Dan Brown's Robert Langdon Series

THE DA VINCI CODE (12)

D: Ron Howard

Columbia/Imagine/Skylark (Brian Grazer, John Calley & Ron Howard)

USA 🇺🇸 2006

149 mins

Mystery/Thriller

W: Akiva Goldsman [based on the novel by Dan Brown]

DP: Salvatore Totino

Ed: Dan Hanley & Mike Hill

Mus: Hans Zimmer

PD: Allan Cameron

Tom Hanks (Robert Langdon), Audrey Tautou (Sophie Neveu), Ian McKellen (Sir Leigh Teabing), Jean Reno (Capt. Bezu Fache), Paul Bettany (Silas), Alfred Molina (Bishop Aringarosa), Jürgen Prochnow (Andre Vernet)

You have to hand it to Dan Brown. He made a lot of money with a story which is basically a load of complete dross. Still, the novel sold an unbelievable amount of copies and is amongst the most-read books of the 21st century.

As far as the film goes, it's a decent adaptation, making the best out of the source material concerning a controversial religious secret to which the key is hidden amongst the works of Leonardo Da Vinci, causing a power struggle between an intrepid historian and power members of the Christian religion.

Tom Hanks was a curious (and miscast) choice to play the lead character Robert Langdon & Audrey Tautou's casting was even more puzzling. The strangest appointment however was for director Ron Howard to helm the project.

Those who enjoyed reading the book will probably enjoy the film as well.

I didn't enjoy reading the book.

5/10

Tom Hanks & Audrey Tautou in The Da Vinci Code

ANGELS & DEMONS (15)

D: Ron Howard

Columbia/Imagine/Skylark (Ron Howard, Brian Grazer & John Calley)

USA 🇺🇸 2009

138 mins

Mystery/Thriller

W: Akiva Goldsman [based on the novel by Dan Brown]

DP: Salvatore Totino

Ed: Mike Hill & Daniel Hanley

Mus: Hans Zimmer

PD: Allan Cameron

Tom Hanks (Robert Langdon), Ewan McGregor (Father Patrick McKenna), Ayelet Zurer (Dr. Victoria Vetra), Stellan Skarsgård (Cmmdr Maximilian Richter)

Dan Brown's follow up to The Da Vinci Code was originally written as a prequel, but this screen adaptation is a straight-up sequel with more of the same; a conspiracy involving the Vatican and the Illuminati.

Following the death of the pope, Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon is contacted by Vatican officials and along with Italian scientist Victoria Vetra, must piece together clues to prevent an assassination attempt on the next cardinals in line to be elected pope.

The mystery is ridiculously far-fetched and the plot twist makes even less sense the more you dissect it, which isn't helped by the fact that the writer takes this all way too seriously.

Just like the predecessor, if you enjoyed the book, you'll probably enjoy the film.

5/10

Did You Know:

The production had to build a scale replica of St. Peter's Square since Vatican officials banned the movie from being filmed on its grounds.

INFERNO (12)

D: Ron Howard

Sony/Columbia/Imagine/LSG/LStar Capital/Mid Atlantic (Brian Grazer & Ron Howard)

USA 🇺🇸 2016

121 mins

Mystery/Thriller

W: David Koepp [based on the novel by Dan Brown]

DP: Salvatore Totino

Ed: Dan Hanley & Tom Elkins

Mus: Hans Zimmer

Tom Hanks (Robert Langdon), Felicity Jones (Sienna Brooks), Omar Sy (Christoph Brouchard), Ben Foster (Bertrand Zobrist), Irrfan Khan (Harry Sims), Ana Ularu (Vayentha)

Following on from The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, Inferno was actually the fourth of Dan Brown's Robert Langdon series of books (after The Lost Symbol), but the third to get a cinema adaptation.

Whilst the books found much success and were read by millions, the film adaptations have been hit with a mixed response. They've been moderately successful financially speaking, but also critically mauled for a variety of reasons.

Inferno is more of the same. A mystery-thriller against a religious backdrop with historical cryptologist Langdon waking from a coma with a mild case of amnesia racing against time to prevent a virus from wiping out half of the world's population. Unfortunately, this is represented by Tom Hanks and Felicity Jones going from location to location, pointing at things and explaining the plot as they go.

There's a plot twist at some point which would only come as a surprise if you've never seen a film before in your life. The dialogue is atrocious and Hans Zimmer's music score is probably the worst of his highly illustrious career.

Maybe you have to be an avid fan of the books to enjoy these films, but that really shouldn't be a pre-requisite.

4/10