A Con Hid Vice, Det

Rating: Null/10 (1 June 2006)

It was utterly predictable an outcome - a much anticipated screen adaptation of Dan Brown's indeed horribly written, but quite entertaining (and even somewhat thought-provoking - quite a feat for the area of contemporary mainstream entertainment) in terms of its plot, and certainly humanistic in terms of its message, "The Da Vinci Code" turning out to be a disappointment. What has become a surprise is the extent of it. Actually, it was an announcement of Ron Howard to become a director on this project that instantly turned a cheerful anticipation into a concerned apprehension. Mr. Howard is commonly known as a conscientious workman, but nothing more than that. While in this case some real creativity was needed. Well, judging by the result, even the director's not quite imaginative craftsmanship seems to have been seriously exaggerated.
The way in which the movie is made clearly suggests that its creators assumed that their potential audiences were acquainted with the book. I might be mistaken, but it's immaterial - a good portion of those who wound up as the viewers of this one, if not the overwhelming majority of them, WERE familiar with it. So I wonder if it ever occurred to the creators that they were actually supposed to come up with some idea in order to overcome this unfortunate circumstance? And if you come to think about it there was only one approach that gave a chance to stay faithful to the book and, at the same time, provide people with something which wouldn't reduce their experience to a dubiously entertaining undertaking of getting themselves acquainted with a weather forecast for yesterday.
To illustrate this point allow me a brief deviation. For any sentient viewer the ending of M. Night Shyamalan's minor "ghost" masterpiece is more than predictable - after all the answer is being delivered in plain words somewhere in the middle of the movie. Nonetheless, the finale with its "revelation" works out superbly and is indeed quite overwhelming. It's just that it's rather strikes you with its dramatic than surprising effect. That was exactly the way to go on this occasion.
The similar shift of emphasis - enigmas giving way to drama - might have saved this adaptation. Through creating a dense atmosphere, arranging meticulously all elements in every scene, introducing, if necessary, sensible alterations to the original developments, and engaging some real acting it was possible to try to shift accents from mysteries to the dramatic meaning behind their resolutions, characters' feelings about them and gradually transpiring behind each of those events the general message. Thus it was possible to repeat the effect as it occurred in the process of reading of the novel - despite the fact that, strictly speaking, none of those revelations would be something actually new to the audience. Consider, for instance, Mr. Shyamalan's ingenious use of a chain of subplots for deviating our attention in a very organic way from contemplating the obvious truth and creating the perfect emotional landscape which in turn is then used to sweep us away in the end. So it can be said that such an accomplishment was well within the capacities of a mortal. But, obviously, far beyond the abilities of two creative "corpses" who teamed up here to write and direct.
And , unfortunately, what we are offered instead as a result of their joint efforts is just an idiotic recountal of the novel's well-known events in pictures - obviously meant for those who failed to develop their reading skills. And properly speaking those pictures suck. The performers exchange their lines in a hasty manner which would be more appropriate for a first reading rehearsal. As to Mr. Howard's directing skills in general manifested here they simply seem laughable up to a certain point in the movie. After that point it ain't even funny anymore. Though the director has certainly managed to provide one single contribution to all the original mysteries - when for some profoundly enigmatic reasons decided to make Jurgen Prochnow with his "a working class hero is something to be" looks pose as a refined French aristocrat.
It also should be mentioned that Mr. Brown had probably made a mistake when he rejected the initial proposition to turn his book into a TV production. Had the material been properly rendered it might simply have exceeded all the reasonable time limitations applicable to a theatrical release. As it is the movie does the same thing - but in terms of its quality. And now what can be said? - A CON HID VICE, DET.