, his face becomes tight almost like he wants us to pull his finger! Hanks sleep walks through the film, while Zurer as Vetra leaves no impression.
Also getting a Scottish actor (Ewan McGregor) to play a cardinal wasn't quite a brilliant idea, I must say!
What to do: Don't expect the film to match even half the charm of the book and you won't be dissapointed.
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Definitely a step forward from the Code, Angels & Demons ends up looking more like an act on Saturday Night Live, than something to be taken seriously.
Angels & Demons
U/A; thriller
Dir: Ron Howard
Cast: Tom Hanks
''
Angels & Demons At a cinema near you
Churchgate
Eros (1, 3.45, 6.30, 9.30 pm)
CST
New Excelsior (3.30 pm, 6.30 pm, 9.30 pm)
Bandra
Glamour (10.45 am, 1, 3.30, 5.45, 8.15, 10.45), Gem (10.15)
Dadar
Chitra (12.30, 6.30, 9.30 pm)
Jjuhu
Chandan (12.30 pm, 3.30 pm, 6.30 pm, 9.30 pm), Suncity (12, 2.45, 5.30, 8.15, 10.45)
Bhayander
Maxus (4.30, 7.30, 10.30 pm)
