The Goddess Concept

Rating: 9/10 (29 May 2006)

I've marked contained spoilers but to anyone who read the book will already know the most controversial aspect of the movie. That Mary Magalene was pregnant with Jesus Christ's baby and that there are living descendants today. Also, there's no historical proof that Jesus Christ is God but the concept of one god has lead to the slaughter of millions throughout the ages. Free thinking women have been condemned as witches for having the concept that god is actually a woman. The Roman Catholic Church have excluded women for being priests and have condemned Ms. Magalene as a whore. What scriptures were not allowed during the tine of Constantine has Jesus and Mary as married.
That is powerful stuff and to have that as the back story of a thriller in which Hanks and Tartou solve anagrams and related clues has had certain groups crying blasphemy. For myself, this is not the first time I've been hit with the Goddess Concept. Living a big city like Los Angeles, one is able to run into all kinds of people.
I love seeing the influence of other directors and how they impact those like Ron Howard who in turn will influence others. I saw very recently "A Very Long Engagement" which starred Tartou searching for her husband during the first world war. That director, Jenet, like using voice over while displaying what is being referred to. This story telling technique was quite evident in Truffaut's "Jules and Jim". Howard's use of it makes the exposition of the back story quite a feast to watch. One gets glimpses of Constantine's court, the Crusades, etc.
Akira Goldman's screenplay does capture the whole story of Dan Brown's book. The lighting of letters as Hanks deciphers the anagrams recalls his and Howard's "A Beautiful Mind". The effect is quite visual and recalled images of Langdon's (Hank's) mind does help immensely in pushing the story forward.
Ian McKellan has the best role, that of Teebing. I generally pleased with everybody, Jean Reno acting with the same quiet intensity as Robert DeNio, Paul Brettany as the crazy monk. I love movies that have a shared male/female protagonists and Hank and Tartou do not disappoint, underplaying their roles as they were required to do.
Opie Cunnigham, you did it again. You made another movie that I most likely will see again and again.