Holy Blood, Holy Grail, Holy ____

Rating: 10/10 (1 February 2007)

This is a film basically based on two books: "The Davinci Code" itself by Brown and "Holy Blood|Holy Grail" by Lincoln/Leigh and Baigent (Teabing). I care not if this film and books are "sacreligious" - I care not, if the film and books are based on actual history or any fiction or "hoax"- And I refuse to discuss my personal Faith with anyone who is not willing to just accept a thing for what it is... Be it Fiction, or Non-Fiction Religious or Secular. All I can do, and all I wish to do, is give my personal 2 cents about what this film did for me.
As of this time I have not read the book: Which is a plus for me for this film. I was only marginally aware of the concept of Holy Grail vs Holy Bloodline.
This film introduces a guy named Dr. Robert Langdon. In Film-Land: We have never met him before, therefore, Akiva Goldsman has created an introduction to the character in the beginning of the film- this is accentuated by the cuts to a murder being committed at the same time.
Little time is wasted getting us into the story, it begins the moment Langdon steps foot into the Louvre. Brown's book deals with a secret: In this film we are given the choice about that secret, maybe that same choice is given to us as readers of the book. If the "Secret" of the film revealed to us is true (in terms of the film only), how are we going to react to it? This question is the basis of the conflict of the film. The activities of the characters in this film are all based on this. Some people are afraid and react in a certain way, others are not afraid but want to use this secret to destroy. Still others are actually curious, and therefore, try to use what little resources they have to attempt to find out what is really happening.
These three motivations: Fear, Curiosity and the seeking of Power are intertwined throughout the film: And as each level of the plot is revealed, we are genuinely surprised at several different moments. There are a few places where we can successfully guess what is next, but by that time we are hit over the head with something else.
This film is also an Odyssey: Beginning in France, then over to England and Scotland, we see some of the most magnificent locations ever shown in a dramatic film. The shots interior The Louvre are worth seeing, as are the exteriors Scotland.
I have heard both Pro and con Tom Hanks as Langdon, and my personal opinion is that of the hair did not work, should have been left curly. I do not know if the Sophie Neveux in the film is acceptable as what she appears as, even after three or four viewings of this film. Sir Ian McKlellan is excellently cast as Baigent/Teabing- And Jean Reno is extremely excellently cast as Captain Bezu Fache. Impressive is Paul Bettany as Silas, and other characters played by Jurgen Prochnow, Alfred Molina are fairly believable- The supporting cast does exactly that... Supports.
I could get on my own personal soapbox about the subject of the "Secret" of this film. But regarding, at least, this rendition of the story, as Ron Howard presents it: We have the same choice as the characters in the film: Fear, Curiosity, or Search for Power. Since it is ridiculous for us as mere viewers of the film to even think about the last choice: We are therefore as viewers only given two choices: Fear or Curiosity.
And historically, Fear is the reason for all of the worst acts of Human Beings toward other Human Beings that have ever been recorded, not recorded, or erased from history.
Also historically is the fact that Human Curiosity has given the Human Race all of the technological and even spiritual advances we now in this day enjoy: One of those being freedom of religion, another being Film.
So I personally accepted Curiosity as my motive for watching the film. In the film, Hanks poses a question: A person that may have the blood of Christ running in their veins... Would that person seek to increase faith on Earth or would they act to destroy it? This film and both of the books that it is based upon is just a Modern-Day Grail Romance, and should be treated as such.