Angels & Demons

http://www.angelsanddemons.com/

Swanner: You can always count on plenty of remakes and sequels come summertime. The first two big movies of the summer have been both been prequels but today I’m talking sequel. Angels and Demons is the sequel to The Da Vinci Code. When the DVC came out it made a lot of money but that was three years ago and still the popularity of the Dan Brown novels hasn’t waned. This time around Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is actually asked by the Vatican for his help after four cardinals are kidnapped by the Illuminati, a group of religious scientists, whose ultimate plot is to take down the Catholic church by blowing up the Vatican.

Judd: So these Illuminati’s are the good guys?

Swanner: No…well not in this movie. We’re suppose to side with the church, even though i’m going to hell. You kind of have to loose yourself in the story and there is a lot of story. I didn’t even mention that the Pope has died and they are in the process of choosing a new one. There is also some stolen antimatter that will level the Vatican in seconds and a few others but what’s important here is the direction and the script.

Judd: So the Pope is dead and someone wants to destroy the catholic church by blowing up the Vatican. You’re just getting my hopes up cause i know this is going to end happy. I hate happy. Is there anything “Brian happy” here?

Swanner: Brian happy? Well the kidnapper is going to kill one cardinal every hour on the hour for four hours and the fifth hour they are blowing everyone up. During all of this the Robert Langdon and crew must decipher clues before the cardinals are killed. That reminds me…the movie does get a bit gory with some sick killings. I hope i didn’t give anything away.

Judd: You better not be teasing me to get me to go see the movie. If you’re leading me on and i actually spend movie on this I’ll hunt down your fat old ass and make you watch that awful Diane Keaton direct to DVD movie.

Swanner: I’m not kidding…really. People are killed. It will make you happy. Ron Howard directs this film and it’s a real nail bitter. The first film sort of trotted along. Here’s a clue and there’s a symbol but this movie just flies. They have five hours to save the church.

Judd: Tick tick tick

Swanner: David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman have produce an incredibly exciting script that Howard just runs with and a very big cast which includes Ewan McGregor, Stellan Skarsgard and Hanks as well as every capable supporting actor working today who looks like he could be a priest. The comparison i’ve been using is Alien vs Aliens. Alien was paced slower and was really trying to set a mood where Aliens was non-stop action. Thats exactly what this movie was…none stop nail biting action that had me on the edge of my seat right from the start.

Judd: Edge of your seat??? Your big ass would take up all of the seat. edge of your seat…please.

Swanner: It’s a figure of speech you asshole.

Swanner ***1/2