Angels and Demons

Angels and Demons cleverly uses urban myths and advanced science that has been widely reported to flatter its audience’s intelligence. This is the squeal to 2006’s The Da Vinci Code in which Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) returns to uncover a mystery revolving around the Catholic Church, a scientific experiment involving anti-matter and the illumniti. These are the sort of topics we have all watched a documentary or read a newspaper article about and as such think we’re experts, this film brilliantly plays on this, massaging our egos an making me feel much more learned than I actually am. Which is just as well, as in terms of plot so many zigs and zags were presented that little ego stroking was experienced here by me. So as you can tell I have high opinion of the writing and narrative, however not all aspects are so blessed. This film is so dedicated to its story that it criminally ignores character development and as Ron Howard had the impressive talents of Hanks, McGregor and the much underrated Skarsgård at his disposal it feels as if a trick was missed. However this does not pull the film down dramatically and if tense and clever thrillers are your idea of an evening well spent, this is one to watch.

3.5/5