Ron Howard takes a second stab at a Dan Brown book.

Like the Da Vinci Code, Angels and Demons is a page turning popcorn novel with the usual preposterous ending and the film is much the same. Sticking rigidly to the plot and pacing of the book, Howard has created another paint by numbers movie that leaves little to remember once the credits role.

Tom Hanks returns as Robert Langdon, the code cracking professor, drawn into the secretive world of the Vatican. The last Pope has died and the four hots shots expected to replace him are kidnapped by the shadowy Illluminati. Will he be able to follow the centuries old clues and track down the missing Fathers before the time runs out? Does anyone care?

There’s really little to say about this film. If you’ve read the book, then you know exactly what’s going to happen. If you’ve not read it then there’s enough to keep you occupied for the duration of the film.

Again, the best thing about the books hasn’t transferred well to the screen. By that I mean playing along trying to guess the clues before you turn the next page. Here it’s all done for you. Spoon fed to you along with shot after shot of Rome at night time, and there’s no doubt about it, it’s a beautiful city. Wonderfully shot, with glorious sweeping pans from roof tops to the bowels of the Vatican itself.

Tom Hanks phones in another performance. Always dependable and enjoyable to watch, he’s hardly stretched by the script. Ewan McGregor lends support as the previous Popes right hand man. It’s a work man like performance but his ill advised “Oirish” accent really jars and at times become comical as he slips in and out of Scottish.

If you’re a fan of the first one, you’ll like this. If you thought it fell short of the mark, then this will do nothing to change your mind.

There is fun to be had here but it’s fleating and frivoulos with a side order of eye candy. Works well as an advert for a weekend in Rome though.