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Parents' Guide to

Angels & Demons

By Sandie Angulo Chen, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 14+

Talky, violent conspiracy thriller will bore kids and teens.

Movie PG-13 2009 130 minutes
Angels & Demons Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Community Reviews

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age 15+

Based on 15 parent reviews

littlepig1
littlepig1 Adult
January 26, 2017
age 15+

NOT AS VIOLENT AS EVERYONE SAYS

The reason I rated this 15 + is because young teens probably'll find this movie boring and dull because of the history. But as I wrote in the title, it's NOT as violent as everyone says. I was kind of scared to watch this because I looked at IMDB's parent guide which said the violence was 10/10 which is sick? The violence wasn't graphic, not even just a bit. There was violence, yes, but definitely not graphic. There was some shootings but you never got to see the wounds, a man committed suicide by lighting himself on fire but you just get to see his face through the fire flames (it's not damaged yet). A man slits another ones throat but you only hear a sound and then the man covers his wound. I don't find the violence disturbing and a 12 year old probably would've handled it fine, but I rated this 15 because of the storyline. It's about Illuminati and very historical. Not everyone will appreciate this since it's a special movie. I'm not sure people under 14 will get the plot. Maybe older wouldn't appreciate it either, I don't know. I have to admit I were kind of confused at some point. They talk a lot, it's slow moving and so predictable. It's not very exciting and boring for everyone who aren't into historical and religious stuff. I've seen Da Vinci Code and this isn't better, I prefer Da Vinci Code. Overall it's not the best movie but not the worst. Kind of fun at some times but can be very boring. No kissing or sexual scenes.

This title has:

Great role models
2 people found this helpful.
joaquingv
joaquingv Adult
April 14, 2018
age 14+

This title has:

Great role models
Too much violence
See all 15 parent reviews

What's the Story?

In The Da Vinci Code, Harvard professor Dr. Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) nearly brought down the Catholic Church, but in ANGELS & DEMONS, he's asked to help save it. The pope has died, and just as the conclave of cardinals is about to meet to elect a new one, four of them are taken hostage by a group claiming to be the resurrection of the Illuminati -- an ancient secret society historically at odds with the church. The kidnappers announce that they'll publicly murder each of the hostages and then detonate a powerful vial of anti-matter stolen from a top-secret Swiss project run by the beautiful Dr. Vittoria Vetra (Ayelet Zurer). Racing against time, the world-renowned symbologist and his new sidekick scientist follow hidden clues to try to stop the killings -- and the possible destruction of the Vatican.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (15 ):
Kids say (40 ):

Brown's thrillers are packed with so much exposition that it should come as no surprise that this sequel, like The Da Vinci Code, is overlong and way too talky. It's a bit preposterous to imagine that a priest -- much less a cardinal or the head of the Swiss Guard (Stellan Skarsgard) -- would need a lecture on major milestones in church history. But it's all for the audience's benefit, since few people understand the minutiae about how a pope is elected, what the Illuminati stood for, or even what anti-matter is supposed to achieve.

While director Ron Howard scores some extra points for downplaying the role of the hired assassin and including several high-speed car chases, there's just no saving Angels & Demons from getting mired in all of Brown's ridiculous, conspiracy-theory details. At least Hanks has a much less conspicuous haircut, and Ewan McGregor, as the late pope's right-hand man, is effective as a priest straddling progressive and conservative paths for the church. But the best part of the thriller isn't the story or the chases -- it's Armin Mueller- Stahl as Cardinal Strauss. He's truly one of the most versatile, international actors of his generation, and he's a pleasure to watch.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the premise of Angels & Demons. The first movie's central conspiracy theory upset Christians across the globe, but this one has been deemed inaccurate but "harmless" by the Catholic Church. Why the change of perspective?

  • In general, does controversy help promote a movie?

  • Discuss how the violence in this movie compares to the first one. Does it have more or less impact? Why?

Movie Details

  • In theaters: May 15, 2009
  • On DVD or streaming: November 24, 2009
  • Cast: Ewan McGregor , Tom Hanks
  • Director: Ron Howard
  • Studio: Columbia Tristar
  • Genre: Thriller
  • Run time: 130 minutes
  • MPAA rating: PG-13
  • MPAA explanation: sequences of violence, disturbing images and thematic material
  • Last updated: March 10, 2023

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