After Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, it’s Dan Brown’s last book, Inferno that is seeing its conversion to a motion picture. Directed by Ron Howard with Tom Hanks reprising his role as Robert Langdon, the film also has Irrfan Khan, Ben Foster, Felicity Jones and Sidse Babett Knudsen among others in important roles. As expansive as the book was, this is how the movie proved to be:
 

What is it about?
The film has Dante’s Inferno, the 11th-century Italian poet's interpretation of hell in the afterlife, as its point of focus. It also presents a rather disturbing fact : while the world’s population saw a steady rise through ages, it has in recent times acquired explosive expansion. If the explosive increase in population were to keep on progressing, it could lead to our extinction.  While there have been huge calamities through the ages such as the great plague have taken care of the excess population, there hasn’t yet been one for this age. What if a radical group wants to take matters into hands to clear off some population in order to save humanity?
 

What makes up the film?

The film follows the above-mentioned motives of the antagonists and their plan to make it happen. On the other hand, professor Langdon is called for help to solve puzzles that lead to the instrument of mass destruction that requires to be put off. So in essence. The film is a gripping tale of intelligent puzzles through real historical artifacts and Langdon solving them. So, like it’s predecessors, the film trots globes between historical places and museums.
 

What works?
As in any of Dan Brown’s works, expansive information on medieval European history is abundant in the film. If one is interested enough, the film should work brilliantly on that front. The beauty of Dan Brown’s work is that it is fiction weaved into true facts which make it semi real. Hence, the solid plot of the story is also something one might find amazing. The cast has done a fitting job - Tom Hanks probably will get to be called as Professor Langdon in real life too! The film is a globetrotter jumping from Florence to Venice to Istanbul, providing an interesting peek into some of the best Historic locations on the planet, which also works.
 

What doesn't work?

The screenplay, while apt and flawless, isn't all the more impressive. Somehow, it lacks pace where it is required and lacks patience where it is required. Characterisation of certain key players such as Irrfan Khan, Ben Foster etc, is simple and not solid. But all these wouldn’t work only if you’d take care to find fault. Some of the edits in the first half of the film, however, could have been more audience-friendly.
 

Well?

Overall, Inferno is a good adaptation of the book. It is an entertaining, if not intense, thrilling, if not gripping piece of work that is interesting thanks to the book it is based on.