Inferno Movie Review

I feel like Ron Howard just can't get a break with this series of films. They always get awful reviews whether it be metacritic or rotten tomatoes. I honestly don't get the hate. They aren't great films but they are fun and entertaining. It's cool to see elements of history I'm interested in or have learned about get combined in a tense and thrilling story. This movie is extremely far fetched but who cares. Sometimes you need to be able to turn your brain off and sit back for the ride. Maybe I had a soft spot for it because its main setting was Florence. That city is like a second home to me since my mom grew up there and my grandma still lives there. I must admit, it was awesome to be able to recognize everything and say I've been everywhere multiple times. Let's start with the strong points of the film. As mentioned, the scenery is beautiful. Florence, Venice, and Istanbul. You can't beat the awe of those places. Even though the story is far from ever being possible, it does a good job of engaging you. The film starts and as the audience you have no idea what is going on. It's fun to try to fit the pieces together and slowly you get fed more and more information. The ending action sequence was also amazing to me because it was set in such a unique place. It's at some summer solstice concert in Istanbul and it's like a maze of walkways above a red water pool. I can't describe it too well but it looks great! Now... the not so good. Like I said several times already, it is so far fetched to the point of being somewhat ridiculous. To me, I felt some questions were left unanswered(one in particular) and the big reveal was a bit convoluted. I had to talk it out for a minute or so to figure it all out. Lastly, I feel that Ron Howard went a little too much for the shock factor. It's almost too high pressure and high anxiety in situations. It particularly stood out in the beginning section when Tom Hanks' character flashes in and out of his mysterious visions. Plus, it seems like Howard tried to show just enough gore without getting the R rating. Examples of this are the knife battles and high distance falls with characters’ bodies crashing against the floor. These visuals combined with almost over the top sound effects made those moments come off as just there for gasps rather than serving the plot. With all that said, the movie doesn't deserve all the hate in my opinion. It's a high thriller and fun little movie that is kinda forgettable but a good way to kill a few hours. B- for me.