Starring: Tom Hanks & Ewin McGregor
Genre: Drama/Crime/Thriller/Mystery
Summary: Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard Professor Robert Langdon invited to the Vatican City in the follow up from the DaVinci Code based on Dan Brown's novels.
Based on his extensive knowledge of religious history and symbology, Langdon is caught up in trying to solve the mystery of whether the secret brotherhood known as the Illumanti (thought to have been eradicated hundreds of years ago).
A Hassassin threatens to blow up Vatican City at midnight using a technology developed by CERN called antimatter, and has kidnapped 4 cardinals who he plans to execute for the world to see at each hour leading to the midnight. This would see the ultimate revenge by the Illumanti on the Catholic Church.
Langdon must unravel the ancient trail across Rome to find the Church of Illumanatus, prevent the cardinals from being murdered, and to bring a stop to the detonation of the bomb. But who is the mastermind behind the threats, what is the Swiss Guards involvement and who wants to see an end to the Catholic Church.
My Review: For those of you who have read the book, from the start you will notice many variances which continue right through the film as adapted for the silver screen. Whilst many key moments of the book are not reflected in the movie, it acts more as a summary of the general plot and I possibly felt I got more out of the movie having previously read the book.
That said, the film was well presented and the action moved fairly quickly throughout with some great special effects given only three weeks of filming was actually done in Rome and the rest of the movie completed on sets and green screens in California. The interiors of the chapels and locations throughout Rome and the Vatican City were recreated on sets as the Catholic Church found the DaVinci Code so offensive they did not allow filming within their buildings.
Certain characters roles in the movie were changed also and you will distinctly notice the irish and not italiano accent on the Carmelengo played by Ewan McGregor.
In all, the film still did manage to entertain and I don't think you will be disappointed if you do see this, however it is recommended you read the book to make more sense of some of the sequences.
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