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| Value for Money | 6.5/10  |
|---|---|
| Reviewer Rating | 6.1/10 |
| Overall Rating | 5.9/10  |
| Da Vinci Code Decoded |  | £11.99P&P - Check site |
| The Da Vinci Code/Gladiator | | £10.97P&P - Check site |
| The Da Vinci Code | | £19.47P&P - Check site |
| Origins Of The Da Vinci Code | | £11.99P&P - Check site |
| The Real Da Vinci Code | | £11.99P&P - Check site |
Full review by
Michelle Moore
on 25th May 2007
User Rating : 8
Respect :
0
One of the most talked about novels of recent years has given the Hollywood treatment. This adaptation of the Dan Brown best selling novel was one of the most anticipated films of 2006, but the important question is, did it live up to all its hype?
After the murder of a Museum curator in the Louve, the truth behind a 2000-year-old secret is about to be unveiled. Symbologist Robert Langdon is called in to shed some light of what has happened. Cryptologist, Sophie Neveu, the granddaughter of the creator murdered, Jacques Sauni re, does no believe this is just a murder. Before he died, Sauni re hid a series of clues, involving the pentagram, Leonardo's Mona Lisa to lead these characters to the truth. After solving the initial clues, the pair unlock a safety deposit box, inside which is a rosewood container containing a cryptex: a cylindrical container which can only be opened with a code word, and holds a parchment message inside. Using force to open the cryptex would break a vial of vinegar inside, which would dissolve the parchment and destroy the message. Now wanted criminals, it isn't long before the police turn up at the bank. They head to the home of Leigh Teabing, who may be of assistance to opening the cryptex. Leigh explains the secrets of the Holy Grail are as follows:
The figure at the right hand of Jesus is Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene was the wife of Jesus Christ and was pregnant with his child when Jesus was crucified.
The absence of a chalice in the Last Supper painting supposedly indicates Leonardo knew Mary Magdalene was the Holy Grail
The Old French expression for the Holy Grail, San gr al, is a play on Sang r al, which literally means "royal blood" in Old French.
The Grail relics consist of the documents that testify to the bloodline, as well as the actual bones of Mary Magdalene.
The Priory of Sion and the Knights Templar were organized to keep the secret.
The Catholic Church has spent two thousand years not merely concealing this but enforcing its distaste for the feminine.
After being chased through London by French police and a psychopath albino monk, Sibila's, Langdon and Sophie come across a place where the Holy Grail used to reside. Here, Sophie finds her grandfather's associates who encourage her to stay with them for the truth. Back in France, a light bulb goes off in Langdon's head and he soon discovers that the Holy Grail is back where the story began, in the Louve.
Verdict
Although Hanks as Professor Robert Langdon leaves a fair amount to be desired, he is his usual chameleon type self, totally immersing himself in the character. Ian McKellen, as Grail expert Leigh Teabing, injects some life into the affair through the simple glee he brings to the role. He is truly excited to be part of something he has worked his entire life for. Tatou as the code-busting French police officer models a discreetly professional style. Sophie Neveu is plausible and keeps the couple one step ahead of anyone else.
Critical response to this film was mostly negative, and thus failed to live up to the hype it received. Because of some controversial interpretations of Christian history, both the book and movie have been the target of criticism by the Roman Catholic Church. Many of the early showings were accompanied by protesters outside the movie theatres, and early critical reviews were decidedly mixed. Many critics described the film as boring, full of absurd plot twists, and excessively anti-Christian and unhistorical. This movie is based on a fictional story. Why people need to express hatred over this because of their religious beliefs is beyond me. No one is saying that Christianity is wrong, and that this story is right. The book is classified as FICTION, not THEOLOGY!
