Movie Review Angels & Demons (2009)

 

Angels & Demons | 2009 | 2h 18m
Genre: Conspiracy Thriller/Suspense Mystery/Mystery/Thriller | Country: US
Director: Ron Howard | Writers: David Koepp, Akiva Goldsman, Dan Brown
Cast: Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer
IMDB: 6.7
My Rate: 10/10

Robert Langdon is called upon by the Vatican to help solve the threat of a nuclear explosion and the murder of cardinals, all connected to an Illuminati conspiracy, following the sudden death of Pope Pius XVI.

Warnings:

Contains violence and suicide.

 

Synopsis:

Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer) realizes that the antimatter she created with her colleague has been stolen by an unknown person. Her colleague is brutally murdered, his eyes gouged out. This is done because the thief needs his cornea to access the research facility.

Meanwhile, Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), known for solving mysteries related to the Priory of Sion, is asked to come to the Vatican. His arrival aims to help solve the mystery of the terror that occurs in the Vatican after the sudden death of Pope Pius XVI. However, this terror is also connected to Vetra's antimatter discovery.

The terrorist threatens to kill four cardinals, the strongest candidates to replace Pope Pius XVI. The murders will occur gradually, starting at 8 pm, culminating in the detonation of antimatter, burying the Vatican in light. Robert realizes that this terror is related to the Illuminati.

To solve this problem, Robert needs to access the Vatican's secret archives. He finally gets permission from The Camerlengo (Ewan McGregor), who temporarily controls the Vatican before the next Pope is appointed. The Camerlengo tries to ensure that the case receives attention and is solved properly. However, he doesn't get support from the cardinals who believe the threat is not real.

Will Robert and Vetra manage to save the cardinals and the Vatican?

Review:

Angels & Demons is the second sequel after The Da Vinci Code, adapted from the novel of the same name by Dan Brown. Actually, Angels & Demons was the first novel before The Da Vinci Code. However, due to the higher popularity of The Da Vinci Code, that novel was the first to be adapted into a film.

The success of the first film sequel made Howard want to make a sequel film from another novel. The decision to make this film sequel was quite brave. Because in the first film, there were so many protests and rejections of the film due to its slightly sensitive story.

Angels & Demons still tackles a similar theme, a clash with the Catholic Church. The film was shot in various locations, including Rome, Italy, and Sony Pictures Studio. Unlike the first film, which was shot in several churches, many churches refused to be used as filming locations for this second film.

Angels & Demons shows improvement in terms of storytelling compared to the first film. The excitement and tension are more palpable, with fewer boring narrative scenes. The story is less predictable and makes viewers focus on watching to find out the antagonist and protagonist in this film.

The use of animation at the beginning of the film, showing the neutron experiment, is excellent. The use of greenscreens in several location backgrounds is also done well, with no visible difference from the actual locations. Even the replicas shown are impressive.

The storyline flows systematically. The development of the story's background and characters is excellent. The conflict and resolution are also well-developed. There might be many differences compared to the novel, but this film can still be enjoyed.

The music and sound effects are also appropriate for each scene, adding to the tension. The camera movement and lighting are also good. Important details are clearly visible, so viewers aren't confused.

The acting of the cast, both main and supporting actors, is excellent and not stiff. There aren't many dialogues or scenes that waste time, unlike the first film. Robert's narration to other characters is done more subtly and appropriately for the situation.

Overall, this film is quite interesting to watch. However, it's important to understand that the story is not entirely real. Some parts of the story might be inspired by real-world conspiracies, but there are also additions and developments from the writer himself. Therefore, it's important to be careful when interpreting the information presented in this film.

 

Memorable Scene:

Robert, trapped in the archive storage room, has to fight for survival after the power suddenly goes out. Robert uses his last strength to break the glass protecting the room to breathe. This is because the oxygen supply starts to drop drastically since the power went out.

In this scene, we see that when we are cornered, we can unleash hidden strength within ourselves. We do everything to save ourselves and survive.

 

Memorable Dialogue:

"Religion is flawed but only because man is flawed."

 
Ending:

Happy Ending

 

Recommendation:

Must Watch

 

(Aluna)