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"Da Vinci" doesn't crack the code. |
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Contributed by MICHAEL JAMES ALLEN
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Saturday, 20 May 2006 |
I must confess I started but never finished Dan Brown’s “The Da Vinci Code.” I just couldn’t see why there was so much interest in what was essentially airport reading, a glorified Dean Koontz novel. I do remember thinking, however, that while the writing was sloppy and the story seemed like pulp, it might make one hell of a movie. Well, here comes that movie version and boy, was I wrong.
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"The Da Vinci Code"
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 Entertainment
 Art
Directed by Ron Howard
Written by Akiva Goldsman
Based on the book by Dan Brown
Starring Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, and Ian McKellen
Rated PG-13 for disturbing images, violence, some nudity, thematic material, brief drug references, and sexual content
Released May 19, 2006 |
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But perhaps not. The story itself, filled with twists and turns and intrigue, seems like the perfect candidate for a big, dumb popcorn movie. The problem is that everyone involved is taking it way too seriously. Any film that starts out with a bunch of characters running around the Louvre as though it were a playground is not something I would call heavy drama. It’s funny and exciting. And yet, director Ron Howard and writer Akiva Goldsman don’t seem to be in on the joke.
The film’s hero is Robert Langdon, played by Tom Hanks looking either extremely tired or just sorely missing Hooch. Langdon is a symbologist (although what that is I’m still not sure) called in to investigate a dead body found at the Louvre. The body is covered in symbols and code, so his skills are apparently needed. Along the way he teams up with French cryptologist (Audrey Tautou), and the two begin following clues that could reveal one of the greatest secrets of all time. I won’t reveal what that secret is, even though half the planet already knows based on the book sale numbers. It deals though with a mysterious Christian sect, led by Bishop Aringarosa (Alfred Molina) who is determined to stop Langdon before the truth is revealed.
“The Da Vinci Code” isn’t horrible, but it isn’t very fun either. The dialogue is so serious that it looks like it pains most of the actors to say it. The only exception to this is Ian McKellen, as one of Langdon’s colleagues, who relishes in the silly stuff and gets what few laughs the movie offers. It should also be noted that Paul Bettany, playing an albino monk assassin of all things, does a great job at being creepy. Everyone else, however, seems lost, unsure as to why things are so grave. The film is also way too long, clocking in at almost three hours. An hour and a half into it I found myself thrilling along with the story, but by the end I was tapping my foot almost as much as I was rolling my eyes.
“The Da Vinci Code” (along with the so-so “Mission Impossible III” and the heinous “Poseidon”) starts off what looks to be a very underwhelming summer season. Summer movies, regardless of the genre, are all about having fun. Unfortunately, this film is anything but. Powered by AkoComment 2.0! |
