 | |
List Price: $36.95 | | Label: Sony Pictures
Salesrank: 288
Released: November 24, 2009 |
| Our Price: $18.45 |
| Used Price: $17.99 |
|
MPAA Rating: Unrated
Media: DVD |
|
Editorial Review:
In Ron Howard's thrilling follow-up to The Da Vinci Code, expert symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) follows ancient clues on a heart-racing hunt through Rome to find the four Cardinals kidnapped by the deadly secret society, the Illuminati. With the Cardinals' lives on the line, and the Camerlengo (Ewan McGregor) desperate for help, Langdon embarks on a nonstop, action-packed race through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, and the most secretive vault on Earth!
Description of Angels & Demons (Two-Disc Extended Edition):
If the devil is in the details, there's a lot of wicked fun in Angels & Demons, the sequel (originally a prequel) to The Da Vinci Code. Director Ron Howard delivers edge-of-your-pew thrills all over the Vatican, the City of Rome, and the deepest, dankest catacombs. Tom Hanks is dependably watchable in his reprised role as Professor Robert Langdon, summoned urgently to Rome on a matter of utmost urgency--which happens to coincide with the death of the Pope, meaning the Vatican is teeming with cardinals and Rome is teeming with the faithful. A religious offshoot group, calling themselves the Illuminati, which protested the Catholic Church's prosecution of scientists 400 years ago, has resurfaced and is making extreme, and gruesome, terrorist demands. The film zooms around the city, as Langdon follows clues embedded in art, architecture, and the very bone structure of the Vatican. The cast is terrific, including Ewan McGregor, who is memorable as a young protégé of the late pontiff, and who seems to challenge the common wisdom of the Conclave just by being 40 years younger than his fellows when he lectures for church reform. Stellan Skarsgard is excellent as a gruff commander of the Swiss Guard, who may or may not have thrown in with the Illuminati. But the real star of the film is Rome, and its High Church gorgeousness, with lush cinematography by Salvatore Totino, who renders the real sky above the Vatican, in a cataclysmic event, with the detail and majesty of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. --A.T. Hurley
Stills from Angels & Demons (click for larger image)
Angels & Demons (Two-Disc Extended Edition) Reviews:
As with A&D the book, better than the DVC 
2009-11-27 - I enjoyed this movie on many levels. To me it was good art: great special effects -- especially the simulated matter-antimatter explosion, nicely scripted from the book, very well directed, well acted, intriguing, and exciting. The depiction of the funeral of the late pope, Sede Vacante, and the Papal Conclave to elect a new pope were especially fascinating to me. I remember some of the events immediately following the death of John Paul II and appreciate Ron Howard's handling of like events in Angels and Demons.
Tom Hanks seemed a lot more like Robert Langdon in this movie. An agnostic as in the book, Hanks/Langdon made the spiritually insightful statement that "faith is a gift," but honestly admitted that he had not yet received that gift. With that said, he put the pedal to the metal in trying to unravel the clues in time before any more of the four cardinal papabile were murdered. And he was not unnecessarily distracting to Vittoria. He let her perform her critical tasks as well. After all, she had been traumatized by the grisly death of her mentor and would not have been in the mood for playing around.
The scientific aspects of the movie were interesting. It begins at CERN in Switzerland, where scientists are presently conducting experiments that may produce antimatter or microscopic black holes, all in an attempt to replicate conditions similar to the original singularity event -- the Big Bang. The idea of producing a "god particle" is not irreverent, but it may actually promote a better understanding of the beginning of creation by a transcendent power. A&D the movie, even as fiction, whetted my appetite for some of the wonders of cosmology. Whatever faults related to deviations from the book do not penalize this movie even one half of a star, in my estimation. Highly recommended! Fr. Dennis Mercieri
Its just better ...ok! 
2009-11-27 - More action and excitement than Da Vinci Code which is more than I expected... Doesnt tie the last movie in which is nice. The name I found misleading so I skipped this movie at the theater. What the title does infer is the relation to righteous and evil / good and bad .. therefore Angel or Demon. Very good flick!
Angels & Demons is Superb
2009-11-27 - After viewing Angels & Demons, and reading other reviews, I want to read the book. Movie goers are often disappointed that the film does not follow the page, but I would hate to endure a movie that followed War and Peace to the last period. Having said that, Angels and Demons addresses a centuries-old issue that continues to vex the faithful and the sceptics alike. As Cardinal Strauss said, "Religion is flawed because men are flawed." But then, so is science. Angels & Demons addresses the on-going conflict between "faith" and "fact" and comes to a satisfactory, though temporary, solution because even those of us who hope the two will meld are also flawed. Despite the necessary chase scenes, the story line to the climactic surprises and denoument provides the viewer something to ponder.
Good Suspense and Gorgeous Rome
2009-11-25 - Angels and Demons has the formula for success. Tom Hanks at the peak of his career, Ewan McGregor (Obie Wan from Star Wars), a gorgeous brunette leading lady, a spectacular city, Ron Howard directing, and a good simple suspense story that doesn't telegraph the ending too soon; equals a movie worth watching.
