Completely surpassed my expectations

Rating: 9/10 (16 May 2009)

First, let me begin by illustrating my standpoint. I am a massive fan of Dan Browns novels and the Da Vinci Code movie. I have always looked upon Angels and Demons as the better novel however. I was therefore very concerned before seeing the movie that what I looked upon as crucial details had been changed. Namely, the omission of Max Kohler. The change in the Camerlengo's nationality from Italian to Irish, along with a change of name, the fact that a Cardnal was saved, and especially the fact that the CERN scientist murdered was not Vittoria's father Leonardo, instead being A.N. Other research scientist.
So when I went to see the movie, although excited, I prepared myself to be disappointed. How wrong I was. All of the changes, apart from the change in name/nationality of the Camerlengo, worked incredibly well in the context of the film and allowed the movie to flow very well. Indeed to include all of the novel would probably involve a film about five hours long, clearly not practical.
There was only one part of the original novel that I disliked due to it's implausibility and that was Langdon jumping from a helicopter over a thousand feet in the air, using a piece of tarp as a makeshift parachute. This has been omitted from the film, much to my pleasure.
In short, these changes are what makes this work as a movie. The film is fast paced, and has a very tense atmos.The casting is first class, especially Ewan MacGregor and Stellan Skarsgard. Ron Howards direction, yet again is a true work of art. Thats said, I still feel that The Da Vinci Code movie overtakes A&D in terms of grandness and screen presence overall.
The scenery was fantastic and the replica's of the Vatican are flawless and if you did not know, you would would swear this movie was filmed in the Holy See. Hans Zimmerman's musical score included several re-workings of Da Vinci Code tracks which work very well in giving the two films a feeling of togetherness. In fact Zimmermans 'Chevaliers de Sangreal' could find it's place as Robert Langdon's 'James Bond Theme'.
The next piece of the puzzle is 'The Lost Symbol', Brown's next Langdon novel, which I have already ordered for it's September release. The movie appears to be pencilled in for 2012 and I hope it goes ahead.
I plan to see this film again quite a few times before the end of it's run. Roll on the Blu Ray release! Bravo once again Howard, Hanks et al.