First Take: Inferno- worthy of a rant that Dante would be proud of

SYPNOSIS:

When Robert Langdon wakes up in an Italian hospital with amnesia, he teams up with Dr. Sienna Brooks, and together they must race across Europe against the clock to foil a deadly global plot.

Well, this was an enjoyable review to write. Inferno continues the downward spiral of Ron Howard’s films- sure, he made Rush amongst other great successes, but much like Angels and Demons, this latest adaptation of a Dan Brown novel actually left me furious.

The main issues lie with David Koepp’s script, as it relies too much on exposition through the characters’ inner monologues- dialogue written like that instantly triggers alarm bells in my eyes. Also, there is a plot twist that can only be described as the most over the top way of keeping the audience awake during the film, and even the more minor plot details are not developed to a sufficient standard. However, the performances do provide some, but not many, redeeming factors. Tom Hanks is on form as ever, with Felicity Jones putting in some great work ahead of her role in Rogue One, but unfortunately it isn’t enough to salvage what could have been a film with lots of potential. It’s shot well, and any music from Hans Zimmer is always a good thing, but I left the screening with a look of pure disappointment and anger- that’s how bad we’re talking.

THE VERDICT

Inferno is probably the most draining 2 hours I’ve spent in a cinema this year, however, if you are a fan of the Dan Brown novels (or the other 2 films in this series), then you will enjoy it. However, casual audiences won’t be able to understand this film, and with a packed Autumn slate, it feels forgettable.

RATING- 2/5