The film is based on another Dan Brown book that does have the feel of The DaVinci Code. However, the DaVinci Code's story line was convoluted and actually lost me more times than not; Angels and Demons is a good solid straightforward story, sometimes simple can be better. It isn't too kind to reveal the plot of suspense films, discovering the mystery along the way is a major portion of this film. Broadly the film is about the Illuminati that stole a vial of anti-matter from the Hadron / CERN particle collider. The group threatens to blow up St. Peters.
This is a gorgeous film. The scenes in Rome are incredible. Every detail feels perfect, the streets, the monuments, the driving, the people; I could almost smell the espresso and taste the gelato. My wife was lucky enough to spend two weeks in Rome, and commented about the perfection of the scenery - especially the Sistine Chapel (she spent an evening there with only 20 other people). The action scenes are well edited, Ron Howard builds tension, brings the scene to a climax and knows exactly when to move on - pacing is outstanding. The cast is beautiful. Tom Hanks was a big surprise in the swimming pool, and has aged very gracefully. Ewan McGregor has a beautiful British accent that is so pleasant. Ayelet Zurer as the CERN scientist is a gorgeous, intelligent, and strong woman. There is a wonderful chemistry between these characters.
The single disc DVD includes the theatrical release of the film, at 2 hours and 18 minutes run time. The film is about the right length. The disc includes a remarkable 17 minute bonus feature titled 'Rome Was Not Built In A Day.' I highly recommend this feature; it is one of the best behind the scenes footage I've seen in a very long time. There is also a 10 minute piece, 'Writing Angels & Demons' (kind of a yawner), 17 minute 'Characters in Search of the True Story,' and 14 minute 'CERN: Pushing the Frontiers of Human Knowledge,' (a somewhat fluffy science piece). These other bonus features pale in comparison to the 'Rome' feature.
The film is rated PG-13. The thirteen year old said the film was a bit too graphic in a few places. I'll admit there were some pretty gruesome scenes - an eyeball removed to work an iris scanner, people having their chests branded, and crypts full of human skulls. In fact to him, those gory elements lowered his rating of the film. Aside from the violence, there is no strong language, or nudity.
For some, I'm guessing this film is too simple and may play badly compared to the books. That's a common complaint with Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and others. I sat back, relaxed, and enjoyed the story. The film took me to a city I absolutely love. The characters were believable. The mystery was decent. My only complaint, there were moments where the film jumped the shark. I found myself several times thinking, why didn't he get shot there, why did that person wave, how could that be possible, etc? In the end, those loose ends get tied up nicely, they are on purpose. In some regard the film does tie the story up with a pretty bow.
Simply go along for a wild, beautiful ride, through an amazing city, with some handsome people.
Another book to movie failure. 
2009-11-25 - I finished reading the book ( for the second time) 2 days ago.
I just finished seeing the movie.
I did NOT expect the movie to be entirely faithful to the
book because I knew there was too much info. and detail
in the book.
That being send,for me,this book to movie transfer was butchered!!
Why? Outside of the search for the four cardinals and the anti-
matter bomb there is little else that relates to the book.
The two MAJOR problems were the entire lack of motivation behind the
main characters actions and no character development.For example,in the book,the heroine,
Vittoria Vetra wants very much to be a part of the search for
the killer of her FATHER/scientific partner.In the movie she just
seems to tag along with Robert Langdon because she's just there.
In the movie the camerlengo kills and hires an assasin to kill because he feels his father the late pope is too liberal?
That's ridiculous.In the book his deep motivation is that he did
NOT know the pope was his father initially for many years.
He only knew that the man who became pope had looked after
him since he was a child.When the pope told him that he actually
was his biological son,the camerlengo was horrified to find
out that the pope had broken his vow of chastity.He had broken
his promise to God!!!This is what motivated the camerlengo in the book.
In the movie the assasin is just a cool unemotional hired killer.In the book he is a rabid nutcase who enjoys killing.
Because of the lack of strong motivation by the central characters
of the movie, it presents these people as having no depth and being more like cardboard cutouts.
Now for the ending.No I won't reveal it but,it reminded of
movies from the 50's where there is a miraculous event,and
everyone lives happily ever after.
I also feel that the makers of this movie were so wrapped up
in the set design and visual effects that they forgot about
character development.If you want to see a beautifully made
film about the slecting of a new pope, with great shots of Rome etc.,may I suggest The Shoes
of the Fisherman.In this movie they did not forgo character
development in favour of set design !!!
It struck me as strange that Robert Langdon virtually ignored
the stunning looking Ms.Vetra, yet in the the book he was strongly
attracted to her.
Personaly,I was really looking forward to seeing who would be selected to portray Max Kohler,the director of Cern.I think that part would have been any actors dream and if he was any good he
could have "chewed up the scenery."
Can anyone tell me the reason for changing the name of the cardinal who was chosen to be the great elector ( in charge of
conclave)from Mortati to Strauss or why the commander of the Swiss
guard was changed from Olivetti to Richter? Lastly why change the
design of the last branding iron? What's the point???
Lastly, I think ,to get the movie anywhere close to being like the book would have required 2 full discs because the book is incredibly detailed.
