FILMS

‘Angels & Demons’: Not a ‘DaVinci’ problem

Reviewed by Rebecca Bostic | May 21, 2009 | The Catholic Sun

Dan Brown has returned to the big screen in full force, but this time the artist Leonardo da Vinci has nothing to do with it.

In “Angels & Demons” (Sony/Columbia), the focus instead falls on the work of Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini, an artist of the 1600s who worked almost exclusively for the Catholic Church in Rome. Bernini’s statues pepper the modern-day city of Rome, showing up in palazzos, St. Peter’s Basilica and Square, and throughout churches in the ancient holy city.

The sequel to “The DaVinci Code” — although Brown wrote the novel “Angels and Demons” before “The DaVinci Code” — the second film has many of the same weaknesses as its mediocre cinematic predecessor, but emerges overall as a more entertaining film.

Most of “Angels & Demons” takes place in Vatican City, during a conclave after the death of the pope. The actual Vatican did not allow director Ron Howard to film within its walls, but the re-creation of the holy Catholic site is exceptional in its technical scope and detail. While the content of the film is certainly not flattering to the Church, it has been called “harmless” by L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican newspaper, and this assessment is accurate.

Even William Donohue of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights — which had issued a brochure debunking the book — has opined, “Enjoy it for the fun of it, but don’t be seduced by Brown-Howard into thinking it is based on historical facts,” according to Catholic News Service.

Unlike “The DaVinci Code,” where the very divinity of Christ was called into question, “Angels & Demons” portrays human corruption — in this case, corruption among some working for the Catholic Church.

The concept that religion is flawed because imperfect humans are leading it is pointed out several times during the film. Sure, this is still not flattering of the Catholic Church, but the film isn’t challenging the faith as such, as in “The DaVinci Code.” This film spends time focusing on religion’s importance despite the actions of imperfect beings. There is also a prominent push for religion and science to coexist harmoniously.

The film, like its predecessor, centers on Harvard professor and symbologist Robert Langdon, played by Tom Hanks. Following the death of a beloved pope, a conclave begins. However, the preferiti, the four cardinals favored for papal election, are kidnapped the night before the conclave. The kidnappers threaten to kill the cardinals and set off a bomb as retribution for past violence against a group of 17th century scientists, called the Illuminati.

Langdon is called in to help decipher the ancient code of the Illuminati that the kidnappers are following. An exciting chase ensues that takes Langdon and the audience all over the ancient city of Rome, in and out of churches, holy sites and even a couple fountains.

The acting in “Angels & Demons” is sufficient for the intellectual action-adventure genre it undertakes. Hanks remains as entertaining as possible considering he is usually explaining a complicated series of ancient symbolism. He does this quickly, trying not to weigh down the pace. He is only partially successful here, but at no fault of his own — the script is not written for snappy dialogue. Ewan McGregor provides the other notable performance as the Camerlengo, the priest who is left in charge of the office of pontiff in between the death of a pope and the end of the conclave. He is multidimensional and interesting in his important role.

The greatest weakness of “Angels & Demons” on a cinematic level is the dialogue, which is bogged down by rushed academic explanations. The rush oversimplifies Langdon’s arguments and his conclusions seem based on insignificant connections.

He will often, for example, look up and see an angel statue pointing in one direction, which leads him to another angel pointing, which leads him to the object of his pursuit. This all feels all a bit too coincidental. The plot is borderline ridiculous, but it is an exciting ride that makes enough sense in the fictional world of Robert Langdon.

The film’s main question is the compatibility of science and religion. It begins by explaining the “God particle” — a collection of anti-matter that emulates what may have caused a “big bang” in an evolutionary theory. Some leaders in Brown’s fictional Church view this theory as a threat, but most see it as no more than an interesting development.

Pope John Paul II once said, “Science can purify religion from error and superstition; religion can purify science from idolatry and false absolutes. Each can draw the other into a wider world, a world in which both can flourish.” On one level, this is the message of “Angels & Demons.” The antagonists view science as a threatening force to religion.

Brown gets at least one thing right — science and religion can exist harmoniously, enhancing, and not negating one another.

Although the depiction of the Church is not positive, it is not as philosophically precarious as “The DaVinci Code.” There is little to nothing that would challenge a Catholic’s faith.

The Catholic “bad guys” are presented as an aberration and the perfection of a good and loving God is clear. The weakness of a human-led institution is highlighted to an unflattering degree, but as the Catholic Church in both the film and real world are aware, it does not exist to bend to popular opinion, but continues to seek the truth as effectively as it is able.

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Media critic Rebecca Bostic is a regular contributor to The Catholic Sun. Comments are welcome. Send e-mail to letters@catholicsun.org.