Angels & Demons (film)

Angels & Demons (film)
Name	Angels & Demons
Caption	Theatrical release poster
Director	Ron Howard
Producer	Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, John Calley
Screenplay	David Koepp, Akiva Goldsman
Based on	''Angels & Demons'' by Dan Brown
Starring	Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgård, Pierfrancesco Favino, Nikolaj Lie Kaas, Armin Mueller-Stahl
Music	Hans Zimmer
Cinematography	Salvatore Totino
Editing	Daniel P. Hanley, Mike Hill
Studio	Columbia Pictures, Imagine Entertainment
Distributor	Sony Pictures Releasing
Released	2009, 05, 15
Runtime	138 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$150 million
Gross	$485.9 million

Angels & Demons (film) is a 2009 American mystery thriller film directed by Ron Howard and adapted from the Dan Brown novel of the same name. Serving as a sequel to the 2006 film ''The Da Vinci Code'', it again stars Tom Hanks as Harvard University symbologist Robert Langdon. The plot follows Langdon as he is summoned to Vatican City to investigate the kidnapping of four cardinals during a conclave by the ancient secret society, the Illuminati.

Plot

Following the death of the Pope, the College of Cardinals gathers in the Sistine Chapel for a conclave to elect a successor. The ancient, supposedly extinct, secret society known as the Illuminati kidnaps the four Preferiti, the leading candidates for the papacy, and threatens to execute one each hour before destroying Vatican City with a stolen canister of antimatter from CERN. Robert Langdon is summoned by the Vatican to decipher a series of ambigrams and follow the Path of Illumination, a trail of clues left by the Galileo-era Illuminati across Rome. With the help of CERN scientist Vittoria Vetra, Langdon races against time from the Santa Maria del Popolo to the Pantheon, Santa Maria della Vittoria, and the Piazza Navona to save the cardinals. The trail ultimately leads to the Castel Sant'Angelo and the Vatican Secret Archives, culminating in a dramatic confrontation that reveals the true mastermind behind the conspiracy.

Cast

* Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon, a Harvard University professor of symbology. * Ewan McGregor as Camerlengo Patrick McKenna, the late Pope's chamberlain and acting head of state. * Ayelet Zurer as Vittoria Vetra, a CERN physicist who created the antimatter. * Stellan Skarsgård as Commander Maximilian Richter, head of the Swiss Guard. * Pierfrancesco Favino as Inspector Ernesto Olivetti, commander of the Vatican Gendarmerie. * Nikolaj Lie Kaas as Mr. Gray, the ruthless assassin hired by the Illuminati. * Armin Mueller-Stahl as Cardinal Strauss, the Dean of the College of Cardinals. * Thure Lindhardt as Lieutenant Chartrand, a young officer of the Swiss Guard. * David Pasquesi as Claudio Vincenzi, a Vatican media coordinator.

Production

Development began shortly after the release of ''The Da Vinci Code'', with Sony Pictures and Imagine Entertainment fast-tracking the project. Screenwriters David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman adapted Dan Brown's novel, with Ron Howard returning to direct and Brian Grazer producing. Principal photography commenced in June 2008, with extensive on-location shooting in Rome and at the CERN facility in Switzerland. Key sets, including a meticulous recreation of the Sistine Chapel interior, were built at Sony Pictures Studios in Culver City. The film's score was composed by Hans Zimmer.

Release

The world premiere was held on May 4, 2009, at the Avery Fisher Hall in New York City. Sony Pictures Releasing gave the film a wide theatrical release in the United States and Canada on May 15, 2009. Its international rollout followed throughout May and June. The film was later released on DVD and Blu-ray in November 2009 by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Reception

The film received mixed reviews from critics, with praise for its pacing and production values but criticism for its historical inaccuracies and convoluted plot. It earned an approval rating of 37% on Rotten Tomatoes. Commercially, it was a success, grossing over $485 million worldwide against a $150 million production budget. At the Saturn Awards, it received a nomination for Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film. The film's depiction of the Catholic Church and Vatican City drew criticism from some religious groups, including the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.

Differences from the novel

While following the novel's core narrative, several significant changes were made. The film is presented as a sequel to ''The Da Vinci Code'', whereas the novel is a prequel. The character of the Camerlengo is renamed from Carlo Ventresca to Patrick McKenna and is portrayed as younger. The method of the Pope's death is altered, and the subplot involving Maximilian Kohler, the director of CERN, is entirely omitted. The film's climax and the fate of the antimatter are also substantially different, with the finale taking place primarily in St. Peter's Square rather than inside the Sistine Chapel.

Category:2009 films Category:American thriller films Category:Films directed by Ron Howard