The Robert Langdon movies, notably “Angels & Demons,” deserve more recognition.
The controversial conspiracy theory in Dan Brown’s best-selling book The Da Vinci Code, which claimed that the Catholic church was covering up Jesus Christ’s hidden heir, attracted a lot of attention when it was made into a feature film in 2006. The movie, which was directed by Ron Howard and starred Tom Hanks, had the best domestic opening ever despite this, thanks to the support of fans. Hanks portrays Robert Langdon, a symbologist and Harvard professor sent on an Indiana Jones-style scavenger expedition around France and the United Kingdom in search of hints. Using this method, Howard and Hanks produced two additional sequels, Angels & Demons and Inferno, each of which promised a fresh historical mystery and cross-continental adventure but without any of the problems that plagued the first film.
Ashley Zukerman played a new Robert Langdon in The Lost Symbol, however the programme was cancelled after only one season. Despite the franchise’s seeming irreparable state, there are still some redeeming characteristics to be discovered, particularly in the middle film of the trilogy. Angels & Demons, which takes place between the death of a pope and the election of a new one, follows Robert Langdon as he races through Rome to prevent the murder of four cardinals. While the politics of choosing a new pope include elements of House of Cards, the plot of the movie revolves around a menacing antagonist similar to Saw. Angels & Demons actually succeeds in delivering a fantastic political thriller thanks to some genuinely exciting set pieces and an intriguing surprise delivered via Ewan McGregor’s performance.
The villain of Angels & Demons first appears to be a carbon replica of John Kramer, aka Jigsaw, from the Saw film series. A hired assassin is charged with kidnapping four prominent cardinals so they can be publicly executed. This is in contrast to the assassin’s usual targets of lowlife criminals. A person is buried beneath, while another is suffocating in public and having his lungs punched. One is drowned in a public fountain, while the other is burned alive at a church altar. However, these murders represent more than just a vulgar gore show. In reality, the cardinals are the prefereti, the priests who are expected to succeed Pope Benedict XVI.Which raises the question of who is attempting to stall the election by removing the opposition in order to seize control for himself. Who does the assassin answer to because he’s only a hired gun? Such political intrigue permeates the Angels & Demons storyline. Is Commander Maximilian Richter (Stellan Skarsgrd), who oversees Vatican security, in charge? Is it Cardinal Strauss (Armin Mueller-Stahl), who serves as the election’s coordinator and Dean of the College of Cardinals? Or is it Father Patrick McKenna (Ewan McGregor), a close aide to the recently slain pope and a carmelengo? There is hope even in the presence of a lone serial killer and an atomic bomb, both of which are ticking time bombs.
The carmelengo is ultimately exposed as the bad guy at the movie’s conclusion
Ewan McGregor’s portrayal of Father Patrick McKenna, a young, calm, and unassuming priest, is undoubtedly the movie’s strongest point. Obi-Wan Kenobi’s performance as a compelling spiritual good guy comes as no surprise, but the movie’s finest twist involves him being the main villain behind the scenes. It turns out that he was the assassin of the previous pope. The pope’s position supporting the “god particle” as proof of divine creation was not shared by McKenna. McKenna believed that the scientific finding would only undermine religious belief.As a result, McKenna employs an assassin to kidnap and kill the cardinals while planning to hide the pope’s murder by claiming to have saved the Vatican from an atomic explosion using the god particle as a weapon. The idea of science vs faith is undoubtedly there throughout the movie, but McKenna’s political manoeuvrings while posing as a good priest is a brilliant twist that primarily depends on Ewan McGregor’s acting.
Non traditional protagonist
The protagonist of Angels & Demons is another element that adds to the suspense of the story. Since Tom Hanks’ background is in romantic comedies and drama, he is very different from the Indiana Jones-style action hero that Harrison Ford created. Robert Langdon is an interesting protagonist, especially in the grave situations he finds himself in, thanks to Hanks’ portrayal of a Harvard professor whose strengths lie solely in his knowledge and analytical talents instead rather in his physical prowess. For instance, the electricity cuts out as Langdon enters the secret Vatican archives. The ventilation system, intended to maintain low oxygen levels to preserve books and artefacts, malfunctions. Running carts of documents out of the archives, Langdon and a security guard make every effort to do so.
It’s up to Langdon to come up with a plan of action as the guard collapses. He jumps up onto a bookcase and pushes it up against the glass wall. Langdon and the guard are finally able to breathe when the glass finally gives and breaks. Despite without any fighting experience or training, Langdon finds a way to intervene and save the day. His courage and tenacity make up where his intelligence falls short. Langdon jumps into the water and tries to pull the last cardinal back to the surface as it is about to drown in a fountain. The cardinal, though, is dragged down. Langdon climbs back up while yelling for assistance. When it appears that no one is arriving, several citizens arrive.
The Robert Langdon movie series isn’t a typical historical action-adventure series like National Treasure or Indiana Jones. Yes, there are still hints hidden in maps, structures, and old writings that guide us from one scene to the next. Angels & Demons, however, explores a political thriller about the inner workings of Church politics under this genre’s protective shell. Not all priests are modest or calm. Some people are prepared to use violence to gain power, as Ewan McGregor’s portrayal of Patrick McKenna demonstrates, all in the service of the greater good. The Church undoubtedly has some secrets, and the mystery surrounding it is really entertaining. Despite what it may look like, there are still elements of the brand worth considering.