I hit the first local showing and there wasn’t even a crowd - ah, the benefits of retirement . Has anybody else seen this movie yet? Comments?
I heard the film really got panned by the critics. Tom Hanks wouldn’t be my first choice. But really, I am getting far more entertainment out of all the secondary films generated to explain all the bogosity in the original book, which itself ripped off most of its ideas from other conspiracy books, who ripped off their ideas from previous sensationalist reports etc. etc.
djm
This might be a case where the critics provide little or no proper guidance. My own suspicion is that, like Mel Gibson’s Jesus film, the critics attitudes may be informed by more than just objective assessments of the movie’s story, actng and technique.
All I can say is that the middle-aged and older audience I saw it with seemed to enjoy the movie immensely, as did I.
I definitely intend to see it soon. I found the book to be an interesting, fast paced story with an interesting premise. Many critics made fun of the books “turgid expository prose” as if they were critiqueing a great work of literature. C’mon guys: this is escapist fiction and as such I think it did a good job. I’m hoping the movie is as entertaining.
I didn’t expect a great work of literature. I love escapist fiction as much as anyone. (A lot more, according to my wife.) But there are certain minimum standards of writing which make a story readable. If you can turn a blind eye to it, good for you. But this came across as if the manuscript were written in crayon.
Never mind the writing, the plot was like a string vest - and I’m not going into it on the level of nit-pickers who observe that they drove the wrong way down a one-way street in Paris. As soon as they started into the works of Da Vinci, my heart sank. If you buy into the Jesus myth then this story will have an emotional impact for you which you may enjoy. If you don’t then it is an utter nonsense.
And having said all that, and admitted that I haven’t seen the film, it is possible it is an enjoyable film. I enjoyed “Helsing” and that was complete twaddle. This is twaddle, too. but it might be an enjoyable film.
I think Ron Howard is over-rated. Any movie I’ve seen that he directed I didn’t care for much, even the highly touted A Beautiful Mind. I don’t know what it is I just think he does kind of a hokey job.
Sit on it, Cunningham…
It’s hard to make a good movie from a dull book. I finished reading the book last Thursday. (I always wait for the paperback.) It just wasn’t very good. I read Angels and Demons several years ago, just before the DaVinci Code began. It has a very similar set up and is a much better book. Better, faster action; more complex art history mysteries; more complex characters (Langdon is still the lead - not much depth there)
Several friends saw the movie. They say it’s an okay action/mystery film. I’ll wait for the dvd, next week.
Usually when studios open a film on every available screen, they don’t expect it to last long. Last evening we drove by the local, indepentent, single screen theatre that shows independent or “off new release” films. Even they had DaVinci Code. It will be on TV this Fall.
Lambchop sent me the book some months ago, but I couldn’t make myself read it. It seemed so boring, so I gave it away. I don’t watch movies, but if I did I don’t think I’d watch this one.
I thought it was a great read, but have no desire to see the movie. I thought two things made it a really good book. The fast pace, which wasn’t any faster than any action movie. And the ideas, which really can’t be presented in any depth in a couple of hours.
FWIW, Roger Ebert liked it.
Leonardo! It’s Leonardo!
Sorry. Just needed to let that out. I feel better now. Please carry on with the discussion.
P.S. I found the book fast-paced and fun, the concept interesting and amusing… but Brown’s writing… umm, let’s just say he’s not a writer for the ages. But who am I to talk? I caught myself almost writing, “prose style,” there.
I doubt I’ll get to see the film in the theatre…but this will definitely be one to watch. (I rarely get to see any film in the theatre.)
We’ll get it when it hits DVD.
–James
Actually, according to all reliable evidence, Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married, had children, who moved to Spain, and their descendants then emigrated to the New World late in the 19th Century. They are now living in the UP of Michigan, and they run a convenience store with Elvis… 
With best regards to all,
Steve Mack
PS: This information brought to you by the same folks who did the Gospel of Judas interview, three hundred years after his death, on an early Ampex reel-to-reel tape recorder… 
I saw it on Friday night.
If you have read the book, you’ll will probably think its kind of plodding because it has to explain so much. If you haven’t, and have never heard the various grail theories, you might think it’s a very interesting thriller.
I haven’t read the book but know the theories and read “Holy Blood, Holy Grail” back when it came out (1983).. I found the movie to have some intense moments, but the whole effect of the movie was that of a docudrama, where the real details and the explanations pull down the potential dynamics of your usual fictional screenplay.
I tend to think it’s worth waiting to see on video. I didn’t feel that being in the movie theatre with the big screen did that much for the experience of seeing it. The other Weekender thinks the same way, that its not necessary to see it on the big screen.
It’s interesting to observe that no matter if he’s portrayed positively or negatively, as a man only or as the Son of God, as a sexual being with a wife and child, or simply as a “great teacher” people all over the world always seem to have such an immense interest in all things surrounding Jesus. This movie and book phenomena seem to be no exception.
I haven’t seen it, and will likely see it when it comes out on DVD. I’ve heard/read a lot of reporting on it, though.
I hope I’m not revealing too much here.
Apparently, it has a line that places it in a class by itself among movie thrillers:
“I’ve got to get to the library fast!”
Best wishes,
Jerry
Definately. As a Christian I find the ideas in the book blasphemous, and as a rational human being I find them unreasonable, but I find it amazing that even distorting His image people remain obsessed with Him, and I’m looking forward to the oppurtunities I get to answer peoples’ questions about the real Jesus Christ (not that I know much myself, but that’s all the more reason to do my research- and our copy of the book should be coming in soon).
I agree, of course. Have fun reading!