Inferno

During the opening moments of Inferno, tech billionaire villain Bertrand Zobrist (Ben Foster, Warcraft) speaks of a mechanism to rid the world of half its population for the good of both humanity and the planet, and then promptly commits suicide to evade capture. In the next scene, renowned symbology professor Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks, Sully) awakens shaken and unsure in a Florence hospital, with little awareness of what’s going on around him, and with a disruptive flash of hellish, apocalyptic visions further complicating matters. In a film not only filled with signs, but telling a tale that requires its characters to interpret messages, crack codes and find clues, these introductory sequences leave plenty for watching viewers. Plot-wise, where the movie is headed is far from surprising; quality-wise, the lacklustre end result is similarly expected.

“Is this supposed to be a puzzle or a challenge?” Langdon exclaims when he learns of Zobrist and his scheme — and it’s a question that could easily be shared by the audience, though he’s actually speaking to ER doctor turned accomplice Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones, The Theory of Everything). Together, they endeavour to join the dots to discover what caused Langdon’s dazed and confused state, what Zobrist is up to, and why a number of government operatives (Burnt’s Omar Sy and Westworld’s Sidse Babett Knudsen among them) are after them.

For fans of Dan Brown’s best-selling page-turners — and of previous text-to-screen adaptations The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, both starring Hanks and directed by Ron Howard (The Beatles: Eight Days a Week – The Touring Years) — Inferno marks another chance to see his potboiler puzzles play out in cinematic form. Alas, for fans and casual observers alike, it also marks yet another film that’s clearly just the sum of its parts. That might seem obvious; however it’s also indicative of a movie not just favouring the by-the-numbers approach, but also only aiming to meet the rather modest standards set by its predecessors and no more than that. Though Inferno’s title nods to Dante, and its script mentions him many times, there’s none of his intelligence on display.

Consequently, in a franchise plagued by diminishing returns in each instalment, ticking the requisite boxes is all that Howard and Angels & Demons screenwriter David Koepp (Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit) are after. A convoluted situation requires a remedy once again, so Langdon runs around scenic European cities — and historically significant sites within them — trying to get to the bottom of the latest riddle that needs his particular expertise. The dialogue spouted by almost every figure on screen spells out exactly what’s happening, even spanning an effort to make the concept of anagrams sound like a remarkable new discovery. And while direction isn’t where Inferno struggles most, and nor is glossy-enough imagery shot by series cinematographer Salvatore Totino (Concussion), Howard prefers to focus on running and chasing rather than spending any time garnering any genuine intrigue.

Of course, airport novels aren’t known for their depth or nuance, and neither are features based on such books. A pulpy predictability should be part of the appeal of both; here, despite composer Hans Zimmer’s (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice) attempt to establish a propulsive tone via the movie’s score, everything feels like a drag — including for Hanks and the bulk of his co-stars. Indeed, if the film’s lead can’t sell or ground the silliness around him, instead appearing bored by the usual treasure hunt, and by the Bourne-like amnesia his character is saddled with as well, little else can. Jones offers more energy in conveniently knowledgeable and worshipping  sidekick mode, but it’s Irrfan Khan (Jurassic World) as a shadowy player who demonstrates the best understanding of the kind of effort he’s in, acting gleefully furtive accordingly.

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

Inferno
Director: Ron Howard
USA | Japan | Turkey | Hungary, 2016, 121 mins

Release date: 13 October
Distributor: Sony
Rated: M