Like Mona Lisa without her smile.

Rating: 6/10 (17 November 2007)

Java Man reviews "The Da Vinci Code" (2006, PG-13) Directed by Ron Howard Written by Akiva Goldsman. Based on the novel by Dan Brown. Starring Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Jurgen Prochnow, Paul Bettany & Jean Reno. This review originally appeared in LakewoodBuzz.com.
OVERVIEW:
Harvard Symbologist Robert Langdon (Hanks) is making a scholarly presentation in France when he is suddenly interrupted by Inspector Fache (Reno) of the Paris police. They go to the Louvre where Langdon's friend and colleague, museum curator Jacques Sauniere (Marielle), has been murdered by an Albino monk (Bettany). Before he dies, however, he manages to carve religious symbols into his skin and scrawl anagrams on the parquet floor with his own blood. Also at the scene is the department's Cryptologist, Sophie Neveu (Tautou), who warns Langdon that Fache is about to arrest him for the murder. The two escape and begin a complex quest to find the meaning of Sauniere's symbols, the identity of his killer, the mysterious men he works for and the location of the ultimate Macguffin: The Holy Grail.
REVIEW: 2 1/2 OUT OF 4 JAVA MUGS
Opus Dei is a Catholic organization, like the Knights of Columbus. But instead of sponsoring bingo games and holding raffles, they evidently busy themselves with 2,000-year old conspiracies that involve Albino monks, shadowy Cardinals, the Priories of Scion, Knights Templar and, of course, that naughty Mary Magdalene.
Because of its highly symbolic and mysterious liturgy, and because it is the oldest continuously operating institution on earth, the Catholic Church is an easy target for conspiracy theories. And some feel that this movie, and the pot boiler of a novel upon which it is based, might give offense to the Church's hierarchy. The truth is, the plot is far too ludicrous for anyone to take seriously. The group that should be most upset are art historians, who may cringe when McKellen's character manipulates Da Vinci's The Last Supper as though he were using the latest update of Photoshop.
But a preposterous plot can be overcome by appealing actors portraying characters who involve us in the action. This is nearly achieved by the supporting performances of McKellen as the eccentric liturgist, Reno as the suspicious cop, and Bettany as the creepy Albino. But ultimately it is the leads who let us down and fail to provide the steam needed to keep the pot boiling. Tautou tries hard, but Hanks is far too remote to even register as a complete character.
Technically, the film is brilliant, with fascinating European locations, suitably sinister interiors, sweeping cinematography, and sharp-eyed editing. An example of Howard's cutting technique is a chase scene that takes place in the Louvre. As Hanks and Tautou dash through the Da Vinci gallery, Howard cuts several times to details from Leonardo's masterpieces; these powerful images seem to come to life and briefly become characters themselves. The problem, of course, is that inanimate works of art become more fascinating than the living characters rushing past them.
A pretty picture without personality is like Mona Lisa without her smile.