Seek the Truth...
Movie The Da Vinci Code
The Plot(screenit.com)
Robert Langdon (TOM HANKS) is a Harvard based professor of religious symbology who’s in France delivering a speech based on his work when he’s approached by police Lt. Collet (ETIENNE CHICOT) and special agent Captain Bezu Fache (JEAN RENO). It seems that a Louvre curator he was supposed to have met for drinks has been found dead and the officials have some questions for Robert. Just then, the victim’s granddaughter, French police cryptologist Sophie Neveu (AUDREY TAUTOU), shows up and informs Robert that he’s in grave danger, specifically from Bezu.
It seems that Bishop Aringarosa (ALFRED MOLINA) called the agent, informing him that Robert was the murderer, when the real culprit was an albino monk by the name of Silas (PAUL BETTANY) who’s been killing off guardians of a secret society under orders from a nebulous party known as "the teacher." Managing to elude Bezu and his men, Robert and Sophie find several clues left for them near the victim’s body that lead to even more scattered about the museum.
That eventually leads them to Robert’s former associate, Holy Grail historian Sir Leigh Teabing (IAN McKELLEN) who believes their findings reinforce his belief that Christ was not a deity, but rather a mere mortal who fathered a child with Mary Magdalene. He goes on to say that a secret society has existed for several millennia whose sole purpose is protecting their descendents, all as the Church has covered up that fact through lies and murder.
Robert and Sophie are skeptical of such wild-sounding allegations that include Leigh’s unusual belief that the Holy Grail is not the chalice from the Last Supper, but rather Mary Magdalene. Even so, they realize various forces are intent on finding the Grail and thus set out to get to the bottom of this mystery, all while trying to avoid Bezu, Silas and others who are after them and the knowledge and evidence they’re collecting along the way.
My Review
Wow...what a wait! I read the book by Dan Brown in early 2004 and ever since I was yearning to watch the movie version. And I must say....the movie entertained me as good as the book did. The scenes were better than what I imagined when I read the book.
Scenes in the movie like Sophie Neveu & Robert Langdon’s meeting with Teabing when they discover what the Holy Grail truly is, Sophie Neveu finally discovering the truth of her origin and the climax scene of Robert Langdon brought the same kind of euphoria I felt after reading the book. And for this, I must credit the master director Ron Howard (director of A Beautiful Mind & The Cinderella Man). Author Dan Brown must be a happy man to see his book being made into an equally good movie.
And the background music was beautiful & apt too.
What were the critics thinking? How many of them read the book? Did half of them understand atleast half of the story?! :) I think that’s why the brickbats because they didn’t grasp so many aspects of the story.
Impressive performances from every cast. The best came from Ian Mckellan (X-men, wizard Gandalf in Lord of the Rings) as Sir. Teabing. And also Paul Bettany (leading role in Wimbledon) as Silas was very good. Alfred Molina (villain Dr. Otto Octavius in Spider man 2) as Bishop Manuel Aringarosa also deserves special mention.
On the flip side, I wished talented actors like Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon and Audrey Tautou as Sophie Neveu should have showed more life in their expressions. They were good but not good enough...
Director - Ron Howard
Year - 2006
Starring - Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian Mckellan, Paul Bettany, Alfred Molina
My verdict - Memorable. Have you read the book & enjoyed it? Then you will love the movie for sure.