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Angels & Demons [Blu-ray] | ![Angels & Demons [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51xDmlHwQBL._SL160_.jpg) | Director: Ron Howard
Actors: Tom Hanks, Ewan McGregor, Ayelet Zurer, Stellan Skarsgård, Pierfrancesco Favino
Studio: Sony Pictures
Category: DVD
List Price: $39.95
Buy New: $18.92
as of 11/27/2009 09:00 CST details
You Save: $21.03 (53%)
New (14) Used (7) from $17.48
Seller: the-xchange
Rating:  28 reviews
Sales Rank: 96
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
Languages: English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), English (Original Language), French (Dubbed)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: Blu-ray
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Number Of Discs: 2
Running Time: 138 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 5.3 x 0.6
MPN: COLBR29217
UPC: 043396292178
EAN: 0043396292178
ASIN: B002O5M4SU
Theatrical Release Date: 2009
Release Date: November 24, 2009 (New: This Week)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Ent Release Date: 11/24/2009 Run time: 96 minutes Rating: R
Amazon.com
If the devil is in the details, there's a lot of wicked fun in Angels & Demons, the sequel (originally a prequel) to The Da Vinci Code. Director Ron Howard delivers edge-of-your-pew thrills all over the Vatican, the City of Rome, and the deepest, dankest catacombs. Tom Hanks is dependably watchable in his reprised role as Professor Robert Langdon, summoned urgently to Rome on a matter of utmost urgency--which happens to coincide with the death of the Pope, meaning the Vatican is teeming with cardinals and Rome is teeming with the faithful. A religious offshoot group, calling themselves the Illuminati, which protested the Catholic Church's prosecution of scientists 400 years ago, has resurfaced and is making extreme, and gruesome, terrorist demands. The film zooms around the city, as Langdon follows clues embedded in art, architecture, and the very bone structure of the Vatican. The cast is terrific, including Ewan McGregor, who is memorable as a young protégé of the late pontiff, and who seems to challenge the common wisdom of the Conclave just by being 40 years younger than his fellows when he lectures for church reform. Stellan Skarsgard is excellent as a gruff commander of the Swiss Guard, who may or may not have thrown in with the Illuminati. But the real star of the film is Rome, and its High Church gorgeousness, with lush cinematography by Salvatore Totino, who renders the real sky above the Vatican, in a cataclysmic event, with the detail and majesty of the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. --A.T. Hurley
Stills from Angels & Demons (click for larger image)
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Showing reviews 1-5 of 28
 Angels & Demons is Superb November 27, 2009
Loren C. Gruber (Marshall, MO United States)
After viewing Angels & Demons, and reading other reviews, I want to read the book. Movie goers are often disappointed that the film does not follow the page, but I would hate to endure a movie that followed War and Peace to the last period. Having said that, Angels and Demons addresses a centuries-old issue that continues to vex the faithful and the sceptics alike. As Cardinal Strauss said, "Religion is flawed because men are flawed." But then, so is science. Angels & Demons addresses the on-going conflict between "faith" and "fact" and comes to a satisfactory, though temporary, solution because even those of us who hope the two will meld are also flawed. Despite the necessary chase scenes, the story line to the climactic surprises and denoument provides the viewer something to ponder.
 Good Suspense and Gorgeous Rome November 25, 2009
Daniel G. Lebryk
Angels and Demons has the formula for success. Tom Hanks at the peak of his career, Ewan McGregor (Obie Wan from Star Wars), a gorgeous brunette leading lady, a spectacular city, Ron Howard directing, and a good simple suspense story that doesn't telegraph the ending too soon; equals a movie worth watching.
The film is based on another Dan Brown book that does have the feel of The DaVinci Code. However, the DaVinci Code's story line was convoluted and actually lost me more times than not; Angels and Demons is a good solid straightforward story, sometimes simple can be better. It isn't too kind to reveal the plot of suspense films, discovering the mystery along the way is a major portion of this film. Broadly the film is about the Illuminati that stole a vial of anti-matter from the Hadron / CERN particle collider. The group threatens to blow up St. Peters.
This is a gorgeous film. The scenes in Rome are incredible. Every detail feels perfect, the streets, the monuments, the driving, the people; I could almost smell the espresso and taste the gelato. My wife was lucky enough to spend two weeks in Rome, and commented about the perfection of the scenery - especially the Sistine Chapel (she spent an evening there with only 20 other people). The action scenes are well edited, Ron Howard builds tension, brings the scene to a climax and knows exactly when to move on - pacing is outstanding. The cast is beautiful. Tom Hanks was a big surprise in the swimming pool, and has aged very gracefully. Ewan McGregor has a beautiful British accent that is so pleasant. Ayelet Zurer as the CERN scientist is a gorgeous, intelligent, and strong woman. There is a wonderful chemistry between these characters.
The single disc DVD includes the theatrical release of the film, at 2 hours and 18 minutes run time. The film is about the right length. The disc includes a remarkable 17 minute bonus feature titled 'Rome Was Not Built In A Day.' I highly recommend this feature; it is one of the best behind the scenes footage I've seen in a very long time. There is also a 10 minute piece, 'Writing Angels & Demons' (kind of a yawner), 17 minute 'Characters in Search of the True Story,' and 14 minute 'CERN: Pushing the Frontiers of Human Knowledge,' (a somewhat fluffy science piece). These other bonus features pale in comparison to the 'Rome' feature.
The film is rated PG-13. The thirteen year old said the film was a bit too graphic in a few places. I'll admit there were some pretty gruesome scenes - an eyeball removed to work an iris scanner, people having their chests branded, and crypts full of human skulls. In fact to him, those gory elements lowered his rating of the film. Aside from the violence, there is no strong language, or nudity.
