Be Gentle Inside these Walls

Rating: 6/10 (17 May 2009)

Greetings again from the darkness. Director Ron Howard is back jabbing at the catholics with help from Dan Brown's prequel to DaVinci Code. This time it is a full out action film and Tom Hanks as Professor Robert Langdon shares some attitude with Indiana Jones! Italy in general, and Vatican City in particular, make for stunning scenery for this assault on the senses. The to-scale set of St. Peter's is marvelous, as are the not open to the public areas of catacombs and Vatican archives. Can't help but enjoy seeing the historic sites as Hanks and Ayelet Zurer (Vantage Point) race through the city trying to stop the massacre of four cardinals.
Supporting work from Stellan Skarsgard and Armin Mueller-Stahl is particularly effective, though Ewen McGregor is out of place here. Mueller-Stahl's recent history of playing bad guys certainly plays right into the hands of the filmmakers. Don't miss Ron Howard's dad, Rance, as one of the Cardinals. Sadly, brother Clint makes no appearance.
My preference of this story would be more intrigue and insight into the secret society of the Illuminati, and I do wish more of the Roman sites could be on display ... but this is terrific popcorn fare and will be enjoyable for most. Don't miss the amazing music playing over the closing credits.