[Blu-Ray Review] ANGELS AND DEMONS
I make no bones about it, I quite enjoyed The Da Vinci Code when I first saw it. Yes, it had it’s problems, but it was still enjoyable. The Blu-Ray release, which was actually of the extended version of The Da Vinci Code, was a lot better (and you can read my review of it here) and one of things it included was a complete scene, presented in HD, from the forthcoming sequel Angels & Demons.
At the time, I thought that the sequel looked pretty good and, as I hadn’t read the book (something that I had done with The Da Vinci Code before it was released – as had most of the rest of the world!), I hoped that this time it might actually deliver on the sense of mystery and threat that the first movie almost, but not quite, managed to capture. But did it? And does the Blu-Ray live up to the promise of a decent transfer displayed in that short scene presented on The Da Vinci Code Blu-Ray?
Angels & Demons tells the story of Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon, who is brought in by the Vatican (much to his surprise after the events in The Da Vinci Code) to try and help them. The Pope has just died, and the four preferitti (the most likely Cardinals to be nominated for the papacy) have been kidnapped by what appears to be the Illuminati. They are to be killed one an hour from 8pm till 11pm, but then Robert and the Swiss Guard learn that an experimental particle, dubbed “The God Particle” and formed of Anti-Matter, has been stolen from CERN and been hidden somewhere in Rome – and it will detonate at midnight with a force equal to a 5 Megaton nuclear bomb.
So begins a race against time as Robert must try and solve the riddle leading to the Church of the Illuminati, save the Cardinals and discover the location of the God Particle before it’s too late.
Now that we have the plot out of the way, what’s the movie actually like? Well, for a start Tom Hanks seems much more comfortable in Robert Langdon’s skin this time around. He hasn’t suddenly changed into an action hero (even though he does seem to go plunging headfirst into some situations that a normal person might not) but he starts out this time as confident as he’d become by the end of The Da Vinci Code. Partially I would put this down to the fact that there is no real need to establish the character this time around, and partially because it is Langdon himself who is approached by the Catholic Church so it puts the character, and Hanks as an actor, in a much stronger position than in the first movie.
Not that this is totally Hanks’ movie. If there is one person who threatens to overshadow Tom Hanks in every scene it’s Ewan McGregor, who plays the Camerlengo Patrick McKenna (the Camerlengo is responsible for helping the Pope with his non-religious duties and is responsible for protecting the Pope’s office and duties while the Cardinals try and elect a new Pope), who absolutely dominates every single scene he is in with his presence.
Also of note is Stellan Skarsgaard who plays Commander Richter of the Swiss Guard (the chief of the Vatican Police force), who has some brilliant scenes with Langdon.
Of lesser note is Ayelet Zurer who plays Vittoria Vetra, the physicist who comes from CERN to try and help recover the God Particle. I assume that she was meant to replace Audrey Tautou from The Da Vinci Code but there is none of the chemistry between Langdon and Vittoria as there was between Langdon and Neveu. A slight shame but not a great loss, really.
But all the actors work is worth nothing if the movie itself is not interesting, entertaining and thrilling. And I’m happy to say it’s all three! I don’t know if it’s because I hadn’t read Angels & Demons or if it’s just because the writers did a better job with this one, but I found it interesting and exciting through out. I’ll admit that I did figure out who the “bad guys” were before the movie ended, but it wasn’t as obvious as in some movies!
But there is another star of this movie. And that is the locations. Filmed on location in Rome, where possible, and on purpose built sets where not (like St Peters Square – the Vatican didn’t let them film there so they built a replica in a carpark in the USA and the results are fantastic!) it never looks anything less than stunning. The locations are so wonderful looking they are like another character within the movie.
The Picture
Which brings me onto the video. The Blu-Ray is presented in a 1080p AVC/MPEG-4 transfer framed in the widescreen 2.40:1 aspect ratio and there is no other word for it than “stunning”. There is next to no artefacts present through any of the movie and the colours are simply stunning – like the Cardinals bright red robes which fairly pop off of the screen! But skintones are natural and the detail apparent in facial closeups is amazing. You also have directional lighting used throughout so there are a great many times when someones face is highlighted with bright light on one side and deep dark black on the other, and the transfer more than handles this contrast.
The Audio
The audio is presented in a DTS-HD MA 5.1 track and is easily the match for the flawless picture and makes full use of the surround speakers at any given oppertunity. Hans Zimmer’s musical score is reproduced with astounding effect, giving a real pulse to the movie while never drowning out the dialogue. And the effects used in the CERN section are astounding.
The Special Features
Angels & Demons contains both the Theatrical release and an Extended Edition (which is the one that I watched) which adds an extra 8 minutes to the running time. As well as this, you also get:
Movie IQ: The first Sony Blu-Ray to utilise this BDLive technology, this is one of the best things I’ve ever seen! Ever watched a movie and someone has appeared and you’ve been trying to figure out who they are to no avail only to have to go to your PC to look them up? Not a problem anymore with MovieIQ which, using your BD Player’s internet connection, connects to a database and provides up to date information on the cast and crew, etc.
CineChat: Let’s you watch the movie with a chat window so you and any friends can talk about the movie as you’re watching.
The Path of Illumination: An interactive resource on the locations of the movie which varies between written information and behind the scenes clips.
Rome was not Built in a Day (HD, 17mins 30s): The cast and crew discuss the problems with creating their own Vatican, showing the mix between green screen and sets and goes from storyboards to finished shots.
CERN- Pushing the Frontiers of Knowledge (HD, 14mins 52s): A very interesting look at the CERN facility and how the film crew were allowed to shoot there.
Angels & Demons: The Full Story (HD, 9mins 46s): An overview of the making of the movie covering a lot of the aspects of making the movie from shooting in Rome to the costume creation.
All in all, this is a very good release. The movie itself is a very enjoyable thriller and the video transfer is amazing. Coupled with the extras, especially MovieIQ, it’s a very good package.
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3 Responses to “[Blu-Ray Review] ANGELS AND DEMONS”
I love this movie i saw this one like 3 times in less than one month but is the true is nice the movie.
His hair, good grief…
I really did not like Da Vinci Code, so I skipped this one.
I disagree with you especially concerning the female leads. Audrey Tatou was one of the main reasons why I dislike TDC so entirely.
She was a complete distraction, and I resented the fact Langdon followed her around like a lost puppy. Her accent which I do believe is her own true accent was beyond irratating and they had no chemistry whatsoever.
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