Ridiculously plotted but enjoyable

Rating: 6/10 (4 April 2010)

The Da Vinci Code wasn't a bad film, although the pace was slow I found it absorbing. This sequel ditches this approach of the earlier movie and hurries into the action. Indeed, quite a bit of screen time is spent watching the characters run around Vatican City like they are in an episode of Doctor Who! Tom Hanks again plays Robert Langdon, and instead of the walking coma victim performance he gave in Da Vinci puts some effort into it this time around. Called in by the Vatican to help track four kidnapped Cardinals on the eve of electing a new Pope (if you want realism I suggest seeing another movie!) Langdon soon discovers the stakes are raised. The ancient order of The Illuminati have apparently returned to seek revenge upon the Vatican for centuries of persecution of the scientific community . Having stolen an anti-matter container with a limited battery life from CERN. Langdon must solve the mystery of the path of The Illuminati to prevent half of Rome from being destroyed.
If you examine the plot, of course, the whole thing is preposterous, yet this is an entertaining film; I re watched the movie on blue-ray recently in an extended format, and really only noticed an added extra level of violence which might make the film too gruesome for some. The deaths of the cardinals become very brutal in this version.
Ewan McGregor plays the late Pope's chamberlain overseeing the new election and his Irish accent seems to vary between Frank Carson (popular Irish comedian of the 70s) and Obi Wan Kenobi. He's pretty decent, though; the rest of the cast of characters came from central casting cliché inc.
Ron Howard is decent journeyman director, and here he delivers some good set pieces - the second Vatican archives scene is well realised, though owes a little to Spielberg's The Lost World.
There may be those who find the reconciliation between The Church and Science a bit galling - if Dan Brown had serious intent in discussing these issues he might be better served by delivering a more realistic plot; but go into this expecting an adventure/mystery not to be taken too seriously and you'll have a good time. Well worth a look.