Tuesday 18 October 2016

Film: 'Inferno'

Oh dear, I do find these Dan Brown screen adaptations every bit as exhausting as reading his books, and this one is no exception, though here not being quite the marathon that 'Da Vinci' was, both on screen and in print.
I've read five of Brown's novels out of the six he's written to date, 'Inferno', another in The Robert Langdon series of extravaganzas, being my only unread one. Can't say I'll be rushing to complete the set.

A familiar set-up, early history clues left around (helpfully in English) as Tom Hanks, playing Langdon again, wakes up in a Florence hospital with various non-life-threatening injuries, having lapsed memory (doesn't know how he got there nor what he's doing in Florence) and subject to bad hallucinatory visions of plagues, people with heads turned backwards, Hell itself and God knows what else, but that's enough to be getting on with. Attended in his hospital bed by an English doctor (Felicity Jones, whom we saw two years ago as Mrs Stephen Hawking in 'The Theory of Everything) he's suddenly under attack from unknown human forces, including police, with unclear motivation, and the two of them flee to lose themselves in the city. The first half of the film, set entirely in photogenic Florence is basically a chase, with Hanks filling in the blanks in his memory and trying to make sense of a projection device mysteriously found in his pocket which refers him to Dante's Inferno and a mighty plague. Being the walking encyclopedia that he is, he makes connections and works out that there's an apocalyptic event in the offing in the form of the aforementioned worldwide plague to be deliberately unleashed in order to reduce the human population by several billions down to a manageable level.
The World Health Organisation is on his track and determined to stop him by whatever means from frustrating their plans. I got a bit lost here - as I did in several other places - with so much pseudo-scientific and cryptic gobbledygook. In fact, despite virtually non-stop action this is also a very 'talkie' film. In addition to all this rigmarole there's a quest for Dante's death mask, apparently forming an intrinsic part of the puzzle. All very confusing.
After Florence the scene shifts to Venice and then to Istanbul.
Predictably, the plot involves those considered as allies turning out to be his enemies and vice versa. I hardly think that with Dan Brown that can be considered a spoiler as it's a device he likes to use over and over again.

Director of this serving of, frankly, heavy stuff is none other than Ron Howard. I doubt if this film will be considered one of his prouder achievements. Even most of the cast seem, at times, to be half-hearted about the whole fantastic caper Was Felicity Jones purposely under-acting? She never seemed to be terribly emotionally involved even when on the run with Hanks with her very own life at stake. In contrast, though, I have to say that Tom Hanks gives it his all - showing confusion and desperation on his face (just like I had with the story) without having to say a word, and in this film he is as good as he just about always is.

'Inferno' does have its moments of tension and excitement but it also requires a fair bit of concentration to follow which, ultimately, works against it providing a satisfactory level of entertainment in terms of relaxation. So if you want a film just to wash over you without you having to do much work this would not be an ideal choice. Great for Dan Brown fans, certainly, as well as for conspiracy-theorists. Not one I'd care to sit through again, though......................5.5.


      

12 comments:

  1. I saw it on Sunday and only bothered to review it on Facebook
    It was a one word review

    " shite"

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    1. Oh, your terse single-word precis is a bit over-harsh, methinks, J.G. But you encapsulate your feelings well, just as you habitually do.

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    2. Ok
      Over self congratulatory
      Complicated
      Felicity Jones ( poor acting)
      Narrative that doesn't make sense
      Laughable finale
      Occasional exciting sequences

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    3. Totally with you on Felicity Jones. At times it seemed she was trying hard NOT to act, most markedly at the beginning as the supposedly professional doctor, though even after that her concern seemed too contrived. Very odd.
      By 'self-congratulatory' I take it you're referring to the feeling which I also got that its own 'cleverness' will carry it through. Well, it didn't.
      I also agree with your other points, now making me shamefacedly think that I've given it a rating higher than it deserves. Oh well!

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  2. Oh my, the things you do so that we won't have to! I like Tom Hanks a lot but I think this one would try my patience too much."Sully" is on at the village cinema so I'll get my Hanks fix there instead.

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    1. If you only want to see a film because of the presence of the venerable T.H., this will fill the bill nicely, Judith, though he is certainly the best (only?) thing about it.
      We get 'Sully' in a week or two and I'm quite looking forward to it, not looking bad from the trailer.

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  3. I kinda like the Dan Brown stories, but, yes, there are far too many similarities between them all so there is a lack of surprise.

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    1. Dan Brown has cried wolf more than once too often with his stories of all-embracing threats to mankind, Bob. 'Da Vinci', being the first, had at least entertainment value, even though it was decidedly ponderous in getting to its end. Now it all seems to be a bit deja vu, the novels and films having lost most of their impact. I suppose his next book is going to follow the same well-trodden route. Enough is enough, I'd say!

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  4. Ray,
    I like both Tom Hanks and Ron Howard, which is why I would be inclined to see this film but thanks for the warning about the overcomplicated script and talkiness. For that kind of movie 🎥 I'll wait for the "Downton Abby" movie.
    Thanks for yet another incisive and helpful review.
    Ron

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    1. No problem, Ron. Are they really making a 'Downtown Abbey' film, or are you having a joke? Never having seen the TV programme, if they do suppose I'd better go and see it, but with minimal interest. In a way I hope you are joking!

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    2. Ray,
      You HAVE to see the "Downton Abbey" series. I am certain you would become addicted to that human drama.
      Ron

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    3. I'll remember hat you say, Ron, but I've never been drawn to multi-part TV dramas. I find the fact that it ties one down to watching it for so many weeks off-putting, especially when one doesn't have the means to watch it when one wants to. But thanks for the thought.

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