What a draaaaaag. But a nice movie, anyway.

Rating: Null/10 (18 May 2006)

I've never actually read the novel when I saw this (Which was just a couple of hours ago), so I guess I really can't make a comparison, but I am guessing that the novel was not as slow-paced as this movie. Though some parts definitely were in the booger-picking-bored level, this film definitely deserves some merits.
There's nothing special about the acting, except maybe for that of Ian Mckellen's, but there was just something about Audrey Tautou in this film that I found so magnetic compared to her appearances in other films. Tom Hanks was a little bit more stern here in this movie, but I guess that projected look is what makes him perfect for the film (He always looks like that regular, normal guy who who just happens to get caught up in something - which is exactly the job description for this movie).
Sequencing was very dull sometimes, and some historical cut-scenes weren't as emotionally effective as they should have been. The story in itself was very good, though, and the reason why nobody could sleep on any of the parts, despite it being boring, was that everyone knew something interesting would always pop-out out of nowhere. And they did.
Keep in mind, as well, that aside from a few very gory scenes, some of the claims against Christianity and the Opus Dei may be too much for the devout to handle (But, well, I came in a faithful Catholic, and came out unmoved. The "blurred line between fiction and reality" that they claimed about the book was not present in the movie, or at least for me), but, nothing too offensive. In fact, the movie review board here in the Philippines - where the majority of the population are Christians - were supposed to give in at "X" rating, but since no clear and direct attacks were made against the Christian faith, only an R-18 rating was given, which I think was very fitting. Why some countries would give this anything less is beyond me.
All in all, the only thing I took with me outside of the theater is the thought that Audrey Tautou and I are unexpectedly meant to be. This was a wonderful film, but nothing I will remember and appreciate beyond a week after viewing it, and probably something I won't pay for again.