Reel Critics:

Director Ron Howard strikes just the right note in this new installment of “The Da Vinci Code” franchise.

Like many popular action thrillers, “Angels & Demons” has elements that stretch credibility and go far beyond the realm of what is possible in the real world. But that flaw never interfered with the monetary success of the James Bond, Terminator or Spider-Man films.

Tom Hanks brings proper gravitas to his revised role as the Harvard professor summoned to assist the Catholic Church in a new crisis.

The Pope has died and the College of Cardinals is meeting to select a successor.

A conspiracy led by remnants of the ancient Illuminati threatens to vaporize the Vatican. They have a vial of anti-matter stolen from a major physics lab that will create a nuclear style explosion when its power is unleashed.

They also kidnap the four most prominent Cardinals and promise to execute each of them one hour at a time prior to the final cataclysm. This scenario sets up a classic ticking time bomb plot that drives all the action at a frenetic pace.

Credit the director and screenwriters for having these implausible events unfold in the context of a well made crime thriller.

The religious overtones are the background, but the core of this film is mainstream adventure and summer blockbuster fun.

‘Rudo y Cursi’ a sweet soccer film

Two naïve step-brothers find themselves plucked out of a banana plantation and become Mexico City pro soccer stars in the amusing “Rudo y Cursi.”

Re-teaming after their success in “Y tu Mamá También” are the engaging Diego Luna as hot headed goalkeeper Beto and Gael Garcia Bernal as Tato, a forward who really longs to be a singing star.

The boys are recruited by an amiably sleazy Batuta (Guillermo Francella) who also serves as the narrator for the film. He gets them signed on by rival teams and Beto is immediately nicknamed “Rudo” (or “tough”) for his playing style, while Beto is dubbed “Cursi” (or “corny”) for his antics when he makes a goal. Their competitiveness on and off the field makes for some crazy comedy.

Although the film is a sweet-natured, if crude, lightweight fable on the temptations of sudden success and the real agonies of defeat, there are some heartfelt moments. It also displays the flip side of taking a game much too seriously. Tato’s unintentionally hilarious video to an old Cheap Trick tune makes “Rudo y Cursi” alone worth the price of admission.

JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator for the Orange County public defender’s office. SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant for a financial services company.