Angels and Demons: An Excellent Thriller

For those of you who don't like religious thrillers, this movie probably isn't for you. For those of you who loved The Da Vinci Code, and are avid Dan Brown fans, then you will love the latest adaptation of his book, Angels and Demons.

The Pope has died. It is now time for a new Pope to be chosen, and Cardinals all around the world have been summoned to Vatican City to choose who will be the next. The night before Conclave, the time when the Cardinals cast their vote, the four Preferati—the four men most likely to be chosen as the next Pope—are captured by an ancient and powerful organization called the Illuminati. The Illuminati have threatened to kill one every hour, beginning at eight, culminating in the explosion of antimatter that would decimate most of Rome.

The movie's special effects are part of what made the film, especially given that none of the filming actually took place in Rome or any parts of Vatican City. The actors had great chemistry, and Ewan McGregor as Camerlengo Patrick McKenna is excellent. Tom Hanks reprises his role as cryptologist Robert Langdon, and new comer Ayelet Zurer shines as scientist Vittoria Vetra.

The film is not anti-religion by any means. If anything, it will make people more interested in the Catholic Church and its customs. The movie is well over two hours long, and more mature audiences will appreciate it far more than a younger audience.