Angels & Demons-Discuss the Book vs. Movie! (plot spoiler)

[Rebecca]

I read the book after I had sen the movie. I liked the book a lot better. They changed and added so many things, it jut bugged me so much.

[Faten]

I believe that the movie was a total train-wreck compared to the book. The thing with Hollywood os that they find it exceptionally hard to stick with some details that make the movie much more reasonable.
But the Hollywood directors might have broken some kind of a record with the changes they did to the book.
Some changes I understand they had to do to make the movie shorter and easier to comprehend, bit some were completely UNneccessary.
I didn't enjoy the movie at all. I was irritated at almost every scene.

[claudia]

I agree, the movie felt that was not at its potential of it could be. What scene do you felt that was cut short mostly?

[Allison]

i wish Howard would've added the scenes that talked about Camerlango's REAL parents and how he sort of went into a panic towards the end.

[Zuhair]

I read the book and saw the movie.
I'd like to say that I prefer the book instead of the movie; because the book has so many details, places,...etc.
but the movie is like a short version of the story because it deleted so many details about the story.

[Hadi]

Book! I still remember that I watched the movie just after finishing the book, and I was truly disappointed! I mean, Kohler was gone! Also, the time flies by in the movie.. The events were very fast. I think a series would have worked much better.

[Polyne]

Well, I watched the movie a couple of weeks ago; I thought it was awesome, but, now, while reading the book, I'm so glad I watched the movie first - because the book is WAY better.I also like the Langdon and Vittoria's chemistry in the book compare to the movie. So, honestly if you want to enjoy both the book and its adaptation, I would suggest to start with the movie and then read the book. No disappointments!

[Fatima]

the book of course ! Because i love details so much it makes the story more enjoyable..and there is no details in the film...

[Leemja]

'Angels & Demons' was the first book in a long time that I hated to put down. And as I read the ending, I couldn't stop thinking about what a great movie scene the Camerlengo immolating himself in front of the crowd in St. Peter's Square would make.

I waited for that movie, and while sitting through it, I was waiting for that ending; then it came. What a dud.

[Tunahan]

Thought I should fire up this discussion, it's been almost a year since someone's posted. I mean, come on guys!

Just finished reading the book and, afterwards, watching the movie.

I find it needless to say that the movie was much better than the book and that I agree with most of the comments above. Until after finishing the book and searching for the movie on the internet, I hadn't known that the movie was the presequel of the Da Vinci Code. After finding that out I considered myself lucky and that I'd read and watch the Da Vinci Code afterwards. I'll certainly read the Da Vinci Code, but to be completely honest I'm giving a second thought to watching it. I was really disappointed watching the movie and in every scene I was like "What! They changed THAT too? Nooo, man, come on!" , I would like to point out some some of them.

First of all, I haven't seen this being mentioned above, but the Hassassin was not Middle Eastern like he was in the book, he did not even have an accent! That's one of the things that bothered me the most, because he was completely opposite of what was described in the book. When I first saw the character, I was like this : http://vignette4.wikia.nocookie.net/d...

The fighting scene at Bernini's Four Rivers (Fourth Altar of Science) and the Church of Illumination was definitely a big miss, it should definitely have been in.

The time was flying! While they were chasing the Hassassin from one church to another -I guess it was from the first to the second one- they got out of one church just after 8 p.m. , one scene of conversations passed and then the air went totally dark, they had just got a few minutes to 9 o'clock! What happened between those almost 35-40 minutes will remain a secret to those who didn't read the book. Well guys, I should tell you, that 35-40 minutes is about 20-25 pages in the book! Do the math yourself.

Vittoria was kidnapped by the Hassassin in the book and not in the movie, that also should have happened I think, but considering the lack of romance between Robert and Victoria, this may be forgivable, there are a lot greater mistakes I think.

The way they found il Passetto! Oh my God, it was SO ridiculous! The Hassassin was shot on his toe in the book and it made sense how the bloods left trace to the way of the passage. Such a big failure.

By the way I found it very disturbing that they changed the names of the characters, I mean why, WHY! Based on what logical reason did they do that, I'm really wondering. Strauss instead of Mortati, Richter for Rocher, Patrick McKenna for Carlo Ventresca?? At least they should have chosen appropriate, better-sounding names.

They didn't even mention (or did I miss it?) how the camerlengo refused to shoot a gun in the military service and that's how he learned flying a helicopter. It was just a 10-second scene or something I guess, while they were going down to Necropolis. I think it was a very important detail and also how Robert Langdon got on the helicopter along with the camerlengo. I personally was wondering the most how Robert survived that fall, because I didn't quite understand how that happened because my English didn't let me (that's kind of a personal problem, though, it's clearly described in book). So, yeah, I did expect to see him going down from the helicopter but guess what, he didn't even get on it! Well played, guys, well played...

And last but not least, I did expect the camerlengo to burn himself in the balcony in front of the eyes of media and hence millions of people, for the fact that the book refers how Jesus endured great pains in front of everyone and camerlengo saw himself as "chosen" by God. I expected him to go a little crazy in the end like in the book. That was partly the reason he burned himself down.


I'm sorry that it turned out to be something like movie criticism, but you can also get how good the book is from this post. For a final word, I was disappointed with the movie and I'd give it 5/10, while the book certainly deserves a 9 from me.

P.S: I read the original English version of the book, of course, but as it isn't my first language I had hard times occasionally. For non-native English speakers like myself, it could get a little difficult and boring at times, especially when the author is describing a place. Although descriptions of the places were awesome, I admit that I sometimes had hard times bringing the image in front of my eyes. I just wanted to add this as an anecdote.

Cheers and thanks to those who made it all the way to end of the post! :)