DaVinci Code
DaVinci Code
I had to listen to some woman behind me in line at Borders talk about how much she hated the DVC because it "only confused the young people of today" and that she had "no intention of seeing it even it wouldn't probably be sold out." The theatre was packed, my "date" was late and I wasn't sitting in my preferred place. The movie was 2.5 hours long and I had to deal with "christians" before and after the film wanting to hand me flyers and pamphlets.
I've read the book and thought it was fun. I've listened to WAY too many preachers talk about the 'inaccuracies' in the book, all the while never bothering with the ACCURACIES and honest-to-goodness ARGUMENTS it puts forth... none of them original to the book, mind you, but still. I've read other books about some of those theories and was excited to see them used in such a fun little mystery/chase book but was still curious how they would pull it off in the movie. Sure, there are chase scenes in the book but much of it is mental and conversational. Puzzles and lectures and discussions and so on and so on. This isn't exactly seat-gripping action.
Now with all that said, I liked this movie. I really liked it. I had fun. I knew the story and knew the solutions to the puzzles and knew all the twists and turns and so on but was still enthralled with it. Hanks wasn't the perfect choice, even Dan Brown commented on that. But we haven't perfected CGI enough to where it would be feasible to use a "young Harrison Ford" and Hanks did a fine job. The whole cast did a fine job. Paul Bettany as Silas was interesting but works. He may only be REALLY pale instead of an albino but so what, it works. Sir Ian stands out, fittingly so, as Teabing and WOW... that's all I Can say... WOW!! He was AWESOME! Can't say enough about the cast so I will stop there.
The location shooting brings so much to it beyond just the Louvre. It truly helps bring the book to LIFE. I liked it. And Ron Howard does a fine job letting his cinematographer take it all in. This is the first time I have EVER wanted to go to France. Anyone who knows me knows how big a deal that is.
The plot is mostly the same as the book, though streamlined. Wait! Streamlined? But you said it was 2.5 hours long! Yeah, I was surprised, too. A couple of puzzles are missing and a few paintings are left undiscussed but that's because they can be SHOWN and don't need to be described as much. The plot is boiled down to its main bits. One criptex. One straight line to the end (sort of). The discussions are refined to their main bits of meat and some stuff is added to them which I liked becuase it actually addresses some of the 'points' the christian preachers have been making. The whole thing is treated more as a theory and the nicest touch of all, they don't sell out by not talking about traditional dogma and belief as anything else BUT a theory. No one can PROVE either side, it's pointed out. Thank you! Hopefully, the typical mouth breathing, bow and nod and touching hands christians will understand this a bit more and realize faith doesn't equal truth.
My fave scene in the book becomes my fave scene in the movie... the discussion about the Last Supper painting by DaVinci. The added effects bring it to life and help demonstrate some valid criticisms of both the work AND the theory while helping support it. It's a fine line for the film to wlak and I think it does it better than the book. But then, the movie HAS to do it better than the book.
For those who have read the book, see the movie... it starts before the book and adds some nice visual touches to it while not violating anything. It doesn't so much throw something out as bypass it. See it and enjoy it as much as the book. Assuming you enjoyed the book, of course.
If you haven't read the book and plan to, wait until after seeing the movie. If you haven't read the book and DON'T plan to, still see the movie. It's well made and just a well-rounded flick. It isn't perfect but it IS a very good translation of the work. But don't bring the kiddies... Those who know about Silas know why. There were WAY too many kids in my showing... whiney brats all.
And if you want a more action based movie... less talking, more shooting? Go see M:I III!! Or wait to see X3!
I'm seeing Over the Hedge tomorrow and should have something up on that later in the day.
Take care.
I had to listen to some woman behind me in line at Borders talk about how much she hated the DVC because it "only confused the young people of today" and that she had "no intention of seeing it even it wouldn't probably be sold out." The theatre was packed, my "date" was late and I wasn't sitting in my preferred place. The movie was 2.5 hours long and I had to deal with "christians" before and after the film wanting to hand me flyers and pamphlets.
I've read the book and thought it was fun. I've listened to WAY too many preachers talk about the 'inaccuracies' in the book, all the while never bothering with the ACCURACIES and honest-to-goodness ARGUMENTS it puts forth... none of them original to the book, mind you, but still. I've read other books about some of those theories and was excited to see them used in such a fun little mystery/chase book but was still curious how they would pull it off in the movie. Sure, there are chase scenes in the book but much of it is mental and conversational. Puzzles and lectures and discussions and so on and so on. This isn't exactly seat-gripping action.
Now with all that said, I liked this movie. I really liked it. I had fun. I knew the story and knew the solutions to the puzzles and knew all the twists and turns and so on but was still enthralled with it. Hanks wasn't the perfect choice, even Dan Brown commented on that. But we haven't perfected CGI enough to where it would be feasible to use a "young Harrison Ford" and Hanks did a fine job. The whole cast did a fine job. Paul Bettany as Silas was interesting but works. He may only be REALLY pale instead of an albino but so what, it works. Sir Ian stands out, fittingly so, as Teabing and WOW... that's all I Can say... WOW!! He was AWESOME! Can't say enough about the cast so I will stop there.
The location shooting brings so much to it beyond just the Louvre. It truly helps bring the book to LIFE. I liked it. And Ron Howard does a fine job letting his cinematographer take it all in. This is the first time I have EVER wanted to go to France. Anyone who knows me knows how big a deal that is.
The plot is mostly the same as the book, though streamlined. Wait! Streamlined? But you said it was 2.5 hours long! Yeah, I was surprised, too. A couple of puzzles are missing and a few paintings are left undiscussed but that's because they can be SHOWN and don't need to be described as much. The plot is boiled down to its main bits. One criptex. One straight line to the end (sort of). The discussions are refined to their main bits of meat and some stuff is added to them which I liked becuase it actually addresses some of the 'points' the christian preachers have been making. The whole thing is treated more as a theory and the nicest touch of all, they don't sell out by not talking about traditional dogma and belief as anything else BUT a theory. No one can PROVE either side, it's pointed out. Thank you! Hopefully, the typical mouth breathing, bow and nod and touching hands christians will understand this a bit more and realize faith doesn't equal truth.
My fave scene in the book becomes my fave scene in the movie... the discussion about the Last Supper painting by DaVinci. The added effects bring it to life and help demonstrate some valid criticisms of both the work AND the theory while helping support it. It's a fine line for the film to wlak and I think it does it better than the book. But then, the movie HAS to do it better than the book.
For those who have read the book, see the movie... it starts before the book and adds some nice visual touches to it while not violating anything. It doesn't so much throw something out as bypass it. See it and enjoy it as much as the book. Assuming you enjoyed the book, of course.
If you haven't read the book and plan to, wait until after seeing the movie. If you haven't read the book and DON'T plan to, still see the movie. It's well made and just a well-rounded flick. It isn't perfect but it IS a very good translation of the work. But don't bring the kiddies... Those who know about Silas know why. There were WAY too many kids in my showing... whiney brats all.
And if you want a more action based movie... less talking, more shooting? Go see M:I III!! Or wait to see X3!
I'm seeing Over the Hedge tomorrow and should have something up on that later in the day.
Take care.
posted by wmjwatson at 1:13 PM
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