1. Did I enjoy it? YES
I have a good friend who was upset about Christians getting all bent out of shape about the unorthodox themes in The Da Vinci Code. After all, it's based on a book that's fiction, what's the big deal? Fair enough. Provided that no filmmakers create fictional movies other than to entertain the audience. And provided that no messages in fiction films ever influence an audience member's way of thinking. If you ask me, "what's the big deal?" is either pretty naive or simply just a form of denial. While some might argue a film critic should not rate a film based on its messages, I disagree. One should not give a thumbs up to a film that he believes is not beneficial to the audience, be it story, acting, effects, or message. Angels & Demons will probably only bother devout Catholics, however, so this sequel did not fall into my same soap box as the previous Dan Brown effort. There are some great scenes of suspense in this film, like when Tom Hanks is locked in the Vatican vault without any oxygen. It also brings up interesting questions: does the Catholic Church hold onto traditions and views even when the truth lies elsewhere? The villain in this film, who is not revealed until the film's end, is a character who has good motives but carries them out in a very violent and evil way. I was surprised that I liked this film, although I will continue to have a proceed with caution mindset when watching another Da Vinci film.
2. Would I watch it again? NO
Probably would only watch it again if it was years down the road and someone wanted to watch and discuss the ideas in the film. On my own movie spreadsheet, I gave the movie 2 1/2 stars, meaning it wasn't bad the first time, but doesn't warrant multiple viewings.
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