Poor Adaptation Of The Novel

Rating: 8/10 (30 November 2011)

Angels & Demons is a mystery-thriller film that was based on Dan Brown's novel by the same title. It is the Interquel or second film, although the book was published first in series chronology of Robert Langdon.The movie stars Tom Hanks,who reprises the lead role of Langdon,together with Ewan McGregor,Ayelet Zurer,Stellan Skarsgård,Pierfrancesco Favino,Nikolaj Lie Kaas and Armin Mueller-Stahl.Producer Brian Grazer, composer Hans Zimmer and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman and director Ron Howard also return after working in The Da Vinci Code.
Angels & Demons,although was written before the novel The Da Vinci Code, the story transpires after the events of the latter movie.Robert Langdon, the most respected symbologist in the United States, who uses his knowledge in order to decode a symbol on the skin of a murder victim. The clues put him on the trail of an international conspiracy involving the Catholic Church.
Inspite of the many issues involving about the Catholic Church,the movie was far from entertaining and interesting as compared to the novel itself.The film was more of an exercise instead of a story being told on screen. It was talky and a violent conspiracy thriller will bore not only kids and teens but adult viewers as well.It lacks tension,suspense and drama as everything in the movie becomes clichéd and predictable.Also,the story is far from realistic as it becomes ridiculous and implausible at some points of the screenplay.
Acting-wise,it is noticeable that there is limited chemistry between Tom Hanks and Ayelet Zurer.I felt that even Hanks himself is on a rush delivering his lines as we see his character constantly chasing not only the enemy but as well as the exercise required by the plot of the movie.Too bad that it was a poor adaptation of a good novel.Maybe it is better to read the book instead of watching the movie adaptation.