Rarely are movies better than books, this being one of them. I usually read Dan Brown’s books in a day or two, Inferno took a few months as it was written for a film. It was obvious from the beginning why this and not ‘The Lost Symbol’ was made into a movie.

Ron Howard has done full justice to the visually morbid and disturbing masterpiece by Dante. The film moved fast, keeping all but one main plot point intact. Tom Hanks is his usual dependable self, the only actor who can play the patient, knowledgeable and quick witted Robert Langdon. Felicity Jones is the strong and smart Dr. Brooks. Irrfan Khan has the unenviable task of playing Harry ‘The Provost’, an effortless act done with charm.

In the end, I was left with an experience of having watched a film but not having connected with it. It was all words and fury with none of the emotion or revelation that should have accompanied it.

2/5