An adaptation faithful to the original book.

Rating: 9/10 (26 June 2016)

Based on the homonyms best seller by Dan Brown, this film begins in the Louvre, where a crime and several clues hidden in Da Vinci's works takes the symbologist Robert Langdon in an unexpected treasure hunt. Directed by Ron Howard, the film has a screenplay by Akiva Goldsman, and a cast headed by Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou.
The cinema has always had difficulty in please the public when it decides to make the adaptation of a best-known literary work. For me, an avid reader, a film can rarely be better than the original book. There are always chapters that are cutted or adapted in a less well accomplished way. But that doesn't mean that the film is bad (well, sometimes it is). In this case, the adaptation isn't bad, following the book very faithfully. And that is essential.
The actors are excellent and were quite good in their roles. Despite some minor flaws, they all shone and gave credibility to their characters. Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou managed to give soul, ingenuity and charm to Langdon and Neveu, managing to soften the audience in some scenes without, however, never assert themselves as a romantic couple because, in fact, they weren't. Ian McKellen, as expected, was impeccable in the role of the academic Sir Leigh, and gave a great liveliness to the film with his British manners and careful diction. Paul Bettany surprised in the role of the monk Silas, a religious fanatic. He was truly unrecognizable. Finally a word of recognition for Jean Reno, who returned to make a detective (he already had a similar role in "Les Rivières Pourpres"), again with great clearance. The special, visual and sound effects were excellent but unobtrusive; the photography, a bit dark and nebulous sometimes, contributed to thicken the mysterious environment in which the film unfolds. The soundtrack, done by Hans Zimmer, was perfect.
In conclusion: the film is very good and is faithful to the original book but, to properly appreciate it, we have to resist to make many comparisons. The book is so good that, usually, too much increases our expectations for the film.