If you've read the book...

Rating: 6/10 (10 December 2006)

I finally got around to watching it!
The Holy Grail of Religion Studies movies!
Thats right...
The Da Vinci Code.
Let me preface this review by saying that in general, those who approach religion in an academic setting (like myself and my colleagues) generally don't have much time for stuff like The Da Vinci Code, where completely false theories are given credit they don't deserve, and millions are convinced of something absurd.
I don't feel that way. I liked the book. It was fun. It was not an insult, because reading a page-turner with cliff-hanger chapters and a ridiculous plot is a good way to waste a day. So intellectual elitism aside, I think the book is worth the few hours it takes to read. And I think Angels and Demons is even better...
But I need to suggest that if you read the book, you can probably skip the movie. It doesn't really bring anything new to the table. A lot of time passed between my reading the book and seeing the movie, so maybe I slipped out of the groove, but the adaptation seemed dogmatic, and lacking in any real creativity.
The historical flashbacks were a good idea, I think, and and interesting mechanism to get around the storytelling that takes place in the novel, as were some of the visual effects used to demonstrate Prof. Langdon's thought process. There are hardly reasons to rush out and buy/rent this movie, however.
Some of the performances were pretty good, all in all. Its always a treat to see Ian McKellan, and I liked Hanks, even though I remember there being a general outcry around the time of the release. It's true that I didn't feel the chemistry between him and Audrey Tautou, which may have improved issues, but French/American relations have been strained, so I don't blame them.
One of the best parts was watching the City of Paris, where I spent a month this summer. Nice place, that Paris...
So, overall, I give the movie a "Only if there is nothing else on TV". My Girlfriend didn't watch it, so no vote there...
The book is worth a read over the holidays if you have nothing to do, as well...
Just don't believe everything you read...