Sunday, May 17, 2009

Angels & Demons (novel vs movie)

I watched in a cinema and I was disappointed.


Novel : Vittoria is the daughther of the scientist who has died, Leonardo Vetra.
Movie : The scientist who is dead is Victoria's partner.


Novel : The director of CERN, Maximilian Kohler, in wheelchair is the one who found the death of and called Victoria back from overseas and contacted Langdon for assistance.
Movie : Kohler - does not exist. :(



Novel : A reporter and camera crew for the BBC. They are contacted by the Hassassin and get to know first-hand news on where next death execution of the cardinal is.
Movie : No such characters. :(


Novel : Cardinal Mortati, host of the election, faithful to the religion.
Movie : Nah, nothing to explain why he is faithful.


Novel : Langdon is having phobia in confined room due to childhood experience.
Movie : No such phobia.


Novel : The 5th ambigram is actually a diamond shape.
Movie : Totally different from the one shown in the novel.


Novel : Camerlengo is the pope's son. That explained why the pope supported science because science has created him a miracle - a son conceived by artificial insemination.

Movie : Skip! No reveal such thing.


Novel : The poem is repeatedly mentioned while Langdon and Victoria tried to retrace the "Path of Illumination".
Movie : Did the poem mention in full, for even once?



Novel : For the 3rd element, fire, Langdon is nearly killed by Hassassin when he crawled down and hide underground. Hassasin let out a few gun shots trying to hunt him down.
Movie : One scene showing he's crawling to hide underground, the next scene showing he's popping up from the hole rescued by the firemen.


Novel : Hassassin kidnapped Vittoria after the 3rd element (fire). Langdon went to rescue her at the final element (water).
Movie : Vittoria has never been kidnapped in the movie.


Novel : Hassassin died after being pushed from a balcony by Langdon and breaking his back on a pile of cannonballs below.
Movie : Hassasin was killed in a car explosion when he has completed his last task.


Novel : Kohler is the one who flew to meet Camerlengo after reading the diary of the died scientist.
Movie : This character is actually represented by the commander.


Novel : The Camerlengo retrieve the antimatter and get into the helicopter. Langdon went in also.
Movie : Only Camerlengo went into the helicopter.


Novel : Displays Hassasin's sadistic lust for women.
Movie : No.



I was definitely not satisfied with the ways Langdon uncovering clues to find the Path of Illumination. It is way too brief.

Everything was explained through conversation. I don't think those who don't read the novels before one will actually understand 100%.

The scenes which I like and turn out to be the same as what being shown in the movie are :
(1) The 3rd (fire) and 4th (water) death scenes.
(2) Langdon is nearly killed inside the library due to oxygen supply is cut off. How he attempts to push down the bookshelves in order to break the glass.


I know this is a 2-hours-19-mins show. How could I have expected it to be that detailed as narrated in the novel right? Haiyah!