Three years ago when the much-anticipated The Da Vinci Code slunk onto screens, only to be met with a lukewarm reception from the novel’s massive fanbase, the general consensus was that your likelihood to enjoy the film depended on whether or not you’d read the source material. If you had, then it was your sworn duty to hate the film with a passion. If not, then you’d probably get a kick out of seeing Tom Hanks trying to shake off a homicidal monk.
Funnily enough, it seems that a similar scenario applies to Angels & Demons. As a standalone film, it’s an energetic, pacy and undeniably captivating blockbuster that makes two and a half hours seem like ninety minutes. Say what you will about the film, but it sure ain’t boring. The only difference between this and its predecessor is that where The Da Vinci Code was lambasted for simply not being as good as the book, Angels & Demons came under fire for Ron Howard’s tendency to mix things up a bit and deviate from the source material. If you can shove your hang ups about that to one side, then you’ll see that there’s a lot to like about the flick.
Picking up a year after the events of the last film (despite the events of the novel taking place beforehand – just one of the many changes for Dan Brown fans to strop over), Robert Langdon is hired by the Vatican to look into the disappearance of the four preferiti – the cardinals that have been earmarked as candidates for the papacy. With an explosive substance hidden somewhere in Vatican City and a dead body marked with a mysterious symbol, Langdon soon finds himself racing against time to stop the Catholic Church falling at the hands of an ancient enemy - The Illuminati.
As I’ve said, there’s a lot to like about Angels & Demons. Kicking it up a notch in terms of action, there’s no doubt that it’s a far superior beast to The Da Vinci Code. Tom Hanks once again throws in a brilliantly likeable performance as the famous Harvard symbologist, while Ewan McGregor does a top job as the young Camerlengo who’s trying to sort out the whole mess before the new pope is elected at conclave.
While the film does have a few flaws, such as some plot twists being horrendously telegraphed, it’s still an engrossing and fun way to spend an evening – particularly if you’re opting for the Blu-ray.
While you may have heard the odd story that the transfer is a bit crap, don’t take any notice – it’s nothing short of exquisite. The dark palette of the film works beautifully in high def, as each tone stands out with clear clarity. As for the daytime Roman cityscapes, they’re so sharp and detailed that you really do feel like you’re there. The same goes for the pristine interior shots of the churches that fulfil the roles of the ‘altars of science’. It’s a feat that’s even more amazing when you consider that many of the locations are actually sets and/or CG, due to the fact that Howard and co. weren’t allowed to film inside the Vatican or many Catholic churches.
Aurally, it’s just as effective. From the opening scene where McGregor’s Camerlengo is taking a hammer and chisel to the pope’s ring as part of the ritual following his death, it’s abundantly clear that the crystalline quality of the DTS soundtrack will breeze through the entire movie with aplomb.
Still, as sweet as the film is to your eyes and ears, the extras are nothing short of incredible. On top of the usual stuff like featurettes (here you get three interesting ones that focus on set design, CERN and the novel), you also get an interactive trip across ‘The Path Of Illumination’, which allows you to explore the altars of science, as Langdon does in the movie. Most impressive however is the BD Live content. One of the first titles to really take advantage of the platform, you can use Cinechat to yak with your chums that are watching the film elsewhere or you can look into every bit of trivia you can think of using MovieIQ’s pop-up menu system. It makes for a very, very cool disc indeed. With the package including both the theatrical and extended cuts as well, you’ll be hard pushed to find a more complete Blu-ray around right now. It’s ust a shame there’s no trailers or commentary for the film. Still, you can’t have it all.
Overall Verdict: Better than The Da Vinci Code and a blisteringly good Blu-ray package. Here’s hoping The Lost Symbol will be as good.
Special Features:
Theatrical and Extended Versions
The Path Of Illumination Tutorial Video
The Path Of Illumination Interactive
‘Rome Was Not Built in a Day’ Featurette
‘CERN: Pushing the Frontiers of Knowledge’ Featurette
‘Angels & Demons: The Full Story’ Featurette
CineChat BD-Live Feature
MovieIQ BD-Live Feature
Reviewer: Jordan Brown
