Between the Da Vinci Code and Angels and Demons, most will agree that A&D had the far superior storyline. With such high expectations coming into this film, I must admit that I wasn’t overly impressed with Ron Howard’s translation of A&D onto the silverscreen. Much like the Da Vinci Code before it, I found it very difficult to appreciate this film because I was such a huge fan of the literature. With so many important aspects of the story being left out or abridged, it really didn’t feel like the same story at all.

The film itself wasn’t a total wash, and will probably peak the interest of those who haven’t read the books or are just looking to be entertained. Unlike The Da Vinci Code which stayed true to its script, A&D was far less pretentious than its predecessor and was definitely much better paced. Set primarily in Vatican City, A&D had a lush canvas to work with, and it felt as if I were taking a free tour through Rome itself. The cinematography was stunning to say the least, but with little more to offer than a few “postcard” quality shots, this film still falls quite short.

To his credit, Ron Howard tried his best to answer the call of the heavily criticized Da Vinci Code. Rather than staying true to the script, he along with his team of screenwriters attempted to create a film far more appealing to its general audience by writing a script which moved at break neck speed. In this case however, he probably should have kept with original. Although a tad better than the Code, A&D still fails by epic proportions.

I’d recommend you skip this one in the theaters and wait for it on DVD. Its not worthy of its price for admission.

Synopsis: Angels and Demons re-teams director Ron Howard and star Tom Hanks for the sequel to their international blockbuster adaptation of Dan Brown’s novel The Da Vinci Code. Although the book Angels and Demons was written before the novel The Da Vinci Code, the movie transpires after the events of the earlier movie. Hanks stars as professor Robert Langdon, the most respected symbologist in the United States, who uses his knowledge in order to decode a symbol on the skin of a murder victim. The clues put him on the trail of an international conspiracy involving the Catholic Church. Ewan McGregor and Ayelet Zurer also star in the Sony Pictures production. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide