Dull, dull, dull.

Rating: 4/10 (4 June 2006)

For me this film was the equivalent to a visual dose of Vallium, it almost put me to sleep. You know a movie is bad when you keep looking at your watch. Indeed, this is one of those films.
One would think the novel is a perfect candidate for a summer blockbuster with its mix of religious controversy, conspiracy theories and romantic European settings but something got very lost in translation to the big screen. And coming from Ron Howard, of all people, that this film is such a big failure is somewhat puzzling.
I think one of the biggest errors came down to the casting of Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon. He simply is not believable in this role and appears to be merely sleep walking his way through it. His acting seems to set the tone for the entire movie - droll and lifeless. Audrey Tatou's beauty, Ian McKellen's fine acting and Paul Bettany's albino menace are just not enough to overcome this tone that permeates the final product.
Not all is bad. There is some very nice cinematography to be seen; the Louvre, Paris, the cathedrals all look stunning. I also thought the ending scene, Tom Hank's visit to the Louvre was wonderfully done and it really was the only time during the entire move that I actually felt something and was, dare I say it, moved.
One star for the cinematography, and one each for Tatou, McKellen and Bettany.
In the end, nothing I say will change anybody's mind from seeing this film! Having read the book you will feel absolutely compelled to see it (as I was) - just don't set your expectations very high at all. It may also be that those who haven't yet read the book are going to find much more enjoyment in the film, as was the case with my friend. Lucky them.