Angels & Demons
The best thing to do is take “Angels & Demons”- and its’ cinematic predecessor, 2006’s “The Da Vinci Code”- as cinematic pop entertainment. Sure, there’s some religious intrigue to ponder in both, but it’s best to take them with a grain of salt. Author Dan Brown and the filmmakers bringing his books to the screen- like director Ron Howard and screenwriters David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman- are in the business of making fictional fun out of hot-button provocation. True, a little more of the edge and suspense of Howard’s “Ransom” would help the proceedings, but Howard and co. know how to spin a tantalizing yarn onscreen, even if it doesn’t always make a lot of sense.
Propelled by the epic and jangling music of Hans Zimmer once again is Tom Hanks, who’s dropped the funny-looking hair and gotten himself more in action movie shape for a return to the role of Robert Langdon, a symbolist at Harvard who ruffled the feathers of the Catholic church in “The Da Vinci Code” by implying that Christ was a family man. This time, he’s sought out by the Church when the pope dies, and four of the contenders for his seat in Vatican City are kidnapped. Taking credit for the kidnapping is the Illuminati, a secret society devoted to scientific truth that contradicts church dogma. To make matters worse, the Illuminati have stolen a sample of CERN antimatter that could blow the City sky high unless Langdon, the Swiss Guard (led by the always sinuous Stellan Skarsgard), and Father Patrick McKenna (who was the previous Pope’s camerlengo, and acts as head of the Church until the papal conclave selects a new Holy Father) can figure out the clues to save the Cardinals and foil the plot.
I know, it’s all pretty silly boiled down like that. There are moments in the movie that are pretty dang silly as well. You kind of just have to run with it, forgive the lengthy 140 minute runtime, and have fun with it for what it is- a modern-day goose chase in the vein of “Indiana Jones” that provokes hard-right religious nuts and can’t be taken as more than entertainment. Hitchcock would’ve had a blast with the McGuffins in Brown’s books, and the twists along the way. But you gotta hand it to Howard- he knows how to keep something like this moving, and he’s put together a fine group of collaborators both on and offscreen.
Hanks runs with it- literally- as Langdon. He may not have been anyone’s first choice for the role, but he’s brought his 100-Watt starpower to the film and makes you believe him in the role. Playing the role of the gratuitous female sidekick this time around is Ayelet Zurer, an Isreali actress in the role of Italian scientist Vittoria Vetra, who’s there to explain all of the techno jargon about antimatter and just look hot next to Hanks (don’t worry, Hanks doesn’t get into bed with anyone- he’s not Bond for crying out loud). And Ewan McGregor- who actually might’ve been an interesting choice for Langdon- is a marvel as McKenna, whose devotion to his faith is almost as fervent as his devotion to the father figure he lost in the Pope. Keeping both the secretive investigation of Langdon going, as well as the conclave to select a new Pope (led by Armin Mueller-Stahl’s Cardinal Strauss), is tricky business, but McKenna’s up to the task, even when it appears he may know more than he’s letting on.
There’s a lot of that going on in this film. A lot of sinister looks. A lot of untrustworthy characters, each with a potential motive for putting these events in motion. But Howard keeps the suspense enough to keep people from snickering. No matter- it’s all just a bunch of pop pot-boiler nonsense anyway, which is exactly what makes this film- and its’ predecessor- good summertime viewing. It’s like a book you read on the beach. The point is not to exercise your brain, but to keep it in neutral while you enjoy the time off. Purists will no doubt bitch about what’s not in the book like they did with “Da Vinci Code.” They’re welcome to their complaints. I’ll just take the movie for what it is- a retelling that works on its’ own terms.