Even with all the criticism, this didn't stop the film from becoming a HUGE success. Millions of readers, including myself, have read Dan Brown's Vatican conspiracy thriller and loved it; hence we loved the film too. They did a great job adapting the book to film, and although not everything was there, they did the best they could, and I was impressed. I did prefer the book ending to the movie version though. Watching the film put a new perspective on the book, since your imagination makes things very different reading them as to watching them. Seeing the movie allowed me to look at it differently, which made it all that more exciting.
In the film, we are invited to believe that the Catholic church has been preserving the idea that Christ was wholly divine, while a secret society of good men (Isaac Newton, Leonardo Da Vinci and the Louvre's Jacques Sauniere among them) have been protecting the descendants of a human Christ and his bride, Mary Magdalene, embodiment of the eternal feminine. I am a Christian, and love the film. That is exactly what it is, a made up tale. Although, most stories do have elements of truth inter laid between them, and I wouldn't be surprised if this one does.
Michelle Moore's review and ratings | 862 words
Review by
rds1
on 16th Mar 2007
User Rating : 8
Respect :
0
I think this film was always going to be popular with some and unpopular with others. Just like with the Harry Potter films. People who read the books first aren't usually very impressed with the films, and people who haven't read the books usually enjoy the films.
I read lots of books and am quite well read. However, I have never been able to read the Da Vinci code. I have picked it up to read several times and usually a book of this size takes me a couple of days max. But I simply can't get p ...
rds1's full review | 381 words
Review by
theshootist
on 20th Feb 2007
User Rating : 6
Respect :
0
All reviews are subjective and based on perrsonal taste, especially movies and books. As I am not an avid reader (4 books per year), I can honestly say that after reading the book and seeing the movie afterwards, books ARE always better than their movie counterparts.
Tom Hanks didn't fill the role of the main character as I had envisioned while reading the book, not to mention his hair.
Honestly, if you didn't read the book, the movie could really be dull in spots and drag on.
Although the ...
theshootist's full review | 136 words
Review by
steviejones
on 4th Jan 2007
User Rating : 4
Respect :
+3
The Da Vinci Code, while staying loyal to the very readable book, somehow manages to be surprisingly dull. In fact it is so much like the book that there seems little point in, having read it, seeing it. That being said, It is hard to see how this on-screen adaptation could have been any better, it being scripted and acted relatively well. It seems that Dan Brown's best-seller just didn't translate to big-budget cinema.
steviejones's full review | 118 words | 
January 2007 Competition winner. | 1 comment added.
Review by
templd
on 7th Aug 2006
User Rating : 5
Respect :
0
What a great book The Da Vinci Code is, unfortunately it was turned into a mediocre film!
Do yourself a favour and read the book instead, along with Angels and Demons, which is even better!
templd's full review | 35 words
Review by
readavy
on 9th Jun 2006
User Rating : 8
Respect :
0
Unlike most people I waited for the The Da Vinci Code film and found it quite plausible and at times quite believable. People who read the book first would always be comparing them. If this had been a straight forward Holywood film (not based on a book) it would have got far better reviews. The acting is really strong especially from Sir Ian and the storyline? Who can really say for sure Davy
readavy's full review | 82 words
Review by
TERRYCHRISTIE
on 22nd May 2006
User Rating : 4
Respect :
-2
The Da Vinci Code is rubbish and if you think it is not then I seriously question your judgement. Maybe you like being bored and listening to indecipherable nonsense being talked.
TERRYCHRISTIE's full review | 71 words | 1 comment added.
Review by
Hank
expert review 
on 22nd May 2006
User Rating : 6
Respect :
+3
Would I recommend the Da Vinci Code? Tough question. If you have read the book then I would say you should give the film a go to see how it plays out onto the big screen. If you've not read it then I think you'd wonder what all the fuss was about judging from this film.
I have to admit I was looking forward to this film in a big way and felt pretty letdown by it at some points. The film starts off well enough but by the end, unfortunately, you just want them to wrap it up and call it a night. ...
Hank's full review | 417 words | 4 comments added.
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