A lesson in mediocrity

Rating: 3/10 (27 May 2006)

Yes, the old rule still applies; the book was better than the movie.
Its not that the film was 'bad'. It just wasn't good. Instead it was lackluster, simply going through the motions. Its as though Ron Howard and screen-writer Akiva Goldsman were creating this movie with the assumption that everybody and their grandmother had read Dan Brown's book and really just wanted to see what was on the page translated into images - its as though they knew that nobody expected much more from them than a competent translation from book to film. Unfortunately Tom Hanks in the pivotal role of Robert Langdon does not seem to have translated into most reader's conceptions of Brown's character. I agree with the general consensus on the casting of Tom Hanks; he's too old and not savvy enough; in the book Langdon is described as being like Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones, this is so far from being Tom Hanks its laughable. And it seems Hanks didn't have much confidence in himself either; his apprehension comes across, which means a huge chunk of the Langdon persona is missing from Hanks' portrayal. Most reviews I have read take a bigger bite out of Hanks than what I have just done, while agreeing that Audrey Tautou's talents are underused but she is bearable. Ian McKellen and Paul Bettany have been hailed as the film's saviors; but personally I think all the actors come across as being pretty run of the mill. All are undoubtedly talented; it's just that 'The DaVinci Code' seems to have put them all to sleep.
This is a very long film too; 149 minutes. I was yawning after about 40 minutes. While watching the film I was trying to imagine how someone who had not read the book would perceive the movie. Somehow I doubt it would manage to hold interest. I think the only reason I stayed awake until the end was simply to see how certain scenes translated onto the big screen; the mystery, for anyone who hadn't read the book and knew how all the pieces of the puzzle fit together; wouldn't have been particularly enthralled