Angels & Demons

The Pope has died and, before the conclave is able to appoint his successor, the four preferitti (favourites for the papacy) are kidnapped. Meanwhile, physicists working on producing anti-matter find that their laboratory has been broken into and one of the specimens has been stolen. Threats towards the preferitti and the Vatican City soon follow, and a clue leads the Catholic Church to believe that their age-old opponents, the Illuminati, are behind the kidnappings. Harvard professor Robert Langdon (Hanks) is called on by the Church to decipher clues that lead him and physicist Vittoria (Zurer) around Rome in an attempt to save the city from being destroyed.

One of the greatest things about Angels and Demons is that it gives viewers the chance to gain exclusive access to the inner workings of the Vatican. This includes a rare look at the Vatican archives and the headquarters of the Swiss Guard. The film features many of Rome’s beautiful, old buildings, often accompanied by a commentary from Professor Langdon that provides interesting tit-bits about Rome’s rich cultural history. Don’t be fooled though: this tour of the city does not stop the film from being fast-paced and thrilling to watch. The storyline is very engaging; the puzzles and plot twists keep the audience guessing right to the end of the film.

Hanks delivers a solid performance as Professor Langdon, perfectly capturing the essence of a knowledgeable professor. The supporting cast also boast well developed characters, ranging from credible scientists to authentically cloaked bishops. The film’s subject matter deals with many of today’s burning issues like the conflict between science and religion. This, combined with the puzzle-solving, makes Angels and Demons an intellectually stimulating film. It comes highly recommended to anyone in search of a thrilling mystery with a beautiful setting.

Julia Huntenburg