When Robert Langdon discovers evidence of the resurgence of an ancient secret brotherhood known as the Illuminati -- the most powerful underground organization in history -- he also faces a deadly threat to the existence of the secret organization's most despised enemy: the Catholic Church. When Langdon learns that the clock is ticking on an unstoppable Illuminati time bomb, he jets to Rome, where he joins forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and enigmatic Italian scientist. Embarking on a nonstop hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra will follow a 400-year-old trail of ancient symbols that mark the Vatican's only hope for survival.

It’s strange how controversy and the possible banning of a book or movie can actually almost make it better. The Da Vinci Code is probably the strongest of the Dan Brown books for a number of reasons and the first most is its very controversial and almost sacrilegious nature, Any time a book or a film stops and makes you think and react it actually stirs something inside of you that can make the film something you love or absolutely despise. The Da Vinci Code did that while the film wasn’t anywhere near as good as the book it stopped and made you react to its nature and hence drew you in to either love or hate the movie and I feel more along the lines of liking it rather than hating it. Angels & Demons is missing that key element and doesn’t make you react so while the movie was probably better on the whole it still didn’t feel like it most of the time.

They corrected a lot of the elements from the first film that didn’t seem to work like the pacing for one as Angels & Demons moves along with a greater clip and a lot more action. A lot of that is due to the book though which was also a lot faster paced and with a lot of action. They even corrected the horrible hair do that Tom Hanks had in the previous film. But despite the better pacing and the better action without the controversy and the thought provoking nature of the book the film was still lacking. It was that storyline that made the Da Vinci Code such a page turner as you couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next and that is now gone.

I am not trying to just hark on the differences between the two books as they relate to the film but its hard not to as the films are based on the books and the weaker Angels & Demons book didn’t translate as well to the screen. Angels & Demons does have a lot going for it though as it is a fast paced action sequence that has its characters racing against time to stop of bomb from destroying Vatican city. Mix in all the little history tidbits and the film is quite interesting on its own merits. Dan Brown has always weaved a tale of mystery, action and a little history that translates so well to Hollywood and that is quite interesting.

Tom Hanks is still the perfect person to play Robert Langdon and he once again gives a great performance. The problem though is that while there is always a real threat that runs through the film there really isn’t a villain per say. The illuminati is the villain a mysterious and ancient organization that is pulling the strings and not tell the final act is their intentions every really explained. So that leaves the film with a nefarious plot but no villain in sight to offset Hanks as Langdon. The film does mix in quite a few good side characters from Ewan McGregor to Stellan Skarsgard. All told Angels & Demons was a good movie but just not a great one.

Grade: B-