The Da Vinci Code
Based on Dan Brown's best-seller of the same name, Ron Howard's gripping film stars Tom Hanks as Harvard professor Robert Langdon and Audrey Tatou as cryptographer Sophie Neve, who must untangle a web of deceit when the curator of the Louvre, a member of a secret society and a relative of Neve's, is found murdered in the famed museum's hallowed halls. To crack the case and arrive at the truth, they must look to the works of Leonardo da Vinci.
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I don't know where the terrible ratings come from unless viewers are judging the movie based on the credibility of the DaVinci code itself. This movie never purported to be a documentary. It was gripping and easy to follow. There was absolutely no attempt to manipulate the viewer into becoming a true believer in any religious dogma. The cast was stellar and the acting was excellent.It was a worthwhile adventure with plot twists and puzzles to keep the viewer on the edge of his/her seat. If you are looking for a film to edify and reaffirm your faith in Christian principles, this is not for you. The DaVinci Code is just pure excitement.- cybersleuth58
A murder in The Louvre has mysterious clues, one of which points to Dr. Langdon. Detective Fache summons Langdon to The Louvre and asks him to solve the mystery while secretly hoping he will implicate himself in the murder. Somehow Agent Neveu shows up to help Langdon and when the two of them realize there is a mystery to be solved, the chase is on. Little do they know the murder victim was a Priory of Sion member and Opus Dei has sent Silas to solve the same mystery, but with a blessing to kill as he wishes. As Langdon and Neveu struggle to stay alive and solve the mystery they realize that what they find could change the world. proof that Christ and Mary Magdalene were married and in fact had a child. This is a wonderful mixture of several biblical stories, supposed secrets, theories, rumors, and myths. Although there are some holes in the plot, some things that dont seem quite historically accurate, the story is still wonderful. Much like an Indiana Jones episode with a theological focus in a more modern setting. The mysteries and clues keep you interested and the explanation of solutions for audience benefit adds understanding to the plot. Although not action in the traditional sense, the thought provoking nature of the story line keeps things exciting to the end. Tom Hanks wouldnt have been my first choice as Langdon but, he did the job very nicely. Tautou, McKellen, Reno and Bettany were all excellent in their respective roles. The chemistry between them all was very good and each generated audience investment in their character. Camera work, sets, dialogue were all also well done throughout the film. This one should be fine for preens and above with no nudity and little foul language. There is a self-mutilation theme that may be questionable for some.
- DocsReviews
First off, I loved the book so anxiously awaited and watched this as soon as it came out and enjoyed it. Upon second viewing (5/08), it was even better as I appreciated the action more and even at over two hours it kept me intrigued. Ron Howard stayed true to the book as much as you can in a feature length film and of course Tom Hanks always puts on a good show. Putting the book aside, the movie has twists, misdirections, plenty of bad guys (but not overly violent), and what I found most enjoyable was the historical references and the possibility that the Catholic church, if not the entire Christian religion, may be keeping a deep secret. Most enjoyable and recommended for all people over 21.
- Skorpean
It took me quite a long time to determine what was wrong with the Da Vinci Code. This film is based on a book that has sold over 40 million copies. It was directed by the incomparable Ron Howard who doesn't have many true bombs to his credit. It stars the biggest actor in Hollywood one of the brightest young stars in France and even boasts a knight in the cast. So how could it fail? The problem is that Hanks and Tautou have no screen chemistry, and Ron Howard and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman never put the actors in any situations where they can really develop any. Audrey Tautou is radiant, but she has better chemistry with McKellen than she does with Hanks. In the end, you feel like the relationship is more father/daughter than potential romance. And this is supposed to be about the development of a relationship between Robert and Sophie, and the growth of Sophie as a woman. The filmmakers spent so much time making this movie as close to the book as possible that they forgot what the book is really about. The grail quest is supposed to be the backdrop for the characters. In the movie, the backdrop overwhelms the characters. And without the getting to know the characters, you can't care about the quest.
- LB in Idaho
I could not bring myself to really enjoy The Da Vinci Code. I thought for one, the movie was too long. Movies like this needn't take so long to get to the point. It is very clear that the story could have been told just as well even if they dropped an hour off of the runtime. In addition, all of the characters contributed to the length by giving speeches about every little thing. At first I assumed they were doing this so that I would have to listen carefully to catch all of the hidden secrets. Soon I discovered that the wordiness was just to increase the runtime, and try and make the movie seem smarter than it was. While the story was well orchestrated, none of the acting was particularly great, like I said, they just were reading lines through most of the movie. Had the movie featured more action, and not been so talky and self-indulgent, I would have enjoyed it more. Even if it was based on a book, it's supposed to be entertaining to someone - it came across as nerdy to me.
- MCWHAMMER
I haven't read the book yet and, with a graduate-level theology background, I don't believe the core premise or its pseudohistory one whit, but The Da Vinci Code stands on its own cinematically. I don't understand any of the complaints I read before seeing this movie on the weekend after its release. Some say the plot drags: This is not Die Hard With A Vengeance, people, it's an intellectual detective thriller that maintains a steady (not relentless) pace with plenty of plot revelations and twists till the end. Some say Tom Hanks phoned in his performance and was having a bad hair day: He is playing a semeiotics professor, from Harvard no less; his character was a gregarious fashion plate, comparably speaking. In short, for those who find intellectual puzzles fascinating, not plodding, this is an excellent romp--the cinematic version of a page-turner. Ian McKellen's character is spirited and complex. The butler did it! Oops, no he didn't. Paul Bettany, showing his glutes again (see A Knight's Tale), is ever chilling as the apostolic assassin. I loved Audrey Tautou in the French-language Amelie but that wasn't much of a speaking role; though her casting makes perfect sense because half of this film is in French, her accented English is so thick that it hampers her screen chemistry. Given all the two have been through by the end, one hopes Hanks' character would at least ask Tautou's for her phone number; nothing of the sort happens. The movie's stream of pseudohistorical and contemporary criminal revelations makes for a grand modern detective yarn. Yes, it is largely historical but it is primarily fiction--but should fiction be put forth that is endemically offensive to the majority of half the world's religious population? What's next, the blockbuster release of The Satanic Verses? 4.5 stars.
- robowriter
Easily in contention with films like Waterworld for most overblown film of all time. It isnt as terrible as the heaps of bad press it received would have you believe. It is engaging as a simple surface level thriller that doesnt necessarily make a whole lot of sense. The performances are decent, Audrey Tautou, Tom Hanks and Ian McKellen are all decent, nothing great, but decent. Its main issue is that it is trying to be a really smart thriller, the kind of film that bridges the gaps between escapist thrills and enlightening art cinema, but it never even comes close. Even though its somewhat engaging, and not completely wretched, the little bits that are working are not working well enough to make it worth seeing.
- Dlukenelson
Making no excuses, this film submerges the viewer into a complex mystery almost immediately when a museum curator turns up dead at the hands of one bizarro/misguided S.O.B. From there, this film becomes a whirlwind of activity as one mystery leads to another all-the-while a larger picture/plot becomes apparent. I can legitimately applaud this movie for its story - its very interesting. But the execution
meh. Not so much. Frequently, the Da Vinci Code gets lost in either its own message or its own complexity. It's not a bad movie, but for the hype, I expected a lot more.
- Creeper
ireviewnetflix.com rating: **** This was actually pretty good. I was dreading it at first as I'm not religious at all, but once I got into it, it was actually really good. Silly Christians, Jesus was a mortal man. And we know what kind of criminals the Catholics historically are so I wouldn't put anything past them. Ian McKellen was excellent in this as he is in everything else.
- ireviewnetflix.com