Make your own mind up...

Rating: 8/10 (19 May 2006)

I have just returned from the cinema after watching Ron Howard's "Da Vinci Code" and would like to say that a lot of the criticisms of the film aren't actually aimed at the film they seemed instead to be aimed at the adaptation from book to movie. Having read the book on a number of occasions I was well aware of the story and had already built up an idea of what the story might look like, feel like sound like etc through my imagination whilst reading the story. Now what has happened with The Da Vinci Code is something that is quite rare in the film world... and this is it, everyone from film journalists to my little sister are a critic! Because this film is based on one of the most widely read and talked about books of our time it means that the story, characters etc. already hold a part in our lives. And so when a movie comes out about a book which has fascinated and intrigued so many people then it is only natural that a lot of people aren't going to be able to go and watch this film without pre conceived ideas and emotions. As a film I thought it was very good. I go to the cinema to be entertained, to be questioned and to look at films aesthetics. And on that basis I found this film (not book) to be very entertaining, very interesting (it got me and my friends talking about things other than the football etc!) and I felt that on the most part the film had a very nice feel and look about it. Unfortunately as I have mentioned this film will never and to a lot of people should never be seen as just a film. It is a story that is obviously linked to an existing story- Dan Browns "The Da Vinci Code" A book that touched millions of people, and is of course linked to another great story- Christianity. And a lot of people won't accept the film without also thinking of the book. And another thing that a lot of these people won't understand (and I included those single minded journalists who were at the Cannes Premier) is that you cannot possibly include the amount of detail that a book like "The Da Vinci Code" does into a two and a half hour film... it can't be done. But with the build up and hype that surrounded this film I can just imagine the so called Film journalists/critics sharpening their knives and licking their lips in anticipation for the release of this film so that they could find ways of tearing it apart. And for those people who were put off after seeing the movie because of its "lack of" detail then I'm sure there will be an extended DVD edition released. As a lover and student of film I have always made the point and taken the stance that I will not listen and believe in film reviews... unfortunately for one they are a persons opinion (personal to that person) and two they always carry some sort of agenda and bias... this is another occasion in which people should go and see this film for themselves, then make your own mind up... Andrew Hiscoke