Vatican critic deems 'Angels & Demons' harmless

Ewan McGregor in 'Angels
& Demons'The official Vatican newspaper recently reviewed "Angels & Demons" and called it "more than two hours of harmless entertainment, which hardly affects the genius and mystery of Christianity."

The Associated Press quoted the reviewer as finding the film historically inaccurate but, "a video game that first of all sparks curiosity and is also, maybe, a bit of fun."

This is a far cry from the reaction church leaders had to "The Da Vinci Code," which speculated that Jesus married, had a kid and ... yadda yadda. Unless you've been under a rock the past few years, you probably already know what "The Da Vinci Code" is all about.

"Angels & Demons" opens May 15. I'll check it out, although I thought "The Da Vinci Code" was a weak movie. Having read both books, I'd say "Angels & Demons" has more action and would lend itself better to summer movie adaptation. Also, joining Tom Hanks (and his new and improved haircut) are two of my favorite actors, Ewan McGregor and Stellan Skarsgård.

I never really feared for my mortal soul for wanting to see this movie, but the positive review from L'Osservatore Romano is kind of a plus.

(Jorge Sosa is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader. He can be reached at sosa@hutchinsonleader.com)