A labyrinth of secrets stands between humanity and extinction in “Inferno,” directed by Ron Howard and adapted from the novel by Dan Brown, author of “The Da Vinci Code.” Tom Hanks reprises his role as Dr. Robert Langdon, this time helping a young doctor decode messages from the works of Dante, to prevent the release of a virulent, man-made plague.
When Dr. Langdon wakes up in a hospital in Florence, a doctor, Sienna (Felicity Jones), informs him that he was shot in the head and is suffering from amnesia. The mystery deepens as Langdon finds a biohazard tube in his pocket, containing a map of Hell from Dante’s Inferno, with clues left by a radical billionaire geneticist (Ben Foster) who has manufactured a plague to kill half the world’s population. Now Langdon is the target of the World Health Organization head (Sidse Babett Knudsen) and various government agencies as they race to decode the mystery and find the virus before it’s released.
As with the previous entries in the series, “Inferno” sets out to combine real-world symbols with an inquisitive, adventurous storyline. Audiences can easily be drawn into an engaging story, thanks to the rather rapid start that throws Hanks’ Langdon right into the fire. This works as an extremely effective hook; the audience only knows as much as Langdon knows. By going this route, viewers are able to develop an invested interest in the story, trying to dissect the clues while figuring out what happened and what is about to occur.
But, despite this interesting setup, the filmmakers have taken the source material, ripped it apart, voided the story of its more compelling twists, and delivered a clichd, predictable plot. The story is still enjoyable as a film, but as more is revealed, the more accurately the audience is able to guess what will happen next. For a series that has placed value on narrative twists and turns, the filmmakers have squandered some truly immense opportunities.
Initially, it feels as if the audience is being warned of dire consequences, and characters seem to hint toward some sort of reckoning for mankind. Instead, “Inferno” plays out as a rather standard Hollywood action film, reducing its major punches to glancing blows, and outright ignoring its own warnings and themes. This is the true harm of the novel’s adaptation; the message has been lost in an attempt to achieve wider audience appeal.
It is the talented cast who are able to redeem the film. As a testament to their ability as actors, Hanks, Jones, Knudsen, and even Irrfan Khan in a minor role as a shady businessman, take command each time they are onscreen. Even at times when the pacing slows, or the plot becomes convoluted, the characters are portrayed with enough emotion and energy to keep the audience invested, especially as the story narrows into a rather intense, if somewhat contrived, climax.
The result is a film that is fun to watch, despite a lagging pace near the middle and an unsurprising conclusion. “Inferno,” adapted from the novel by Dan Brown and directed by Ron Howard, is an adventure that serves its purpose as mindless entertainment, but is rather devoid of substance. At the very least, Hanks and the supporting cast have delivered an enjoyable film that is part detective story, part thriller, but holds no surprises beyond face value.
My grade: 6 out of 10 stars.
(Timothy Hogg has a minor in film and media studies from Slippery Rock University. Readers may contact him by email at timothyhogg.thederrick@gmail.com.)
