Da Vinci Code (English, 2006)

Every once in a while comes a phenomenon which captures popular imagination like crazy. Anywhere you go, people are talking about it, discussing it, analysing it, selling merchandise in its name, and so on. Da Vinci Code, the book was such a phenomenon. The next step normally is for Hollywood to take the theme and make a movie of it, normally trivialising the concept so much that the movie marks the beginning of the idea getting out of people's heads. Da Vinci Code, the movie, is such a movie. I won't go into the plot of the movie. For that, go and read the book review, or better still, the book.

Let us have the basic point clarified upfront. It is a good movie. Granted it is no Godfather, where u could debate whether the book was better or the movie. Here, clearly, the book is much better. It is still a good movie. Well paced, wonderful acting, very nice editing, nice cinematography, keeps audience involved and interested and intrigued about the next step. If you have read the book, and are not expecting the movie to be as good as the book, you can follow the plot better than Dan-Brown-newbies and hence enjoy a bit more than newbies. Brilliant performances in the roles of Teabing and Silas quite match the mental image you would have drawn on reading the book. The roles of Robert Langdon and Sophie are also well performed. Tom Hanks seems the right choice for any role that he performs, as usual.

Where the movie fails is - its not larger then life. The book is. The characters are not developed as carefully, the whole imagery of the supposed Christian suppression of sacred feminine fails to come out, the brilliance and sheer beauty of Robert's symbological interpretations that left you dazzled and wanting for more in the book is not emphasized. At the end of the book, you feel an aura of two millennia hanging on you, at the end of the movie, all you feel is having heard a good longish story.

Recommendation - Go watch it, but don't expect the magic.
Rating - ✔✔✔