Better as a movie, rather then a book!

Rating: 9/10 (15 May 2009)

I went to the Midnight showing Thursday night with a curiosity I haven't felt since the DaVinci code. Although the DaVinci code is a better book than film, Angels and Demons is just the opposite, directed and paced perfectly with a blend of action, mystery, and academic researching. Unlike Ron Howard's take on DaVinci code, this story was better in film form because it was concentrated and compressed superbly in the Screenplay.
The acting by Tom Hanks was light years ahead of his performance in DaVinci. He had some emotion behind his work, and the direction helps the actors too. Everyone was great here, especially Ewan McGregor playing an Scottish version of the Camerlengo perfectly, and straight out of the book! He was soft spoken and powerful at the same time. Supporting cast was decent enough, including a bigger formidable menace in the villain who was far more intimidating then Silas was.
I loved the cinematography, and it's the best in cinema history although limited in large exterior shots, besides St. Peter's square. The set combined with real locales made this film seem like a vacation to Rome.
As for the academic research, I can honestly say this film is accurate in my mind, being fascinated by the material. It's based on many facts and some theory and so it is easy to decide for yourself what the truth is. And what is probably just Dan Brown's theory. I highly recommend this movie for anyone who is a serious movie goer. It's a 2 1/2 hour film that feels less then that, a 9/10 score.
(Minor Spoilers) *Fans of the books: Be prepared for some twists!