Angels and Demons…an incredible incredible movie. And I think it may take a considerable amount of time before I get over this one.
Though I’m not certain about the accuracy of the details in the movie, Angels and Demons came off as a really well-thought out movie – far from the charades of nonsense, shallow, superficial (I’m being redundant here already, but I just can’t seem to stress it hard enough) movies that disgusts me. We all know these movies – they center on pretty girls and boys whose happiness is defined by popularity, expensive clothes and dating; stories revolving around the same dilemmas. But when you have movies such as Angels and Demons, it becomes a whole new level of entertainment. It’s a teaser to one’s intellect, and it touches on an all-time hard-hitting issue – the classic case of religion vs. science.
And so who wins? In as much as I want to give judgment now, there are still several key messages in the film that I have not completely understood (or heard, audio’s fault, not mine) and may necessitate a second trip to the cinema to watch it again...(oh who am I kidding?). But I do recall a line imparted by a certain cardinal in the story: “Religion is imperfect because man is imperfect…” One can take as it is but for me it was more of an excuse to the inhumane, horrible things that the Church have done to people whom they have labeled as heretics or anti-church.
I think what we have now is a religion of man and no longer a religion of God (I may have heard of this idea before, I'm not sure where, though…). It’s true, I may have doubts on my religion but I strongly believe in God, in the true God. And it’s also true that since I’ve been freed from my education in a Catholic school, I have become more aware and critical of the things that I used to comply to mindlessly. And it has everything and nothing to do with my education in UP [but that’s for another blog].
Going back…well, the quality of Angels and Demons is only something that you can really expect in a movie starring Tom Hanks – and for a teeny tiny moment, I actually felt kind of envious of him – to be part of something incredible, that majestic, I can just imagine the size of ego he has now.
The twisted thing about the movie is that just when you thought you’ve got all things figured out (and by you, I mean you as the viewer putting him/herself in the position of the Prof. Langdon), poof! It turns out to be the exact opposite. Viewers are made, or manipulated, to love and favor the character of Ewan McGregor and yet he turns out to be the true antagonist in the story! (Ewan McGregor, along with Cate Blanchett, by the way, are prime examples of artists who have a profound understanding of their craft and I really look up to them).
Anyway...
Groβer Job Dan Brown! Groβer Job Ron Howard!
