Give ‘Da Vinci’ A Chance
I am not a historian, nor am I a theologian. I have not even read the original novel, so for better or worse, I can only judge “The Da Vinci Code” on its merits as a film, with no baggage or limitations. Purely as a Hitchcockian thriller, the fast paced, twisty Ron Howard flick will delight anyone unfamiliar with Dan Brown’s original flowery-prose novel.
A hooded albino (Paul Bettany, “A Beautiful Mind”) tracks down the curator of the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, and demands the location of some key. The frightened man gives his captor the information before being fatally shot. With his final breaths, the curator mutilates his body, leaving behind not only a corpse, but an essential clue for the famed professor, Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) to retrieve the key.
The French police deem Langdon responsible for the murder and refuse to even investigate other leads. Only an officer with a personal stake in the murder trusts Langdon. The detective, Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou, “Amélie”), helps Langdon escape her compatriots so they both can track down the killer and the secret society behind the greatest secret never told.
Without revealing any of the twists fresh from Brown’s novel, an indication of how intricate the plot plays is that the creators of the television show “24” originally wanted to buy the book as the premise for one of their seasons. Anyone who knows the hit Fox program and recognizes its penchant for wild, edge of your seat thrills will see how the plot of "Da Vinci Code" would have worked beautifully for Kiefer Sutherland and his crew of Government agents. "Da Vinci" is a reconstruction of the world's powerful Christian dogma, a tale that makes much of what's been told in church unravel. Though I find everything told in the tale inconceivable, I can see why those responsible for the doctrine of Christ would panic and scream "blasphemy" in a crowded theater.
Director Ron Howard and writer Akiva Goldsman once again have worked from a popular book (after winning Oscars for adapting Sylvia Nasar's "A Beautiful Mind" in 2001). It features a complex storyline, one spanning millenniums, where audiences must have a comprehension of basic theology and art. With so many false agents of which to keep track, this is not a film for a lazy viewer.
Howard makes good use of grainy film to differentiate modern times with the past. He also highlights letters to illustrate thought-patterns of puzzle-solvers. Unfortunately, so soon after Howard utilized the same device for the haggard mind of John Nash in "A Beautiful Mind," it dilutes the impact.
The cast must convey an entire back-story without sounding like your 10th grade History professor. Most of the lessons come from Robert's professor buddy, played by Ian McKellan with dripping irony. As a physically disabled, eccentric millionaire, McKellan brings much humor and playfulness to his role.
Hanks continues to be the new millennium’s answer to Jimmy Stewart, the everyman with whom people can not help but identify. Tautou, in her American debut, is luminous. Unlike other foreign actresses, like Penelope Cruz, who either find poor roles in American films or have issues with the English idiom, Tautou is a natural American heroine: intelligent, radiant and compassionate. With her black almond eyes and ice melting smile, she compels the audience to join her on any trip she chooses.
From the outcry of other critics, I’m assuming that many readers of the bestselling novel will be let down by "The Da Vinci Code." However, if you leave the book at home, ignore the genius movie all the readers have already envisioned in their mind and just go for the ride, it's a provocative, exhilarating two and a half hours. Grade: B
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