Changed from book, but overall not bad

Rating: 7/10 (25 May 2009)

I was in the process of reading the book as this movie came out, and had not yet finished with the book...now that i'm done with the book, I can now I feel, write a proper review.
There were things I liked about the book more than the movie and vice versa. The changing of Vittoria's character into more of a support scientist didn't truthfully bother me. I liked that her character in both movie and book as a smart female, but I understand the decision to nix the romantic plot, and her father being changed into "research associate." Her revenge driven romantic interest wasn't at all missed by me. Also, for the time constraints of the movie, it wouldn't have properly been laid out.
I did however, prefer the "hassassin" of the book to the surprisingly minor character he seemed to appear as in the movie. Somehow I couldn't be frightened or intimidated by the "bookwormish" appearing "hassassin" vs. unstoppable buff killing machine the book offered us.
No complaints on Hank's front. He still remains one of my favorite actors, and seems to have more comfortably slipped into the shoes of Robert Langdon than seen in the DVC.
Ewan McGregor was perfect in the role of the Camerlengo. He was exactly as I pictured the character in the book.
The basic story is kept in tact and follows pretty faithfully to the book, a mystery, a forgotten path needing to be uncovered, murdered Cardinals, etc. I was wondering though, why the decision to save the final Cardinal?
I'm on the fence about the helicopter escape from the book vs. the helicopter escape in the movie, but I kind of liked the idea about not suspecting a thing about McGregor until almost the last minute. I do however wonder why he chose self-immolation so rapidly after entering the Sistine Chapel, before even anyone could verbalize an accusation, it's as if in a nano-second he knew. Perhaps his own guilt overwhelming him?
The cinematography is astounding, really beautifully done. And the use of statues, paintings, and other works of art is gorgeous. (Although yes, I know a lot were sets.) Clever book = clever movie, however changed it was. It was slow starting...but so was the book.
I do however wonder why the decision to make this a sequel to DVC instead of a Prequel such as the book was. I was confused (as I still was reading the book when I saw this, and the book made no mention of any "previous events from last year", as was referred to in the movie, as the reason for Langdon's rejection from access to the Vatican archives. Did they not think the audience could put 2 and 2 together to figure out that this series of events could possibly be beforehand.
Of course the movie was seemingly endlessly debated in the row behind me where a bunch of American Eagle wearing tweens were having they're own running commentary throughout, but I learned to tune them out.
Not a bad film. 7/10