The Da Vinci Code

Director Ron Howard

Screen Play by Akiva Goldman

From the Novel By Dan Brown

Sony Pictures

   From the mind of Dan Brown by way of Director Ron Howard and Screenwriter Akiva Goldman comes the movie version of The Da Vinci Code. The movie is a nearly seamless transfer of the book to the visual medium. Robert Langdon, Professor of Religious Symbology, Harvard University, excellently played by Tom Hanks, finds himself beset from all directions when all he did was come to Paris to give a lecture. Sophie Neveu, a cryptologist, well played by Audrey Tautou loses her grandfather and nearly her life while minding her own business. Two ordinary people driven by necessity to accomplish extraordinary things. (Though Sophie turns out to be not quite ordinary.

   To one with a knowledge of history, the story of Christ and Mary Magdalen as related is clearly a wild surmise unsupported by any verifiable historical evidence. ( But then so is much of what people believe about Religion and History.) However, if one is willing to suspend disbelief for a time, it is a fun wild ride. Science Fiction Fans should have no problem with this concept.

   The Professor and the Sophie meet in the Louvre where the Professor has been summoned by the French Police to view the scene of the Sophie’s grandfather’s murder. The victim is in Cruciform position like a Da Vinci drawing. More it seems that he placed himself in that position as though to leave a message. Unknown to Langdon, he is a suspect as the victim had written S find Robert Langdon in his own blood. Sophie, “S”, knows he didn’t do it and wants him out of there so they can solve the case. Bishop Aringarosa[Alfred Molina], a Minion of the evil Opus Dei has mislead the chief investigator, Captain Fache[Jean Reno] who is convinced of Langdon’s guilt. Sophie and Langdon flee together and a wild chase is on through banks and museums, churches... A Cryptex made up of alphabetic wheels provides the first lead. Puzzles abound throughout.

   They find an ally, and go to England seeking the Holy Grail, a secret involving descendants of Christ and Mary Magdalen and the Templar treasure. The whole thing is falderal of nonsense, but the watcher is carried along by the excitement which finally ends in Scotland where all is revealed after much danger and travail. The Movie was great fun. – Gary Swaty