Angels and Demons

“Angels and Demons” is the sequel to the film “The DaVinci Code,” and will be coming to theaters in May 2009. The trailer examines the consequences of watching the film on moviegoers’ level of enjoyment. The enthymeme the trailer puts forward is, “‘Angels and Demons’ is a great movie...because ‘Angels and Demons’ leaves you sitting at the edge of your seat.” The implicit assumption here is that exciting movies leave you on the edge of your seat.

The goal of the trailer’s creators is to get people to watch the film, and their argument is that the movie is one people should see. The audience is moviegoers (since they will definitely be the ones watching the trailer in theaters) and also fans of the first film, “The DaVinci Code,” and the Dan Brown books the films are based off of. The argument is made using ethos and pathos.

Credibility is given to the film by the fact that it is directed by Ron Howard, a well-known, award-winning filmmaker; stars Tom Hanks, one of the largest names in Hollywood; and is based on the bestselling novel of the same title by the author of “The DaVinci Code” (Dan Brown). People who enjoy Ron Howard’s work, Tom Hanks’ acting, or Dan Brown’s books will be encouraged by this, as Hanks and Howard have been involved in suspenseful films, and Brown writes page-turners.

Pathos is used through the powerful musical score, the short cuts from shot to shot, and the dramatic pieces of the film shown in the trailer (for example, Tom Hanks/Robert Langdon exclaiming, “You’re talking about the very moment of creation,” something exploding, someone diving into water, etc.) These give the audience the impression that the film is fast-paced, compelling, and exciting. There are also shots of buildings in the Vatican, priests, and statues, which, when combined with the score, give the trailer a mysterious feel. There are no long clips used in the trailer, a fact which, when combined with the music and editing, excites the viewer, and leaves them on the edge of their seat. It would be easy to assume is that if the trailer leaves the audience on the edge of their seats, surely the film will, too.

The argument is sufficient; it shows moviegoers in general what they want to see: action, drama, intrigue, suspense, and excitement. Fans of the book or of the previous film will notice it seems to follow after its predecessor in this regard, and should be satisfied (at least, with the trailer). The argument is also timely; the film will be released in May. It should also be accurate; most likely the scenes shown in the trailer will also be in the film, and the ethos points (Ron Howard, Tom Hanks, and Dan Brown) participate in the roles the trailer has attributed them to. This is an argument that would be extremely relevant to moviegoers and fans of Dan Brown’s book, since it features some of film’s heavyweights and is an adaptation of the novel.