Angels & Demons... Rome gone mad

(Going into conclave to select the next Pope, the Cardinals of the Catholic Church are faced with multiple threats in the film Angels and Demons.)

Right away I am going to say that I did not read the novel, Angels and Demons by Dan Brown, so my take on the film by Ron Howard based on Brown's book is only my take on the film; not how well it was adapted from the novel.

It was action packed. There were twists and turns. Tom Hanks as the symbolist Robert Langdon is like a character on CSI; rushing from one crisis to another, hoping to find the clue to prevent the next murder. And Ayelet Zurer as Vittoria Vetra the physicist whose helped invent the time-bomb anti-matter vial just seems to be a beauty. The story involves the Illuminati who have kidnapped the four cardinals most likely to become the next pope. And at 9, 10, 11 and midnight they are to be killed.

If you like suspense you'll find most of this fun, even if it is a bit contrived and not utterly convincing. (Why would someone so knowledgable in church symbolism not know how to read either Latin or Italian?)

But if you like fast action, cruel murders and the demise of the protagonists, go see this thriller. If not, stay home and watch CSI and read the book.