The Da Vinci Code

Adapting a novel with which the majority of the book-reading Western world is familiar can’t be an easy task. Not only do you have millions of fans that will demand the film be faithful, but with ‘The Da Vinci Code’ you also have a mystery novel so meticulous and focussed that it leaves very little room for interpretation.

I read the book over two years ago so I was in the fortunate position of remembering most but not all of the story, which was a blessing considering just how faithful screenwriter Akiva Goldsman (I, Robot) and director Ron Howard (The Missing) have been. If you grabbed the book only a week ago in time for the cinema release then you may be in for a disappointment (or at least a strong sense of déjà vu). The film is similar to the first Harry Potter film in that it pretty much covers everything that the book did, albeit with slightly less detail, but it is the performances that make The Da Vinci Code more of a success than Chris Columbus’ film.

Tom Hanks seems far too old for the role of Robert Langdon, but makes a dedicated effort as the academic-detective of the piece. Audrey Tautou (A Very Long Engagement), Jean Reno and Alfred Molina all put in strong performances also, in roles that don’t really demand too much of them other than to be the generic heroine, cop and evil Bishop. Paul Bettany has a bit of fun – and who wouldn’t? – as the self-flagellating albino monk, but it is Ian McKellan that grabs our attention in a superb performance that goes above and beyond the call of duty. Sir Leigh Teabing is a joy to watch, and the film runs all the more smoothly in his presence, even in the lengthy exposition scenes.

One can surmise that such a dialogue-heavy novel left Hollywood with very little room to add gratuitous action. Thus we have a tonne of flashbacks and curiously unspectacular special effects inserted in the hopes of making the film a little more pleasing to the eye. Though some are clearly unnecessary, on the whole they work, and the technique of illuminating the letters as Langdon deciphers anagrams was particularly entertaining.

I can’t remember if they featured in the book, but there are a couple of lines that seemingly exist only to placate anyone who may be offended at the depictions of certain members of the Church. They don’t really interrupt the flow of the film at all, however one would hope anyone likely to be offended by The Da Vinci Code probably wouldn’t be going along to see it anyway (unless they really really wanted to get angry at something…).

Ron Howard’s film admirably represents Dan Brown’s book on the big screen, and I’m sure it’ll only be a matter of time before we see the prequel ‘Angels & Demons’ up there also (since it seems everyone read the novels out of sequence anyway).