Angels And Demons-- a Satisfying Thriller With Some Messages

[Joanne98]

Angels and Demons opens in theaters on May 15th.

Let's start with the end. The way you feel when you walk out of a movie says a lot about the movie. Screenwriting coach Robert McKee, author of Story Structure, says that there's not much to say if you watch a great movie that leaves you satisfied. That's how I felt when I exited the theater at the end of Angels and Demons, the prequel to The DaVinci Code. The movie delivered and satisfied on so many levels.

The juxtaposition of ancient church rites and 21st century science is evident in the first few minutes of the movie Angels and Demons. The death of the pope puts in motion the conclave of cardinals. The activation of the hadron accelerator at Cern produces the most significant amount of accumulated anti-matter ever, in one place.

But the juxtaposition of science and church is nothing new. Dan Brown's book, Angels and Demons creates a scenario which is an echo of the conflict Galileo experienced hundreds of years ago. The story explores the speculation that Galileo was a member of the Illuminati-- a group that wanted to bridge science and faith. But Tom Hanks, who starred in the first Dan Brown movie novelization-- DaVinci Code-- explains, the Catholic church attacked the Illuminati, purging and killing some its most respected leaders in what was called "the purga." The script characterizes the "purga" as a "dark stain," a "ghost that has come back to haunt us." Is the movie also evoking the idea that 911 was an event where our own actions brought a response that came back to haunt us? It does feel a bit that way and later in the movie there are even elements in the story that will make 911 truther conspiracy theorists happy, suggesting the malevolent participation of people at the highest levels of power. There's also a montage showing how the Vatican leadership, like any effective state, effectively dupes the willing and cooperating media, which happily promotes the message the movie viewer knows is false.

http://www.opednews.com/articles/Angels-And-Demons--a-Sati-by-Rob-Kall-090511-304.html

I never go to movies but I saw that Donahue asshole on TV yesterday complaining about it so now I have to go.

[phantom power]

1. I have not seen the movie, but I couldn't get past chapter 1 in the book...

it was just a bunch of cliched bad writing about scientists and the relation between science and faith.

Now for whatever reason, I did enjoy reading DaVinci Code. Maybe Dan Brown just got better as a writer, I don't know.

[dbonds]

2. Angles and Demons is actually a better book than DiVinci Code

Just give it a chapter to get into it. First chapter is just trying to set the mood of the book.

[ejpoeta]

5. definitely. took me a few chapters to get into it. then it was a quick read.

i liked the book, personally. but i didn't see what all the controversy was about.

[katty]

3. A & D was a better book than DaVinci C-so this cld be fun

[Stargazer09]

4. I'm looking forward to reading the book

I won't be seeing too many movies (in the theaters, at least) until Mr. Stargazer returns from the sandbox.

If iTunes is still offering the DaVinci Code for $4.99, I'll probably get it. I read that book and enjoyed it.