The Da Vinci Code: A Review of the Most Controversial Film of the Year
As with any movie based on a novel, watchers are going into the film knowing the basic plotline: Langdon is implicated in the murder of Louvre curator Jacques Sauniere and narrowly avoids arrest by French police Captain Fache thanks to Sophie. It turns out Sauniere’s last message was a secret code meant for Sophie, his granddaughter, and that Fache interpreted the last line, “P.S. Find Robert Langdon,” to mean that Langdon was the killer. As Sophie and Langdon go on the run, they begin unraveling a mystery surrounding Jesus and Mary Magdalene, a mystery that the church and others want control of.
While fans of the novel will be pleased with most of the film, there are places were Goldsman’s changes to the storyline don’t make a lot of sense. Taking out the second cryptex puzzle is understandable. Why show the characters solving what is, essentially, the same puzzle twice? However, adding in a conversation between Langdon and Sophie where Langdon tells her that Jacque Sauniere was not her real grandfather is a bizarre change that doesn’t really make sense. Fortunately, there are very few of these odd changes in the movie, certainly not enough to make Dan Brown fans avoid the film.
The directing style of Ron Howard fits the film very well, and his scenes are full of intense action. The car chase scene, for example, has Sophie driving her tiny car up onto the sidewalks of Paris and dodging between garbage trucks. Howard perfectly crafts each scene, giving us the wide, awe-inspiring shots when needed (like at Rosslyn Chapel) and the close up, emotional shots during all the tense moments.
The special effects of the film work very well, also, although they do almost get cheesy in a few places. The flashbacks with the Knights Templar work very well, especially the overlay scene where we see Langdon and Sophie walking into Westminster Abbey while, overlaid on the modern setting, we see Newton’s funeral. Symbols or other important items glow or flash when the characters are talking about them, and while that may sound a little cheesy, it’s actually done quite well. The only time the special effects seem overdone is when Langdon is visualizing Newton’s tomb. The spinning planets and other objects are a little too much.
The score of the film fit the story very well. Sweeping overtures and quiet melodies made up much of the music, and like any good soundtrack, none of the music ever stood out in a bad way. Instead, it complimented each scene and helped reinforce the mood.
Finally, no review of The Da Vinci Code would be complete without mentioning the controversy surrounding the movie. Many religious groups have encouraged people to boycott the film because of the book’s themes, specifically the claim that Mary Magdalene was the wife of Jesus. While the movie presents the same views as the novel, it was not intended to be offensive, and many of the religious theories put forth are debated between the characters and questioned. Langdon, in fact, makes it clear at one point that he does not believe in the Magdalene theory, although he does seem to change his mind at the end. No matter what viewers of the film believe, they should keep in mind that the movie is fictional, and it does a good job of not preaching to the audience.
Fans of the novel won’t want to pass up the chance to see The Da Vinci Code. While it’s not completely true to the book, it still tells a very exciting story full of suspense, mystery, and action.
