Who Plays Who?

Tom Hanks Ewan McGregor Ayelet Zurer Stellan Skarsgård Pierfrancesco Favino Nikolaj Lie Kaas Armin Mueller-Stahl Thure Lindhardt David Pasquesi Cosimo Fusco Victor Alfieri Franklin Amobi Curt Lowens Bob Yerkes Marco Fiorini Carmen Argenziano Howard Mungo Rance Howard Steve Franken Gino Conforti Elya Baskin Richard Rosetti Silvano Marchetto

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Robert Langdon Camerlengo Patrick McKenna Vittoria Vetra Commander Richter Inspector Olivetti Assassin Cardinal Strauss Chartrand Claudio Vincenzi Father Simeon Lieutenant Valenti Cardinal Lamasse Cardinal Ebner Cardinal Guidera Cardinal Baggia Silvano Bentivoglio Cardinal Yoruba Cardinal Beck Cardinal Colbert Cardinal Pugini Cardinal Petrov Conclave Cardinal Conclave Cardinal

The Inside Story "Angels & Demons" begins with the death of a Pope and the ancient ritual of Conclave, the process by which the College of Cardinals elects a new Holy Father. Among the Cardinals are the preferiti, the Cardinals deemed most likely to be elected Pope. The process is famous for being shrouded in secrecy, with the Cardinals secluded until their important work is completed. The only communication with the outside world comes in the form of smoke released from the Sistine Chapel. Dark smoke indicates that a two-thirds majority vote has not occurred, and white smoke (and, recently, bells) indicate that a two-thirds majority has been reached and a new Pope has been elected. The Camerlengo has very specific duties within the Vatican. It is he who certifies the death of the Pope and destroys the Pope’s ring with his official seal, also known as the Ring of the Fisherman. Until the election of a new Pope, the Camerlengo becomes the acting head of state of Vatican City. The Swiss Guard has protected the Pope and the College of Cardinals within the Vatican’s walls since January 22nd 1506. They are famous for seeing their positions not as a job but as a calling. To be recruited into the Swiss Guard, one must be a single Catholic male, between the age of nineteen and thirty, at least five foot eight inches tall, a high-school graduate and a graduate of basic training in the Swiss military, and a citizen of Switzerland. The general police duties of Vatican City are performed by the Gendarmarie. They handle public order, traffic control, kidnapping and murder investigations, among other duties. In "Angels & Demons", these groups and Vatican officials are all forced into action when the Illuminati kidnap the preferiti and threaten to kill one each hour, culminating in a bomb at the Vatican. The 'official' story behind the real-life Illuminati is that the secret society was founded in Bavaria in 1776, with as many as two thousand 'freethinkers' reaching into the highest levels of art, science and government becoming members before the group officially disbanded at the end of the 1700s. However, some believe that the secret society’s roots are even older: that the Illuminati have existed since the 1500s, born out of concern over the Church’s conflicts with prominent scientists at that time. In the story of Angels & Demons, these Illuminati or 'Enlightened Ones' were driven underground and disappeared more than one hundred years ago, during which time the group became fervently anti-Vatican, choosing instead to 'worship' the four elements of nature: earth, air, fire, and water. That is what sets the stage for the exciting story that unfolds in the film. There are some in real life who say that the Illuminati still exist and many articles, videos and other stories about them abound on the Internet today. Among the theories posted on the web are stories that suggest the Illuminati control world events, hold high and powerful offices, and are creating a New World Order to replace individual governments with an autonomous world government by the 'enlightened'. After becoming immersed in an adventure that pitted him against the Catholic Church and two thousand years of sacred religious history, Robert Langdon is back in "Angels & Demons". This time he finds himself in the heart of the Vatican, attempting to save the Church from one of its oldest enemies: the Illuminati. Oscar ® winning director Ron Howard, returns to helm the world of Dan Brown after directing the 2006 worldwide phenomenon "The Da Vinci Code" ($US750,239,851 worldwide box-office). "When I read "Angels & Demons", I was really engrossed by the idea of the Illuminati," says 2002 dual Oscar ® winner Howard (Best Picture & Best Director for "A Beautiful Mind"). "This secret society, said to include people like Galileo and Bernini. What happened to them? Were they really crushed? Did they really leave us? There are those who believe that the Illuminati have survived as an organization and are with us in secret today, influencing our everyday lives, government policy decisions, and corporate strategies." "In our story, the Illuminati return for an act of revenge reaching back four hundred years," says Oscar ® winning producer Brian Grazer (Best Picture - "A Beautiful Mind"). "The Illuminati have kidnapped four Cardinals: the favorites to become the new Pope, and threaten to destroy the Vatican and Vatican City. Vatican authorities call upon Robert Langdon, an old foe, in their minds, to help them in this moment of crisis. Only Langdon can decipher the mysterious Illuminati codes, tied to the ancient symbols of earth, air, fire, and water." "What’s so great about a Robert Langdon adventure is that it stimulates so much curiosity and research," says two-time Directors Guild of America Award winner Howard ("Apollo 13" & "A Beautiful Mind"). "You read the book or see the movie, then you go to the library or on the internet: you want to understand Bernini, Galileo, their relationships with the Vatican, with the art world, with science, and the mystery of the Illuminati. Whether you believe it or not, it’s fascinating stuff, and in Dan Brown’s fertile imagination, it leads to a spellbinding set of clues and a great mystery." Producer John Calley ("Closer" & "The Jane Austen Book Club") recalls how he "was fortunate to have discovered Dan's books just before the rest of America got their hands on "The Da Vinci Code" and it became a phenomenon. I think what he's created in "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels & Demons" is a franchise for our times. Both books are fast-paced thrillers with a dynamic, ingenious hero at the center. It's no wonder that Dan has achieved such astounding success and we look forward to his next Robert Langdon thriller with great anticipation." "Angels & Demons" marks the first time Howard has ever returned to a character a second time around. "I never wanted to do that, because I’m always interested in trying to create new territory," says Howard. "And Angels & Demons does that. It is, literally, a ticking-time-bomb thriller, couched in a completely original mystery. Those two demands lead me as a director to stage this movie in a completely different way from The Da Vinci Code." "Angels & Demons" marks the fourth time Howard and two time Oscar winner ® Tom Hanks ("Philadelphia" & "Forrest Gump") have worked together. "I love working with Tom, and really like what he’s doing with Robert Langdon," Howard revealed. Three time American Comedy Award winner Hanks notes that Langdon's "impressive and arcane intellect are satisfying and stimulating to play and a big part of the project’s appeal. It’s challenging to play someone who is an expert in this very obscure field. He makes connections that nobody else can see; one symbol can represent different points of view that make sense to only him." Hanks, who previously worked with Howard on "Splash", "Apollo 13", and "The Da Vinci Code" notes, "Nothing fazes Ron. Certainly not shooting in front of the Pantheon in Rome with hundreds of tourists. Whenever he faces a challenging shot, he just figures out a way to do it and exudes confidence." As you's expect, "Angels & Demons" boasts some of the world’s best actors and brightest stars. According to three time Emmy Awards winner Brian Grazer (1998, 2004 & '06), attracting an international cast was one of the filmmaker's highest priorities. "The international cast enhances the scope of the film. It becomes accessible in every country of the world. In addition, with the rich material and the chance to work with Tom, it’s an appealing film for an actor. We approached the best actors that made sense artistically for the film, and in each case, got our first choice." "The cast brought kinetic energy," says Hanks, who produced the smash hit "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". "It’s the sincerity Ewan McGregor brings to the Camerlengo, Stellan Skarsgård as the scary bull at the head of the Swiss