For some, I'm guessing this film is too simple and may play badly compared to the books. That's a common complaint with Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, and others. I sat back, relaxed, and enjoyed the story. The film took me to a city I absolutely love. The characters were believable. The mystery was decent. My only complaint, there were moments where the film jumped the shark. I found myself several times thinking, why didn't he get shot there, why did that person wave, how could that be possible, etc? In the end, those loose ends get tied up nicely, they are on purpose. In some regard the film does tie the story up with a pretty bow.
Simply go along for a wild, beautiful ride, through an amazing city, with some handsome people.
 Another book to movie failure. November 25, 2009
S.L.S (Ontario Canada)
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I finished reading the book ( for the second time) 2 days ago.
I just finished seeing the movie.
I did NOT expect the movie to be entirely faithful to the
book because I knew there was too much info. and detail
in the book.
That being send,for me,this book to movie transfer was butchered!!
Why? Outside of the search for the four cardinals and the anti-
matter bomb there is little else that relates to the book.
The two MAJOR problems were the entire lack of motivation behind the
main characters actions and no character development.For example,in the book,the heroine,
Vittoria Vetra wants very much to be a part of the search for
the killer of her FATHER/scientific partner.In the movie she just
seems to tag along with Robert Langdon because she's just there.
In the movie the camerlengo kills and hires an assasin to kill because he feels his father the late pope is too liberal?
That's ridiculous.In the book his deep motivation is that he did
NOT know the pope was his father initially for many years.
He only knew that the man who became pope had looked after
him since he was a child.When the pope told him that he actually
was his biological son,the camerlengo was horrified to find
out that the pope had broken his vow of chastity.He had broken
his promise to God!!!This is what motivated the camerlengo in the book.
In the movie the assasin is just a cool unemotional hired killer.In the book he is a rabid nutcase who enjoys killing.
Because of the lack of strong motivation by the central characters
of the movie, it presents these people as having no depth and being more like cardboard cutouts.
Now for the ending.No I won't reveal it but,it reminded of
movies from the 50's where there is a miraculous event,and
everyone lives happily ever after.
I also feel that the makers of this movie were so wrapped up
in the set design and visual effects that they forgot about
character development.If you want to see a beautifully made
film about the slecting of a new pope, with great shots of Rome etc.,may I suggest The Shoes
of the Fisherman.In this movie they did not forgo character
development in favour of set design !!!
It struck me as strange that Robert Langdon virtually ignored
the stunning looking Ms.Vetra, yet in the the book he was strongly
attracted to her.
Personaly,I was really looking forward to seeing who would be selected to portray Max Kohler,the director of Cern.I think that part would have been any actors dream and if he was any good he
could have "chewed up the scenery."
Can anyone tell me the reason for changing the name of the cardinal who was chosen to be the great elector ( in charge of
conclave)from Mortati to Strauss or why the commander of the Swiss
guard was changed from Olivetti to Richter? Lastly why change the
design of the last branding iron? What's the point???
Lastly, I think ,to get the movie anywhere close to being like the book would have required 2 full discs because the book is incredibly detailed.
An improvement from the first film, but that's not saying much. November 25, 2009
DanD
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
THE DA VINCI CODE was easily one of the most lackluster action thrillers in recent ages. To be fair, the movie didn't have much going for it: miscasting in the lead role (Hanks is great, don't get me wrong, but he's not fit for thrillers); a short time frame (to cash in on the book's popularity); and a rather mediocre source novel (let's face it, Dan Brown isn't a literary master; he's just good at pushing buttons). The film had some good supporting performances, but overall it simply wasn't as good as a Ron Howard film should be.
ANGELS & DEMONS is an improvement from that. The film is pretty much a nonstop race to stop the religious terrorist organization Illuminati from setting off an anti-matter bomb. It picks up quickly and never rests. It isn't quite as good as the book--the novel, while no great piece of literature, is a decent-enough thriller, and far better than its sequel--but let's blame that on the PG-13 rating; the novel was gory and dark, with a truly haunting premise and enough truth-bending "facts" to make for a thoughtful (if not accurate) thrill ride. The film has toned it down a bit, honing the dark, rough edges to make it a little more palatable for movie-going audiences. And sure, it still doesn't feel like a Ron Howard film (anybody could have made this); and sure, Tom Hanks is STILL miscast; but we have three great supporting roles--from Stellan Skarsgard, Ewen McGreggor, and Armin Mueller-Stahl--and enough action for us to forgive the fact that the movie doesn't go as far with its subject as it should.
Of course, thrillers like this--where the facts are bent, where the action and cliched dialogue is laid on so thick that close inspection of the details is all but impossible--have their audience, and ANGELS & DEMONS delivers to that audience in spades. So, in those regards, this film is definitely worth seeing if you're a fan of the genre. If, on the other hand, you're like me and just wanted to kill two hours with some mindless entertainment, you can see this one or not; you won't be missing much, but it is, if nothing else, entertaining. Perhaps that's the best we can expect from mainstream Hollywood these days. (Though we certainly expect more from Ron Howard.)
Not a direct copy of the book...but still great! November 25, 2009
Shannon N. Booth (Columbus, OH)
I LOVE the book! I thought I would be dissapointed with the movie considering the other reviews. No, the movie did not follow the book and some of the characters are missing or different. However, this movie was great. The main storyline is still there and it makes a good partner to the book. I was much more satisfied with this book adaptation than I was with the Davinci Code adaptation. If you loved the book, I think you will thoroughly enjoy this movie. I love how it tied into Davinci Code with the score. For all of those who complain that the book is so much better....well of course, the book is always better because you form the movie in your mind. That being said...This movie is great!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 28
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