some light viewing

Rating: 7/10 (30 December 2006)

Director Ron Howard has made a variety of interesting films over the years that rarely allow his work to be pigeon-holed, nor in many cases particularly respected. "The Da Vinci Code" continues with that legacy. Here he has adapted Dan Brown's overrated best selling novel that was easily torn through on any given Saturday afternoon. The book was well-researched but not great literature, however it made for an entertaining read.
The film equivalent stars Tom Hanks, who was no doubt the most recognizable and diplomatic choice for the lead role. He fills the shoes of Dr. Robert Langdon, the embodiment of a smarter, whip-less Indiana Jones, who finds himself caught in the mysterious circumstances surrounding a ritual murder in the Louvre. The quest he finds himself at the center of opens a can of worms able to cause a litany of consequences beyond the scope of the film itself.
"The Da Vinci Code" is a solidly made, complex religious thriller with a beautiful visual landscape to share that might have been too faithful to the manipulations of the novel, but it's nonetheless a worthy substitute. This is classic Hollywood film-making just the way someone like Ron Howard does best!