DaVinci Code revitalized interest in religious history

Rating: 9/10 (19 May 2006)

I read the DaVinci Code over a year ago. Reading the book did prepare me a bit for the references to secret societies but the complexities of the various histories were hard to retain in memory, so the movie seemed fresh in that regard. I was more intrigued by the history of the use of symbols than the religious controversies.
The cinematography by Salvatore Totino is excellent. I love his use of colors, the blues, grays and shades of light. Totino's camera-work is an actor in this movie, too. The dialogue/ screenplay is crisp, respectful and occasionally amusing. Howard's direction is tasteful and excellent. The story jumped with energy and suspense.
I may never get to Paris or see the Louvre, so I found the movie's various settings intriguing.
Great acting by Hanks, Tautou, McKellen, Reno, Molina and others. I take exception to the previous reviewer, George Floyd's comments on Hanks' performance. I felt Hanks captured the sense of an academic caught unprepared in the middle of a violent power struggle. While I enjoyed Tautou's performance, her character was confusing to me. One minute she seemed in control then she slipped into confusion, and her input as a cryptographer was minimal.
It is a thought-provoking story that if treated respectfully by those who disagree with it's premise could be a vehicle to revitalize interest in religious history. While I was raised Methodist, I became a Unitarian Universalist at 18. So, questioning history and seeking facts appeals to me because, as a UU, I am an active participant in my own spirituality. Do I think the theories presented are true? I am not a historian but I feel there are some small truths buried in the complex theories of conspiracies. One fact and it is a fact, millions of women were killed during various witch hunts over the centuries and it saddens me that we, as humans, can be so cruel, for if Jesus stood for one thing, he stood for compassion and love of his fellow human beings.