The Da Vinci Code has strange rhythms for a thriller. A murderous albino by the name of Silas (Paul Bettany), the 'pet' of Bishop Sringarosa (Alfred Molina), has orders to eliminate them and take into custody an artifact they have in their possession. (Sadly, the Monty Python troupe couldn't make it.) But the pursuit of Fache isn't the only thing they have to worry about. Recognizing that they have uncovered the tip of a conspiracy that involves warring factions of the Catholic Church and the Holy Grail, they seek 'Grail expert' Sir Leigh Teabing (Ian McKellan), who joins their quest. They have been framed for the Louvre murder, and Captain Fache (Jean Reno), a humorless cop who's hiding something, is hot on their trail. His companion on the trek is French police officer Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou). The Da Vinci Code (the movie) is a mediocre thriller, with too few thrills and too much predictable action.Ī murder in the Louvre sends Professor Robert Langdon, a visiting 'symbologist' from Harvard, on the first steps of a dangerous journey that leads him into the heart of 'the greatest cover-up in human history' - one that involves Opus Dei, the Knights Templar, cults, artwork, and a lot of things than happened 2000 years ago.

Presumably, the book, which is often referred to as a 'compulsive page-turner,' is more riveting that its cinematic counterpart. I intentionally avoided Dan Brown's novel before seeing the movie (and don't intend to read it now that I have sat through the adaptation), hoping to provide a fresh perspective. Individual scenes are entertaining in their own right, but the production as a whole is a lumbering mess. It's preposterous, overlong, and saddled with a sloppy denouement that defines the term 'anti-climax.' The film's two big 'surprises' are telegraphed early, and the ease with which they can be guessed (using the 'conservation of characters' process) leeches the movie of a large measure of its suspense.

When you boil away the hype and hysteria, all that remains is a pedestrian murder mystery that isn't sufficiently challenging or scandalous to raise anyone's hackles. Perhaps a better title for The Da Vinci Code might be Much Ado about Nothing.

Da vinci code movie synopsis