For reference, I read the book about two years before. I liked the book initially, but to be honest, I don’t remember the plot too much. I do remember the character a lot, though. I think that’s the main thing that you need to remember. The plot is slightly different than it was in the novel.
This film is the third movie in a series about Robert Langdon. It’s starring Tom Hanks once again and now he’s joined by Felicity Jones, Omar Sy, Irrfan Khan, and Ben Foster. This film has the same director as it always has in Ron Howard. The combination of Tom Hanks and Ron Howard works for me. They work great together to make an interesting mystery, an action thriller that kept me entertained for the two hours run time. I, personally, wouldn’t have minded if it was a little longer to explain characters more thoroughly, but I still think the film worked.
The performances were great, but it takes some knowledge of the characters in the book. I like Tom Hanks. I think he plays the Langdon character well and we’ve grown to like him as the character over the years. I think Felicity Jones holds her own and was the best character. I loved how she played Sienna. I was fully in tuned with her. I think her character adds to the character that Dan Brown wrote in his novel. The characters that you need to know a little nuance about before watching might be Ben Foster, Omar Sy, and Irrfan Khan. They all play separate interests that aren’t too well introduced, but in the book, they have several pages of exposition. I liked how all three men played their part. I think they were good. I think the problem for most is that the provost makes no sense without a lengthy conversation about why his organization means anything and who all these people are that are working for him. Without knowledge of the organization, Ben Foster’s plan makes no sense. I think that’s the biggest flaw in the film. Since I already had intimate knowledge of these characters, I was able to follow along easily.
The film doesn’t feel boring or rushed. I left the theater really enjoying the film. I don’t understand the low rating on Metacritic except that I can see that it might feel rushed because the movie isn’t long enough. I liked the pacing of the film. I understand how, if you didn’t know anything about the book, you would be disappointed and confused. As someone who has read the book, I enjoyed the pacing because I thought the characters were introduced well enough for me to understand what was happening in that particular scene. I think that more exposition would slow this film down; therefore, I don’t think anything should be cut.
I wouldn’t go in thinking this movie is going to be too realistic. There're a few times, in both the book and the movie, that things happen by convenience or you’re asked to have some suspension of disbelief. I didn’t mind too much because I wasn’t thinking that hard while watching this. I don’t think it tries to be smart or anything than just a movie to keep you entertained in its 2 hours run time.
Overall, I didn’t expect a lot from this film. It had good performances and exceeded my expectations. It’s a fun summer movie that doesn’t require a lot of thought. I wouldn’t get too upset looking to nitpick this film. Just have fun with it.
Score: B-
