Guest Review of Angels & Demons

This is a guest review of Angel & Demons, by Anthony Davis (Oakwoodite and Twitterer, as well as a Mac specialist). Check him out here.

So I went to see Angels & Demons last night at Monaco (Huntsville, AL). I already knew that I would enjoy the atmosphere of the theater. The Scene Lounge always has a great feeling about. There's a level of sophistication there that doesn't feel native to Huntsville. I enjoyed a few drinks with friends and strangers before we headed up to Prive' (VIP balcony seating). A couple trailers played, though none of the blockbusters scheduled to release this summer. The only trailer that I did get excited about was for the Johnny Depp and Christian Bale movie Public Enemies. I believe that this is the type of movie that The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford should have been.

Now I must admit that I go into Angels & Demons having never read the book by the same name or having read The Da Vinci Code . Only understanding that it was the sequel to blockbuster The Da Vinci Code which I have seen. I also go into the movie knowing that the religious views of the Roman Catholic church differ from mine. But I simply wanted to see a good movie. I enjoyed The Da Vinci Code and had highly anticipated this sequel.

The movie starts of very quickly, not wasting time trying to explain Dr. Langdon's importance or the Catholic church's issues with him. Though the premise of the movie is clear very early in the film, unlike it was in The Da Vinci Code, you are left intrigued by the historical references and clues that Dr. Langdon follows. I've said before that this series is a more complex and clever National Treasure. Though there is no real action in the film, the pace and urgency in solving these clues helps to give you those highs that contrast the lows that are necessary for any film. The sets in the movie are impressive. Especially when you stop to think that many of the scenes were not shot in Roman Catholic churches because church officials forbade it after the controversy created by The Da Vinci Code. The use of CGI for some of the sets were subtle and well done. Director Ron Howard does a good job of keeping you engaged throughout the whole film. The traditions of the Roman Catholic church and the protocol of the Swiss Guard, who protect the Vatican, kept me very much interested throughout the entire film. Anyone who enjoys history and myth should enjoy this film. Even my friends who had read the book said that they enjoyed the movie. I give this movie 4/5 stars.