USA TODAY International Edition
Review: ‘ Inferno’ not all that hot
Third Langdon film is more travelogue than action- adventure
Third Robert Langdon thriller can’t crack code
Even with a wealth of talent involved, Inferno is missing some serious heat.
Based on the bestselling Dan Brown novel, the mystery thriller ( eeEE out of four; rated PG- 13; in theaters Friday) is the third film directed by Ron Howard and featuring Tom Hanks as globetrotting symbologist Robert Langdon. Unfortunately, this Alist team still can’t crack the code for a memorable adaptation. Even with a noteworthy supporting cast, intriguing sights and art history on its side, Inferno is undone by generic action and a general lack of thrills.
The returning hero of The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, Langdon begins the movie waking up in a Florence hospital with no recollection of how he got to Italy or why he has a bleeding head wound. Taking away his mind is like stealing Indiana Jones’ whip: Langdon has to work past amnesia and use his impressive brain to solve this latest international incident.
And he’d better do it fast. Bertrand Zobrist ( Ben Foster), a celebrity geneticist and Dante obsessive who sounds the alarm on global overpopulation, recently killed himself by falling off a building but before doing so, he set into motion the release of a deadly bioweapon that aims to wipe out a large percentage of humanity. With assassins and the World Health Organization both on Langdon’s tail, he teams up with Dr. Sienna Brooks ( Felicity Jones), finds clues related to a Map of Hell and Dante’s Death Mask, and even finds a little time to flirt with the head of the WHO ( Sidse Babett Knudsen).
Howard embraces his inner horror guy and creates visions of a literal hell on Earth that haunt Langdon. The sight of flaming streets, strange men with plague masks and people walking around with their heads twisted backward is a visceral experience that adds creepy style to the proceedings.
Hanks nails his usual earnest heroism and while doing so is surrounded by a strong supporting cast. Foster’s Zobrist is an intriguing player, and in an increasingly tumultuous real world, it’s not hard to imagine a scientist going rogue and taking matters into his own hands. Jones also gets a solid character arc, Irrfan Khan has a small but key role as the antagonist The Provost, and Knudsen’s charming enough to make viewers want to see her and Hanks get together onscreen.
But Inferno suffers the same fate as the other Langdon films, in that its screenplay ( by David Koepp, who also co- wrote Angels & Demons) mutes the seductive quality of Brown’s novels. They’re the potato chips of literature: You can’t read just one page, you have to consume them all in one sitting, and while they’re not the most gourmet of meals, the tastiness is undeniable.
In a perfect world, they should transition nicely to the big screen as breezy popcorn movies akin to the National Treasure flicks, but the execution just never seems to be there.
Inferno acts as a cool travelogue ( Langdon sees the sights in Florence, Venice and Istanbul) and the movie puts a neat perspective on Dante’s Divine Comedy. As a gripping actionadventure, though, it all goes to heck.