An insult to a great novel

Rating: 3/10 (8 June 2006)

This was the first time I had been to a movie where I had read the book first. It has proved to me the power of the written word. In fairness, there is no way the director could have fully captured the atmosphere of the book. The book was exceptional because of the detail and dedication to building up key moments in the plot. The movie although not dire, was a disappointment, compounded I am sure by the expectation from having read the novel. Hanks as Langdon was just a ridiculous choice. Having Hanks draws your attention to him rather than his character. His role should have been played by an unknown. The actor playing Sophie was better- more realistically fit the role. The rest of the cast was OK. The director although largely sticking to the plot, did not capture the drama and intensity of the novel. So many key moments were quickly skipped over. Some absolutely bizarre changes to the story were also made. To please fans of the novel, the filmmakers really needed to do a better job with details, and needed to generate the tension and anticipation of the book. Advised my friends to not waste their time with the movie, and instead read the book.