Guard, and Armin Mueller-Stahl embodying the morals of the benevolent and knowing Cardinal. Ayelet Zurer wouldn’t deliver a line of dialog until she knew the science behind it. Everyone worked at the same high expectations, with the same dedication, which made it an intense film making experience." Acclaimed Israeli actress Zurer (recently seen in Vantage Point") prepared for her role not only by reading up on the kinds of experiments conducted at particle accelerators like that at CERN (Organisation Européenne pour la Recherche Nucléaire), but also by reading Bill Bryson’s book "A Short History of Nearly Everything", at Tom Hanks’ recommendation. Two time BAFTA Scotland Award winner Ewan McGregor ("Trainspotting" & "Young Adam") was cast as the Popes right hand man, the Camerlengo notes, "The Camerlengo is a secretary, but when the Pope dies, he is the acting head of state of Vatican City and has quite a bit of power. He’s such a great character to play because there’s so much going on with him." A big fan of Ron Howard, McGregor revealed that when Howard was filming "The Da Vinci Code" in London, "We'd run into each other at a restaurant that we both liked to go to for Sunday lunch." 1996 Australian Film Institute Award winner Armin Mueller-Stahl ("Shine") plays Cardinal Strauss, an expert at navigating Vatican politics, who obviously knows and sees more than he lets on. Mueller-Stahl rearched the current Pope and, perhaps, even modeled some of his character upon the real-life pontiff. "I read a bit about Joseph Ratzinger, before he became Pope, when he was a Cardinal" And is it true he has a Papal connection? "I had met John Paul II when he was a Cardinal, in Krakow. But that was long, long ago." 2001 Mar del Plata Film Festival Best Actor winner Stellan Skarsgård ("Taking Sides") was cast as Commander Richter, Commandante Principale of the Swiss Guard. He describes Richter as "a very controlled person and we don’t know at various points if we can trust him." And his attitude towards Langdon? "Richter despises Langdon, of course. He’s a Vatican guy, very religious. With the history between Langdon and the Vatican, Richter does not accept Langdon’s help graciously." Italian actor Pierfrancesco Favino (Christopher Columbus in "Night at the Museum"), was cast as Gendarmarie's Inspector Ernesto Olivetti. "Olivetti brings in Langdon after the branding of the priest-physicist at CERN," says Favino. "He understands immediately that they're not able to deal with the situation and brings in Langdon, the only man who knows what the symbols mean. This puts him on shaky ground with Richter, because of Langdon's history with the Vatican, Langdon is a man that Richter does not trust even slightly." An important part of the jigsaw puzzle is the shadowy character Mr Gary, played by Danish actor Nikolaj Lie Kaas. "He’s the weapon in the hand, he drives all the action in the film" Kass said. "I love to do action: it’s great to be a boy again" The Verdict "The success of Dan Brown's book "The Da Vinci Code" was the big attraction last time round, after all, there was hardly a person on planet Earth who hadn't read the novel or seen the video. Most were disappointed with the result and while the box-office was racking up big bucks, 'Code' fans felt they may have been, to put it kindly: short-changed, so to speak. Having suffered such disappointment and, having had their wallets lightened, you could hardly blame book fans for being a little miffed and skeptical when it was announced that Brown's novel, "Angels & Demons", was going to be adapted for the big-screen. The momement of judgement has arrived! Thankfully the news is good. "Angels & Demons" is an enegretic, action driven, thriller, filled with mystery, intrigue and of course, more 'history' lessons from Robert Langdon. "Angels & Demons" has a genuine air of authenticity thanks to exceptional costuming; composer Hans Zimmer's music which skips along in-time to the onscreen mood and, the use of famous sites such as, Piazza del Popolo, Piazza Navona, Castel St Angelo, the beautiful, Baroque Santa Susanna church and the city streets of Rome. The cast, headed by two time Oscar ® winner Tom Hanks (1994 & '95) and Award of the Israeli Film Academy winner Ayelet Zurer (2003) all give praiseworthy performances. The final verdict? It's a cut above "The Da Vinci Code". Very recommended. 4 STARS." Synopsis

