IMPROVE on the novel -- Might be better experienced on DVD

Rating: 7/10 (31 May 2009)

We know the universally accepted rule: No screen adaptation can beat the book it's based on. And a book is the best way to experience a story. But there are exceptions to every rule. And this movie was it. I felt it was one of the rare occasions when a movie rises above the novel it's based on to improve on it.
THE BOOKS: First let me say that I read both "Angels & Demons" and "The Da Vinci Code" books in the chronological order of the saga, i.e. I started first with A&D. And I was so unimpressed by the A&D novel that I had to force myself to finish it. I think the A&D story started well enough but devolved into a convoluted, unbelievable and barely palatable mess in the end. I thought the writing was quite sloppy too. The DVC book was overall better. However both books sealed my personal view that Dan Brown's success with this saga was not with his style and skill as a writer but rather with his controversial subjects and settings. And it's a fact that a good controversy makes for good publicity.
THIS MOVIE: With this in mind, I went to see A&D with the expectation/hope that it will HAVE to be better than the book. And I was not disappointed. I think the movie streamlined and purged the mess of the novel and made the story more enjoyable.
On the other end, while watching it, I could not help but think that someone who is not at all familiar with the story might perhaps be a bit confused especially during some of the fast paced events and action sequences. Having read the novel before hand helped me. A screen adaptation should be able to stand on its own and be clear when telling the story. Because of this, I rated this movie "7" instead of a higher score.
In all, I would gladly suggest (perhaps a lone voice here, LOL) to skip the novel and see the movie if you want to know what all the fuss was about with this story. And for an even better experience (especially if you are not at all familiar with the saga), wait for the DVD. That way you can rewind at will to clarify any confusing sequences.