Director Liberties Adds Drama

Rating: 9/10 (19 May 2006)

Slight variations from the book, but when you watch the movie, some of the differences make sense. The guard is not pointing a gun at Sophie Neveu, but she and Langdon escape without confronting him. History depicted in the book is shown in purple as flashbacks, in scenes reminiscent of Braveheart and Gladiator. The hint of graphic imagery in the book, ie. tightening the cilice belt around thigh, is made more intense in the close ups. Langdon is shown to possess a photographic memory, which proves to be beneficial later in the movie. The ghostly animations in London, and cross sectional views of Westminster Abbey set apart filmmaker from the novelist. Time factor is another issue addressed by Mr. Howard. Instead of wasting time (as noted by Langdon in the movie), they borrow cell phone and search the web, finding name of Alexander Pope. The Neveu lineage and family is brought into question at the Rosslyn Chapel, and largest tangent from the novel. Sophie is an only child, and not related to the young male tour guide at the chapel, though a crowd of strangers are brought into the chapel to show Sophie people willing to sacrifice themselves to save her lineage. At the end of the novel, Langdon is depicted as standing below the ancient Rose Line in prayer to Mary Magdaleine. The movie end seems more accurate for someone visiting the Louvre after hours. Langdon is outside, standing over one of the Arago Medallions, pondering the puzzle "She rests at last beneath the starry skies". This final departure from novel is followed by the camera work spiraling down the pyramids, to what is depicted as a secret chamber beneath the Louvre, and the sarcophagus of Mary Magadeine.
The movie never slows, providing a definite conclusion, though finding the tomb of Sir Isaac Newton should have been more complex than clues found through a cell phone.