“Inferno” is a 2016 film directed by Ron Howard and written by David Koepp. It is loosely based on Dan Brown’s novel of the same name, published in 2013. The movie serves as the sequel to “The Da Vinci Code” (2006) and “Angels & Demons” (2009), completing the Robert Langdon film series. Tom Hanks reprises his role as Robert Langdon, and the cast also includes Felicity Jones, Omar Sy, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Ben Foster, and Irrfan Khan.

Principal photography for the film began on April 27, 2015, in Venice, Italy, and concluded on July 21, 2015, in Budapest. “Inferno” premiered in Florence on October 9, 2016, and was released in the United States on October 28, 2016, coinciding with the ten-year anniversary of “The Da Vinci Code.” The film received mostly negative reviews from critics but managed to gross $220 million worldwide, exceeding its $75 million production budget.

Cast:

Tom Hanks as Professor Robert Langdon
Felicity Jones as Dr. Sienna Brooks
Omar Sy as Christophe Bouchard
Ben Foster as Dr. Bertrand Zobrist
Sidse Babett Knudsen as Dr. Elizabeth Sinskey
Irrfan Khan as Harry “The Provost” Sims
Paul Ritter as CRC Tech Arbogast
Ana Ularu as Vayentha

Difference between the novel and the movie:

There are many differences between the movie and the book:

 

1. 1. In the novel, the person who discovers Robert Langdon and Sienna in the Church of Dante’s baptism is Jonathan Ferris. He poses as a WHO worker but is actually an actor affiliated with the Consortium. Ferris assumes the role of Dr. Marconi, who appears to get shot at the hospital. Langdon becomes suspicious of Ferris when he exhibits symptoms caused by an allergic reaction to the fake beard he wears as part of his disguise, leading Langdon to suspect Ferris as the carrier of the virus. Directed by the Consortium, Ferris plans to hand over Langdon and Sienna to the WHO. However, Sienna creates a diversion by faking Ferris’ heart attack and performing CPR, incapacitating him. Eventually, Ferris recovers and reveals the truth to Langdon.

1. 1. In the movie adaptation, Jonathan Ferris is replaced by Christoph Bouchard, a WHO agent, rather than a Consortium actor. The actor playing Dr. Marconi in the beginning does not play any further role in the movie. Bouchard, however, is a corrupt WHO agent attempting to sell the Inferno virus to the highest bidder. He is later killed by the Provost of the Consortium.

1. 1. The Consortium’s level of violence is heightened in the movie compared to the book. In the book, Langdon contacts the U.S. Embassy, unknowingly speaking to a Consortium member. Vayentha is sent to the hotel across the street to make Langdon believe that the U.S. government is pursuing him, building trust between Langdon and Sienna for the puzzle-solving. However, when Langdon accesses his email account from Sienna’s laptop, the WHO discovers their location, causing the Provost to abort the operation. During a confrontation atop the scaffold, Vayentha intends to demonstrate the gun only fires blanks, revealing the deception. Sienna kills Vayentha to prevent her from exposing the truth while pretending to save Langdon’s life.

1. 1. In the movie, after Langdon and Sienna escape the apartment, the Provost issues a kill order for Langdon, a departure from the book where the Consortium, portrayed as an acting troupe, would not take such action. The scaffold scene in the movie features Vayentha with a real gun and bullets, and Sienna genuinely saves Langdon from her. Additionally, the Provost in the movie is depicted as a more violent character, wielding unusual knives when needed. It is possible that the Provost is killed in the movie, while in the book, he is arrested for his involvement with Zobrist.

1. 1. Sienna’s character undergoes significant changes in the movie. In the book, Sienna’s intention is to destroy the virus, not release it. She distrusts the WHO’s ability to handle it responsibly as they might view it as a potential biological weapon. Conversely, in the movie, Sienna is a devoted follower of Zobrist, supporting his plan to release the virus. She closes the window on Langdon in Venice to carry out the virus release in Istanbul and is ultimately killed while attempting to do so. In contrast, the book portrays Sienna surviving and planning to advocate for preserving the virus’s effects.

1. 1. The nature of the virus itself undergoes a dramatic alteration in the movie. While in the book, the assumption is that the virus renders a third of the population infertile to address overpopulation, in the movie, the virus is genuinely lethal. The movie includes a climactic fight scene to prevent the virus from being released. Conversely, the book reveals that Zobrist had already released the virus a week earlier, allowing it to spread globally. This difference leaves the world contemplating whether to maintain Zobrist’s solution for overpopulation. It seems that Hollywood aimed to create a more.

1. 1. The book “Inferno” maintains a longer deception for the reader, presenting the Consortium as a sinister spy organization until the end when their true identity as an acting troupe is revealed. In the movie, the revelation about the acting troupe is a smaller plot twist. Additionally, the movie immediately reveals that the agents chasing Langdon are from the World Health Organization (WHO), while in the book they are portrayed as mysterious individuals wearing green medallions, and their true affiliation is only disclosed when they capture Langdon. Moreover, in the book, there is a lengthy segment where it appears that Jonathan Ferris (equivalent to Christoph Bouchard) is working for Zobrist, but in the movie, this belief is only briefly held during the train scene before it’s revealed that he is motivated by greed. The book reserves the revelation that Ferris works for the Consortium until the very end.

1. 1. The movie introduces a completely new element: a past relationship between Robert Langdon and a WHO director. In the book, they are strangers, and the only romantic interest for Langdon is Sienna.

Critical reaction to the film:

The film “Inferno” received predominantly negative reviews from critics. According to review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 23% approval rating based on 253 reviews, with an average rating of 4.60/10. The critical consensus on the website states that the film is “senselessly frantic and altogether shallow,” and it represents a convoluted low point for the Robert Langdon trilogy. On Metacritic, the film has a score of 42 out of 100 based on 47 critics, indicating “mixed or average reviews.”

Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave “Inferno” an average grade of “B+” on an A+ to F scale. Notably, British film critic Mark Kermode provided a negative review, describing the film as “intergalactically stupid.” Cinema Blend criticized the film, stating that it was “insufferable” and became increasingly nauseating as its preposterously stupid and dumb elements unfolded

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INTRODUCTION THEMES AND MOTIFS CURIOSITY & SUSPENSE PLOT SUMMARY

CRITICAL OVERVIEW IMPORTANT CHARACTERS CLIFFHANGERS IN NOVEL

DESCRIPTIONS OF OBJECTS, PLACES, ORGANIZATIONS & PROCESSES