Review of the movie...not the subject

Rating: 7/10 (16 November 2006)

And now for something completely newa review about the movie instead of the conflict it created.
First off, I did read the book. I found the casting a bit questionable but as is generally the case, minutia gets lost the further in your memory it is. I read the book quite some time ago, so the glaring mistakes were missed to some degree.
I watched the movie with my wife and she had never read the book. It was enjoyable for both of us.
The good: The topic in and of itself keeps you thinking throughout, if not on the actual action in the movie, on your own religious musings. The casting was pretty darn good actually. Sadly all the supporting characters were overshadowed by the one mistake Howard made in putting Hanks in the lead. It was just too difficult to get past for anyone who had a preconceived notion of who Langdon should have been (Ralph Fiennes or Hugh Laurie for me) The pace of the movie was good, and I did not feel that it dragged at all.
The bad: There were too many times you could poke a hole in the material. Again, this is not a critique of the content but a comment based on your ability to find holes independently of the subject matter. I also didn't feel the final few scenes tied things together very well. There was too much intellectual blather and you didn't feel a major emotional attachment between Sophie and her grandmother. That needed to be developed or you still felt "can she trust these people?" at the end of the movie.
I think the twists and turns were faithfully reproduced, but it did not wrap up nicely. For perfect wrap up see "The Usual Suspects". I wanted something along those lineswhere after the finale I was glad to see how it came together, somewhat surprised and very happy for the come-uppance of the antagonists.
All in all I think this was a good depiction of the book, given the limited time you have to do so. I look forward to Angels and Demons more as I think the story is tighter, at least until the finale, which I imagine, will be laughable at the theater.
If you liked the book, go see the movie. If you did not read the book, but it intrigues you, go see the movie. If you are consumed with the conflicts in subject matter and the inconsistencies with the details in art, placement and historical facteither don't go, or keep it to yourself. I wish to watch in blissful ignorance thanks