The much anticipated film version did justice to Brown's famous yarn - the fact that they did it within the 'economy' of 2 hours 29 minutes is no trivial task

Rating: 7/10 (23 May 2006)

Applause to director Ron Howard and writer Akiva Goldsman - what a daunting task of trying to condense the 454 pages of detail from Dan Brown's book to screen. The film version will have to stand on its own - it's a mystery-suspense Hollywood movie. The myriad of back-stories are selectively dispensed of or being audio-visually presented in overlapping/simultaneous effect, so the 'historical' explanations and 'technical' rationales are not short-changed. The story is successfully delivered. It's rather marvelous to see how particular descriptions are cinematically interpreted.
I have read the book the summer of 2004. I actually read all four (back to back) of Dan Brown's novels: Angels and Demons; Deception Point; Digital Fortress; and, The Da Vinci Code. Somehow the details I remember most are from "Angels and Demons." Perhaps the Rome locations were fresh in my mind as I was just there in April and visited multiple times the Vatican City, St. Peter's Basilica, Papal Mass and all.
Audrey Tautou is truly perfect for the role of Sophie Neveu playing along side Tom Hank's Robert Langdon. There is such an air of sincerity in their quest for the 'truth' behind that wooden box with a rose. Tautou's wistful "Amelie" expressions mixed with earnest "A Very Long Engagement" inquisitiveness, missing nary a hint of regal descent, she is. Hanks the professor, the 'symbologist', the ever resourceful optimist, a problem analyzing continuum, he is. With the always animated, 'fathomless' reservoir of knowledge is Sir Ian McKellen as the essential Sir Leigh Teabing - delightful as ever. The thoughtful and lavish casting and production, along with Hans Zimmer's score, enhanced the atmosphere and made the puzzles of anagrams, symbols, 'cryptex' all the more fun to follow. They did it: all the key points and elements are there on screen. The Da Vinci Code - the movie, is an achievement in itself, thanks to the collaboration of Columbia Pictures and Imagine Entertainment, producers with Brian Grazer and John Calley, and executive producers with author Dan Brown himself. Give it a fair chance - see it and enjoy.