The Dan Brown books have been bestsellers for years. The way in which he manages to mix interesting historical facts with an exciting story have made him popular. I can still remember listening to an audio version of The Da Vinci Code in my car on way to work and how I sometimes would stay in my car for an extra ten minutes after arriving just to finish a chapter. Making the movie to the silver screen has been a logical one, as it is a good mix of action and mystery which you might almost compare to the Indiana Jones films but without the fedora and whip. Almost…because the first two movies, The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons didn’t succeed to reach the same level as most reviews were negative. Inferno is already the third part about symbologist and art historian Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks). Third time lucky?
It all starts out very promising. Robert Langdon seems to have forgotten who is and what is happening to him. He is plagued by horrible visions which could be about hell. He wakes up in a hospital where he is tended by Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones). When it turns out he isn’t safe there the two of them escape and they find out that Robert has a code he has to solve in order to stop a plan which could have severe consequences for the entire world. Just like in the past movies it means they have to visit several historical sites and slowly decipher what is going on exactly. Of course while being chased by several people, not knowing why.
Unfortunately the movie doesn’t succeed to keep it fascinating and exciting. Inferno feels a bit messy and it’s hard to say if the cause of this is the source material or the movie. There are various characters you hardly learn anything about and because of that stay very one-dimensional. And although Tom Hanks can do a lot as an actor, it seems not too much is asked from him here. The historical facts and beautiful imagery certainly make up for something, but still doesn’t change my feelings towards these movies. It is not the worst in the trilogy, but that isn’t saying much.
