Fun and entertaining!

Rating: 8/10 (20 May 2006)

The movie adaptation of the Dan Brown novel "The Da Vinci Code" isn't your typical summer blockbuster thriller hit. The interesting thing about it is that even though it's not as good as the novel, the movie still finds that key audience and brings it home. I didn't expect much more than a fun edge of your seat pop corn flick, and that's why I wasn't entirely disappointed.
The movie pretty much follows the book dead on. It starts up with a death and an opening to a much larger mystery. The only thing I found a minor flaw is the lack of intensity and suspense the book so boldly created. While Ron Howard's god-like point of views and swinging camera movements create a magnificent cinematography, the action paid very little homage to the book. The "twists" weren't twists at all, but rather, a quick burst of a plot change that had the audience in absolutely no hysterical awe.
The acting was decent. Ian McKellen proved once again that he is one of our modern day's best actors, portraying Leigh Teabing in a much more animated way than I would have thought. And while he steals the spotlight, Tom Hanks (Robert Langdon) chooses to create a much more ordinary character. The more poignant role was that of Sophie Neveu, portrayed by Audrey Tatou. The sheer lack of believability that Audrey exhuberates to convince us that she is a genius cryptographer is almost as bad as her key monologues that fail to be clearly enunciated. But my personal favorite performance is Paul Bettany's creepy portrayal of the uber-creepy albino monk, Silas. His much underrated and overlooked ability to master the perfect accent and wow audiences with his convincing interpretation of an Opes Dei creation sticks through the entire film.
In all, "The Da Vinci Code" is a mind-boggling adventure ride. It spins our thoughts about a controversial topic and bounces us around with some pretty interesting ideas wonderfully portrayed on the screen. The score written by Hans Zimmer (Gladiator, Lion King) is perfect, and the set design is brilliant.
In all honesty, "The Da Vinci Code" is a movie that can be watched more than once, but not to over-analyze it and discuss the much talked about issue of religion, but because some audiences seem to forget that some movies are made for pure entertainment and nothing more. I really don't see the big deal with "The Da Vinci Code," it takes an approach to both sides of the argument about Christianity -- which is hilariously captured in a conversation between Leigh and Robert.
I'd give it an 8/10 for proving that the second biggest selling novel of all time can in fact be shown and be seen by all audiences without damaging the reputation of the novel itself.