What terrifying discovery would make the Vatican turn to Robert Langdon, the man who cracked history’s most controversial code? When Langdon finds evidence of the resurgence of the most powerful underground organization in history, the ancient secret brotherhood the Illuminati he also faces a deadly threat to the existence of the Illuminati’s most despised enemy: the Catholic Church. Upon learning that the clock is ticking on an unstoppable Illuminati time bomb, Langdon is recruited to travel to Rome, where he joins forces with Vittoria Vetra, a beautiful and enigmatic Italian scientist. Embarking on a nonstop, action-packed hunt through sealed crypts, dangerous catacombs, deserted cathedrals, and even to the heart of the most secretive vault on earth, Langdon and Vetra will follow the four hundred year old path of Illumination that marks the Vatican's only hope for survival.

What Do The Critics Say

"Ron Howard directs with conviction and Hans Zimmer's score is as fitting as the splendid Rome locations. There are dead ends that are not dead ends, red herrings and thrilling sequences that get our blood racing. There's even a touch of humour, when Vittoria irreverently tears an invaluable page from Galileo's writings in the Vatican archive when genteel viewing is no longer possible. Visual effects are magically imbued to showcase Rome and make us believe we are in the most hallowed of places. As entertainment, the angels and demons will beckon." Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE "Ron Howard does a far superior job of filming Dan Brown’s first Robert Langdon novel Angels & Demons than he did with his lifeless blockbuster The Da Vinci Code in 2006. Picking up the pace considerably and wisely trimming some of the more preposterous excesses of Brown’s book, Angels & Demons is all the more intriguing for its setting in the murky halls of the Vatican and dusty churches of Rome. This thriller is nothing more than cheesy hokum but Howard’s skills and those of his steely star Tom Hanks render it an entertaining crowd-pleaser." Mike Goodridge SCREEN DAILY "Markedly improving on "The Da Vinci Code" in every way, the best and most cinematic of author Dan Brown's four potboilers gets an essentially faithful and dashing adaptation in the energetic yet somewhat bloated "Angels & Demons". When it forgoes its spiritual quest and remembers that it's an action thriller first and foremost, the formula works. In spite of their thin characterization, the international cast proves sturdy. A more toned than usual Hanks is thankfully devoid of the 'Da Vinci' haircut. Aiming more to engross than provoke argument or discussion, it works as logic-free light entertainment." Garth Franklin DARK HORIZONS "Tom Hanks reprises his role as Harvard professor Langdon, once again realizing that ancient forces will do everything and anything to promote their goal, even if it calls for cold-blooded murders. Unfolding as a breezy if old-fashioned psycho-religious thriller, "Angels & Demons" favors plot over characterization. Like all recent actioners, helmer Howard and cinematographer Salvatore Totino are using the model set by Paul Greengarss in the "Bourne" franchise, moving the camera swiftly and quickly, capturing the right mood of their story's locations, in and outside Rome." Emanuel Levy EMANUELLEVY.COM

"Plucking the same violent, occult strings as "Da Vinci" while avoiding its leadenness, "Angels" keeps the action coming for the best part of 139 minutes. Scripters David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman have taken a firmer hand with Brown's material. Hanks fits more comfortably into the role of Langdon here, taking a moment to deliver some friendly one-liners. If "Da Vinci" was criticized for the lack of sexual chemistry between its protagonists, "Angels" simply refuses to suggest any kind of romance between Langdon and Vetra. Their total lack of a relationship is so stunning successful that it passes unnoticed. Director Ron Howard and his crew have worked hard to make Professor Robert Langdon's return a thrilling, faster-paced walk in the park." Deborah Young HOLLYWOOD REPORTER "It might have been a hit, but Ron Howard’s movie of Dan Brown’s Catholic-symbolist potboiler The Da Vinci Code stank to heaven. For the sequel, Angels & Demons, Howard seems hell bent on atonement of a sort. He delivers a shapely, stylish, white-knuckle horror-thriller that hits its marks with blood and thunder. It stinks to heaven, too, but it isn’t lame. The streets of Rome haven’t run this red since the Inquisition. With atheists out of the closet and Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens anchoring the best-seller lists, Brown’s scriptural cliffhangers put him squarely on the side of the angels." David Edelstein NEW YORK MAGAZINE "It is a testament to Ron Howard's cinematic skills that he can make this ludicrous story work as a thoroughly engaging thriller. Well, the final sequences defy credibility on several levels, but nevertheless, the film stands up and delivers, much thanks to Hans Zimmer, who provides all the gravitas required to muscle the story. In a count-down thriller the details are not always crucial for the maintenance of tension, but they sure help to deliver a richer experience. It's great escapism and doesn't warrant being taken too seriously. Zimmer's de profundis cures notwithstanding." Andrew L Urban URBAN CINEFILE

The Production Team

Director Screenplay Adapted from Producers Original Music Cinematography Film Editors Casting Production Designer Set Decoration Costume Designer

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Ron Howard David Koepp and Akiva Goldsman the Dan Brown novel "Angels and Demons John Calley/Brian Grazer/Ron Howard Hans Zimmer Salvatore Totino Daniel P Hanley & Mike Hill Janet Hirshenson & Jane Jenkins Allan Cameron Robert Gould & Richard Roberts Daniel Orlandi

Run Time 138 minutes Rated M [AUST] ©2009 - Sony Pictures- All Rights Reserved ©1999-2009 All Rights Reserved The Movie Pages - Protected by Australian & International Copyright. Trademark laws applied.