Not very illuminating

Rating: 6/10 (28 May 2009)

Over here they call this flick "Illuminati" which could be translated with 'enlightenment'. That's pretty ironic because "Angels & Demons" will enlighten a lot of people. But certainly not in a way Hollywood will prefer. "A & D" is supposed to be a thriller. Maybe a clerical one. But nevertheless. By definition a thriller is a "book, film, or play depicting crime, mystery, or espionage in an atmosphere of excitement and suspense." Well, it's a film. And it's depicting crime and with some good will even mystery. But where's the atmosphere of excitement and suspense? Shaking the camera and staccato cutting doesn't create excitement or suspense. Full stop. Maybe excitement to a certain extent but this kind of excitement only makes you ask yourself whether you are willing to punish your senses by watching this images or just turn away. But not under any circumstances one would call this flickering suspense. Not at all. The only suspense the makers created in "A & D" is the ultimatum which runs out at 12 pm. So what? This is it? We're really supposed to believe that Tom Hanks along with St. Peter's Square and Rome will be blown away? Ridiculous. Don't get me wrong. The idea itself isn't ridiculous. It works as initial situation. But not as suspense creating momentum for over 2 hours. But that's all some overrated Director and Screenwriters can come up with? Oh, I forgot the chamber scene. Very suspenseful! Because the oxygen is running out. But luckily Langdon is intellectual enough to shoot the glass. I'm impressed. That's pretty clever and consistent story telling. It's a shame! I don't even want to write about the third act because it's simply too bad. What remains is an enlightenment in form of a worry. The worry that the Hollywood guys don't remember how to make a good movie for people who actually want to think about the seen or even discuss about it. This isn't even a popcorn movie because every single corn of your bag has more substance.