“Angels & Demons” is a nonstop, conspiracy thriller with fast-moving camera work and action-packed scenes that, like most cinematic adaptations, fall short of Dan Brown’s original, rich plot in the book of the same name.
Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), a Harvard professor of symbology, is asked by the Vatican police to find an explosive canister of antimatter by deciphering codes, connecting signs and chasing leads, sharing a certain resemblance to Indiana Jones.
The clock is ticking and as every minute passes, the antimatter is closer to exploding and destroying all that stands for Catholicism ““ striking the institution at its very heart. The setting is the Vatican in Rome, and it all takes place on a quiet afternoon that rapidly moves toward the cataclysmic conclusion. In this adaptation, writers Akiva Goldsman and David Koepp produced a respectable screenplay that covers the main plot while having to sacrifice some humanistic elements of the characters.
The production team ““ led by Brian Grazer (“Frost/Nixon”) in collaboration with frequent partner and the film’s director, Ron Howard (“A Beautiful Mind”) ““ and the international cast put forth a conspiracy thriller.
But the vitality of the story as a whole should be attributed to the postproduction editing team for its subtle editing efforts to achieve the desired fast-paced feel.
Representing religion and the church of the Vatican, and acting opposite of Hanks are Ewan McGregor (“Moulin Rouge”) and Armin Mueller-Stahl (“The International”), who both sufficiently portray complex and mysterious characters despite the fast-paced cinematography that doesn’t allow for substantial acting.
Representing science is Nikolaj Lie Kaas, who playing the part of a ruthless terrorist who antagonizes the rest of the cast. The pro-science protagonist is seen in Hanks’ portrayal of Langdon and that of his female co-star, Israeli actress Ayelet Zurer (“Munich”). The best acting of the film comes from the semineutral character Cmdr. Richter, played by Stellan Skarsgard (“Good Will Hunting”). Though Skarsgard lacks versatility, his being cast speaks to Grazer’s rich background and experience in producing action-packed, plot-twisting blockbusters.
As the cast searches for the path of the Illuminati ““ the anti-church, underground sect that stole the antimatter canister ““ the cinematography and appropriately dynamic special effects are other aspects adding to the nonstop action.
The movie abides by the three codes of the American cinematic tradition ““ “lights, camera, action” ““ but it is the music that adds the magic touch.
Hans Zimmer (“The Dark Knight”), an alchemist of tunes, makes the film’s sense of urgency and action tangible through his musical score. His synthesis of orchestral choir as a representation of religion and electronic music to denote science fully determines the pace of this movie. A feeling of anticipation dominates the film. However, the dominance of the musical score leaves very few moments of silence; those moments heighten the intensity of contemplation seen in the actors’ eyes. Further, those few moments that would have offered insight into the intensity that the character feels are glossed over by dynamic cinematographic tricks, giving the actors little time to reveal the boundaries of their “formidable” characters.
“Angels & Demons” has the aesthetic appeal of a music video, but only transcends as much as one may compare it to a long trailer.
However, those who read the book will be captivated by the musical score and its imaginative special effects.
E-mail Moinpour at nmoinpour@media.ucla.edu.