Avoid

Rating: 1/10 (4 May 2007)

This Ron Howard - Brian Grazer - Akiva Goldsman attempt is truly awful. From the inept dialog, endless exposition, and senseless plot devices to the frigid 'chemistry' between Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou, watching this is a miserable waste of your precious time on earth. I regret it. Even the supporting and usually good character actors get no support from Goldsman's script. Jean Reno is little more than a hollow log that seems to stand erect and spout inane and contrived sentences while looking like he can't believe what he has to say. Alfred Molina looks embarrassed in his part and we are treated to lots and lots of the pasty 'nude albino' Paul Bettany who is consigned to killing people on the whim of his master (Molina) like a dumb but effective Rotweiller. Maybe The DaVinci Code would have worked better as a mini-series on HBO, but this film has no time in it's 149 minute endurance test to build any interest, suspense or excitement. It is little more than idiotic. Ron Howard, decode this: Your film is terrible!