A kind of prequel to "Da Vinci Code," also from a Dan Brown novel - written for the screen by David Koepp & Akiva Goldsman - in another excursion into devious Vatican dealings that extend back for centuries.

Murder, revenge and the destruction of the Vatican and most of Rome impends unless Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks again, this time in a shorter haircut), our super sleuth and authority on Church history, can track down a 16th century religious group known as the Illuminati - now back to seek revenge for previous persecution; they take advantage of a unique moment, the death of a Pope and the gathering of all the cardinals of the world at the Vatican.

Four cardinals, prime candidates for the papal seat, are kidnapped, to be executed, one each hour, with a climactic cataclysmic explosion of something called "anti-matter" - just more of Brown's concoctions, mixing reality with mysticism and imaginative devices - all to include the demise of the cardinals as inspired by the four elements: earth, fire, water, air.
With more pomp than circumstance, with more focus on the immediate Vatican and Rome, with more James Bondian hokum and activity, with the action leaping frantically from clue to clue (all explained in deadpan seriousness by Langdon), with more detailed opulence including hundreds of red-robed clergy flowing in & out & around like herded sheep, the movie crams its 140-minutes with every trick in the books to capture and hold us in suspense - right to the ubiquitous big bang and equally big surprise at the end.

To fully appreciate the plot, one must suspend belief and accept the movie's logic and activities whole-heartedly and forgivingly - accept it as one accepts the "plausibility" of future flight films into space or global crises created by Machiavellian despots. On that level director Ron Howard has erected a breath-taking thriller, rich with a suspenseful sense of presence, as a fictional travelogue overfilled with intrigues and convoluted action. That, over-laid with composer Hans Zimmer's massive scores (enriched with the expected choral echoes of time immemorial) and exceptionally impressive camera work, add up to an over-long but entertaining bit of banal hocus-pocus.

Incidentally, devout Catholics have no need to worry about the brouhaha surrounding the Church's impediments toward the filming in certain parts of the Vatican. Word has it that Howard, fearing commercial failure, set up a smoke-screen of accusations to draw curious masses to see what's what with all the fuss. In reality, the faked shots of the Sistine Chapel and other forbidden areas, are perfectly recreated; it's impossible to tell the real from the computerized recreation.

Better yet, the carefully detailed recording of sacred images and religious places become at times even more fascinating than the silly story-line sandwich. In effect, it's one lengthy travelogue with an absurd plot.

Thankfully, while Hanks recreates his role as lugubrious authority, along with a supporting cast of Ayelet Zurer as beautiful side-kick and Ewan McGregor as a holier-than-thou cardinal and others, the flick comes off as good, harmless fun.