Pulp fiction...ordinary thriller given too much attention because of controversial theme...

Rating: 6/10 (24 May 2006)

If you approach watching a film like THE DA VINCI CODE as a thriller (and forget all the mumble jumble about the history of the Roman Catholic Church), it works on an elementary level. The background score (a very busy one) by Hans Zimmer gives it the required element of suspense even when two characters are merely giving you a lot of exposition to make the plot easier to follow.
Unfortunately, it would take someone more familiar with this material to truly enjoy the movie as a serious look at the dark side of Christianity and its symbols that never quite make complete sense. And so, I will review the film on the level of a thriller that has added a controversial theme to attract a large audience ready to put on its thinking cap and at least ponder what might have been.
Ron Howard has seen to it that the controversial elements have been toned down considerably from the book, without eliminating them entirely. But on the debit side, most of the photography is too dark (intentionally so, I presume to keep an air of mystery going), the explanations come at a slow pace but there are too many to keep the plot from moving forward the way it should in a thriller of this kind, and the acting is, for the most part, not extraordinary.
TOM HANKS gives a very understated performance in a role that is, for the most part, rather bland. He plays the role straight, without any emphasis on his lighter side, but one almost wishes for some trace of wit or humor in the role. His French cohort AUDREY TAUTOU has an accent that makes some of her key words undecipherable (at least to me) in a film where every bit of relevant material needs to be handed to the viewer who wants to catch all the clues.
Only Ian McKellen sparkles in a supporting role, bringing flashes of humor and intelligence to a well-written role. Alfred Molina as a Bishop has little opportunity to be more than slightly interesting. The most striking and intense supporting role goes to Paul Bettany as Silas, the albino who has his own interpretation of what he must do to please the Lord. He has a few masochistic scenes that dole out the required chills and he has a look of quiet menace and desperation in his eyes.
All in all, I'd say this should please readers of the book. Howard has done as good a job as possible with the bulky twists and turns of the novel and translated a popular work of pulp fiction into a movie that will undoubtedly be seen by audiences looking for a summer blockbuster.
Summing up: A good workmanlike job by a movie that really doesn't ask the viewer to take it too seriously. It's more like an espionage thriller with a dose of religiosity thrown in.