Dan and Ron's Mediocrity

N.Y. Times film critic A.O. Scott had this to say about the latest Dan Brown/Ron Howard offering:

"Since 'Angels & Demons' takes place mainly in the Vatican, and is festooned with the rites and ornaments of Roman Catholicism, I might as well begin with a confession. I have not read the novel by Dan Brown on which this film (directed, like its predecessor, 'The Da Vinci Code,' by Ron Howard) is based. I have come to believe that to do so would be a sin against my faith, not in the Church of Rome but in the English language, a noble and beleaguered institution against which Mr. Brown practices vile and unspeakable blasphemy."

Scott continues, "This movie, without being particularly good...combines the visual charm of mass-produced postcards with the mental stimulation of an easy Monday crossword puzzle."

So, as a work of fiction the tale is badly written, and as a film it is a banal effort. From a theological standpoint it can be viewed as yet another hatchet job like the duo's previous handiwork; thus, that Dan is a hack writer and Ron peaked with Opie are just aggravating factors.