Angels and Demons

If I had to say which of the two literary Robert Langdon adventures is better- The Da Vinci Code or Angels and Demons- I'd say that Angels and Demons has a slight edge. Between the two movies? Well...I'm going to call it a draw.

I don't know if being the first movie drastically affected by the writer's strike had anything to do with the outcome of the screenplay, but if I were to come up with an excuse for the film, I'd fall back on that defense.

Granted, I will say that there is a challenge in compiling all of the essential information needed to keep the plot going from the novel to the screen. However, what we end up with is a screenplay full of answers and exposition as if the screenwriter was "just getting it done." Kind of like your half-ass attempt on that essay question at the end of an exam. You know, the one where you know your professor is expecting to hear a specific name, date, definition etc. to at least grant you a passing grade. And that's precisely what you give your Professor. Nothing more... Because hey, maybe you were out a little too late the night before or, in this case, maybe you're dealing with a writer's strike.

Although it was mildly entertaining, the bigger problems surrounding filming made it clear that the production as a whole was a headache that needed pass as quickly as possible.