Angels and Demons is a sequel to the Da Vinci Code, starring Tom Hanks, Ewan “ObiWan” McGregor and Ayelet Zurer. It is based (again) on a book by Dan Brown.

The movie is about murder and intrigue in the Vatican. Tom Hanks plays the character of symbologist Robert Langdon who is contacted by the Vatican to prevent the murders of prominent clergy by the Illuminati, who have hatched a plot to destroy the Vatican. He is teamed up with Vittoria Vetra (played by Ayelet Zurer). Ewan McGregor plays the role of a young Camerlengo (personal assistant) of the late pope John Paul II, and the movie is appropriately set just after the death of the pope. Ewan, Tom and Ayelet have to solve the murders before the Illuminati succeed in destroying the Vatican in the name of science.

Overall the movie isn’t bad, but that’s only because Tom Hanks is such a formidable actor that he can carry the whole movie. Ewan McGregor overstates his role as the priest, coming across as unreal and badly cast. Ms. Zurer has her moments, but overall doesn’t actually carry off her part of physicist too well. The movie tries to show the discord between science and religion but comes across as a pandering tourist brochure for the Vatican.

If you like historical fiction, it’s quite nice but I wouldn’t go out of my way to watch it again.
Overall score: 5/10