A Look Back at Angels and Demons (2009)
Is it possible for someone of faith to still believe in science? With the death of Pope Francis and the election of Cardinal Robert Prevost, now Pope Leo XIV, I think it’s appropriate to take a look back at a movie that juggles the history, trials and tribulations of the Catholic Church. And no, I’m not talking about Conclave starring Ralph Fiennes. Well, not now at least. Rather, I’ll be talking about Ron Howard’s adaptation of Dan Brown’s aptly named novel Angels and Demons starring the ever-so-lovable Tom Hanks that addresses this very question.
After the death of the pope, The Vatican enters conclave to elect another. However, their favored candidates are kidnapped by someone claiming to be the Illuminati. Meanwhile at CERN in Geneva, Dr. Vittoria Vetra (played by Ayelet Zurer) discovers the corpse of her colleague, priest and scientist Dr. Silvano and a missing vial of antimatter. The Vatican summons Symbology Professor Robert Langdon (played by Tom Hanks) to help them locate their missing cardinals. Langdon quickly deduces that the favored candidates are planned to be executed by earth, air, fire and water by the Illuminati. With the aid of the Swiss Guard and the Camerlengo, Father Patrick McKenna (played by Ewan McGregor), Langdon and Vittoria must rescue the four candidates while the rest of the world restlessly awaits the election of the new pope.
Believe it or not, this was the very first film (outside of high school documentaries) that introduced me to the inner workings of the Catholic Church. I was impressed with how Ron Howard can seamlessly weave ancient history and intellectualism into the thriller/action genre. Robert Langdon is not your typical action hero. He’s a professor who’s never held a weapon before. Rather, he uses his intellect and vast knowledge of symbols and history to decipher the clues of the Illuminati. It’s no surprise that Tom Hanks is one of the most talented actors in Hollywood. Yet I’m still impressed with the earnestness he brings to the character. But Hanks isn’t the only actor to hold his own. Ewan McGregor brings such a nuanced touch to the role of Patrick McKenna as he succeeds in misleading the audience to believe he’s a paragon of the Church. This could be because of his previous role as the heroic Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars. But I think it worked in his favor similar to Chris Evans’ villainous reveal in Rian Johnson’s Knives Out due to his time as Captain America.
Despite the influx of negative reviews, Angels and Demons remains close to my heart due to its overarching theme of the dichotomy between science and religion. We have Dr. Silvano at CERN who is both a researcher and a man of faith. Before his death, he tried to prove the existence of the “God particle” that would explain the origin of the universe. And then we have Robert Langdon’s personal strife between religion and his academic background, saying how he believes that he’s not meant to understand God due to his background. Although some may argue that this dichotomy is lost in the second act, I beg to differ. It serves as the driving force of the film’s entire plot. In fact, it was Patrick McKenna’s animosity towards science that led him to betray everything he’s been taught and commit his sinister motivations.
I really appreciate Ron Howard’s attention to detail, as someone who has been to a majority of the churches mentioned in the film. Since he and his crew were unable to shoot within the walls of The Vatican, crew members were sent in disguised as tourists and took videos and photographs of the church to have the sets digitally recreated. This explains why some scenes looked rough or even unfinished, such as the opening shot of the Pantheon along with part of St. Peter’s Basilica collapsing. Even though both were the most notorious examples of the film’s CGI, the wide shots in St. Peter’s Basilica didn’t look that much better. The movie looks its best during close ups or medium interior shots which required minimal digital recreation.
The score was composed by the one and only Hans Zimmer. Unlike his previous work on the first two Christopher Nolan Batman films, Zimmer utilizes choral vocals in conjunction with his signature use of orchestral base and percussion. Giving the score a grander, more epic sound you’d often associate with churches (or Halo) while also getting your heart pumping during the action sequences. It reminds me a little of Alan Silvestri’s work on the less than spectacular Van Helsing (2004), yet felt much more appropriately suited. Even the softer moments are reminiscent of a glowing intellectual curiosity that seamlessly flow into the film’s thriller roots.
Unlike its predecessor The Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons did not receive any overtly negative press from the Catholic Church. Despite not wanting to have their churches associated with scenes of murder, the Catholic Church had no issue with tourists who visited their churches based on their interest in the movie. That can’t be said about the Catholic League. William A. Donohue, president of the Catholic League issued a statement calling for Catholics to recognize “the lies the film and Ron Howard perpetuated.” Despite this, Angels and Demons still grossed $486 million on a budget of $150 million. Leading to the third and final installation of the series being made: Inferno. But that movie remains to be (possibly) explored for another day.
Despite its complex plot and somewhat controversial stance with the Catholic Church, I find myself returning to Angels and Demons time and time again. From the thriller tone, the music, acting and a still prevalent message on the dichotomy between science and religion, Angels and Demons remains one of my favorite films by Ron Howard. For those looking for a non-stopping, heart thumping and thrilling ride through Rome coupled with the intrigue and splendor of the Vatican history, I highly recommend you give Angels and Demons a watch. And who knows? Maybe when you’re in Rome, you’ll go on your own Angels and Demons-themed tour.
