Discussing
‘Angels and Demons’: Banal, but not evil

I'm just curious, did you also read the book? I reviewed the film for the newspaper I work for. I also didn't find the film offensive because, in addition to reading the book & therefore knowing what was going to be said and what was going to happen, I've become desensitized to the whole science vs. religion debate over the years. Those soapbox moments, like McGregor's, are pretty yawn-inducing, whether anti-religion or pro-religion. I was just relieved Angels & Demons didn't have nearly as many soapbox moments as The Da Vinci Code.

~ Mishael

I actually didn't read the book - reading "The Da Vinci Code" was enough for me. I didn't find it insulting but rather mechanical. Reading another Brown book at this point sounds like a chore.

I understand. Brown's books can be tedious. I only read them because I know I'll encounter someone who'll want to spout what they contain, so I want to be aware of what's in them and not get caught off guard. I didn't find either book threatening, just annoying. When most people were reading "The Da Vinci Code," I was reading Christian apologetics, so when I finally read the book, I was unimpressed.

ABOUT PANDERING - "The Da Vinci Code" pandered a bit to Christians too. Sony had its own website about the controversial ideas in the film, and the site featured some apologists whose work I read. It seems Sony wanted to annoy Christians enough that we did publicity for them, but not so much that we wouldn't want to plunk down $10 to see the film. (I saw it in theaters thanks to a promotional voucher :) )

I haven't read any of Dan Brown's stuff. I enjoy good quality science fiction, but there isn't much of it, and his doesn't qualify. I've skipped both movies too, and haven't gotten worried about either one. Apparently nobody involved in the movie noted that Copernicus was a brother in a religious order, Galileo was a devout Catholic who wrote that the Holy Bible can never speak untruth, Isaac Newton was a mystic, or that Albert Einstein said his purpose in developing the Theory of Relativity was "I want to know the mind of God." Even that isn't "quite a message." It's simple common sense, and not particularly original.

I've read the books, enjoyed them a lot. I thought both movies were good. I liked the Da Vinci Code better as a movie, and Angels & Demons better as a book. I realize their filled with half truths and sometimes lies, but I read it as a fiction book so that doesn't bother me. I thought they were both very interesting and fun reads. To each his own.