I can remember the summer I read Angels and Demons by Dan Brown. I found it thoroughly entertaining and somewhat ‘gripping.’ (In fact, I read it before his The Da Vinci Code, which, because of its total disregard of the truth of the Scriptures and the deity of Christ, ticked me off. But, it too was a good ‘read’.)
This past Friday, the boys and I caught the early 10:45 am showing of Angels and Demons at Celebration Cinema (pretty cheap) in Lansing. I found the movie thoroughly entertaining … albeit implausible. Tom Hanks once again plays Harvard symbologist, Robert Langdon. Even though the Vatican is upset with him because of his previous ‘discoveries’ in The Da Vinci Code, it desperately needs him NOW.
You see, in the next 24 hours, during which time the College of Cardinals begins meeting to elect a new Pope (who it turns out was murdered inside the Vatican), Langdon, hopefully, can figure out some clues and a dire threat left by the Illuminati. Clues? For what? Why? Threat? Illuminati?
Well, the Illuminati, a shadowy 17th-century group of ‘scientists and intellectuals’ driven underground by the Catholic church, have apparently returned to exact some justice for past church misdeeds. They kidnapped the four most eligible Cardinals to be elected as the next Pope and have promised to publicly execute them, one every hour for four hours. The theatrics of the Illuminati will culminate with a massive explosion of “anti-matter” … forever whipping out Vatican City …
Anti-matter? Did I fail to mention that there was a gruesome robbery as a Swiss Nuclear Collider?
Our local newspaper (while we still have one), The Lansing State Journal began its review of the Angels and Demons by saying, “Catholics concerned that they might be offended by ‘Angels and Demons’ are correct – they will be. Not their faith. Their intelligence …” I somewhat agree; but, you don’t have to be Catholic.
The movie is far-fetched, fundamentally implausible, fairly juvenile with Tom Hanks character having to explain EVERYTHING for the movie to make sense, but also fast-paced and FUN!
Most importantly, the boys and I had a great time together.
