The Da Vinci CodeDirected by Ron Howard
Starring Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellan, Paul Bettany, Jean Reno
Screenplay adapted from the book by Dan Brown
The Da Vinci Code when viewed strictly on its own merit worked flawlessly as a well-executed mystery thriller. There's mind-boggling suspense, unexplained theories and unresolved mysteries within the span of the film's 150 minutes.
However, when it comes to the subject material, staunch Christians were riled no end by Dan Brown's fiction, calling them blasphemous lies. The published book certainly didn't quite create such a stir back in 2003. Yes, the thing is, in a bid to confine the movie to a reasonable length on screen, part of the intriguing plot in print was left out, making viewers who haven't read the book beforehand guess more than they should.
Dan Brown's postulations were taken too seriously by some quarters. He never really claimed that they were true but merely conjectures based on his research or understanding of the faith.
Now, the acting. I am generally pleased with the performances by the cast despite criticisms that Tom Hanks didn't look the part of the character David Langdon in the book. Well, I thought he did well. Hanks does give the character of the symbologist his own flavor; his constant frown conveyed a sense of urgency in solving the mystery and clearing his name.
The always beautiful Audrey Tautou who plays professional cryptographer Sophie Neveu is perhaps the only likable character throughout the show. The role might not be demanding of her as the sidekick of Hanks' Langdon but Tautou gives a serious performance coming to terms with her grandfather's death and discovering her true identity. It's a welcome departure from the usually impish and wide-eyed roles that Tautou plays.
Ian McKellen's over-zealous historian, Sir Leigh Teabing adds to the mystery when Langdon and Neveu shows up at his door seeking for help to unravel the hidden truth. McKellen's acting prowress is undoubtedly splendid.
Paul Bettany's in his role as the obsessed and self-mutilating-in-the-name-of-god monk, Silas was scene-stealing (he was almost unrecognizable). The conviction in his eyes and behaviour would be one of the pinnacles of the movie as he seeks to further the cause of the religion.
My only disappointment was with Jean Reno. But again, his role was severely limited so we could only see his Opus Dei character Captain Fache pull a long face and all the stops at trying to foil Langdon's and Neveu's plans at every juncture.
No one should really complain at the adequacy of The Da Vinci Code as a functioning thriller despite some of Dan Brown's more ludicrous assertions [In fact, this might spur people, Christians or otherwise, to want to read for themselves the origins of Brown's assertions]. After all, we must remember this is fiction not theology. The way to enjoy the Da Vinci Code on screen is to watch it with a free and unprejudiced mind. (B-)
However, when it comes to the subject material, staunch Christians were riled no end by Dan Brown's fiction, calling them blasphemous lies. The published book certainly didn't quite create such a stir back in 2003. Yes, the thing is, in a bid to confine the movie to a reasonable length on screen, part of the intriguing plot in print was left out, making viewers who haven't read the book beforehand guess more than they should.
Dan Brown's postulations were taken too seriously by some quarters. He never really claimed that they were true but merely conjectures based on his research or understanding of the faith.
Now, the acting. I am generally pleased with the performances by the cast despite criticisms that Tom Hanks didn't look the part of the character David Langdon in the book. Well, I thought he did well. Hanks does give the character of the symbologist his own flavor; his constant frown conveyed a sense of urgency in solving the mystery and clearing his name.
The always beautiful Audrey Tautou who plays professional cryptographer Sophie Neveu is perhaps the only likable character throughout the show. The role might not be demanding of her as the sidekick of Hanks' Langdon but Tautou gives a serious performance coming to terms with her grandfather's death and discovering her true identity. It's a welcome departure from the usually impish and wide-eyed roles that Tautou plays.
Ian McKellen's over-zealous historian, Sir Leigh Teabing adds to the mystery when Langdon and Neveu shows up at his door seeking for help to unravel the hidden truth. McKellen's acting prowress is undoubtedly splendid.
Paul Bettany's in his role as the obsessed and self-mutilating-in-the-name-of-god monk, Silas was scene-stealing (he was almost unrecognizable). The conviction in his eyes and behaviour would be one of the pinnacles of the movie as he seeks to further the cause of the religion.
My only disappointment was with Jean Reno. But again, his role was severely limited so we could only see his Opus Dei character Captain Fache pull a long face and all the stops at trying to foil Langdon's and Neveu's plans at every juncture.
No one should really complain at the adequacy of The Da Vinci Code as a functioning thriller despite some of Dan Brown's more ludicrous assertions [In fact, this might spur people, Christians or otherwise, to want to read for themselves the origins of Brown's assertions]. After all, we must remember this is fiction not theology. The way to enjoy the Da Vinci Code on screen is to watch it with a free and unprejudiced mind. (B-)
1 comment:
Hello Joon and all,
Here's access to a significant new source on symbolism. Hope you find this both useful and enlightening.
Peace...
Here is the key to understanding what the Vatican and Papacy truly fear...
Pay close attention, profundity knocks at the door, listen for the key. Be Aware! Scoffing causes blindness...
Here's a real hot potato! Eat it up, digest it, and then feed it's bones to the hungry...
There's much more to the story of the Vatican's recent machinations than meets the eye. It's not the DaVinci Code or Gospel of Judas per se, but the fact that people have now been motivated to seek out the unequivocal truth about an age of deception, exactly when they expect me to appear. These recent controversies are spurring people to reevaluate the Vatican/Papacy and the religions that Rome spawned, at the worst possible time for them.
Remember, "I come as a thief..." ?
The DaVinci Code novel and movie are no more inaccurate as literal versions of history than the New Testament. The primary sub-plot involved purposeful symbology being used to encode hidden meanings, exactly like the Bible and related texts. In other words, none of these stories represent the literal truth. This is the common and pivotal fact of all such narratives about ancient Hebrew and Christian history. Debating whether the DaVinci Code, Gnostic texts, or the Bible are accurate history is a purposeful ploy designed to hide the truth by directing your inquiry away from the heart of the matter.
There is a foolproof way to verify the truth and expose centuries-old religious deceptions. It also proves why we can no longer let the Vatican tell us what to think about ancient history or much else. It is the common thread connecting why the ancient Hebrews, Yahad/Essene, Jews, Gnostics, Cathars, Templars, Dead Sea Scrolls, DaVinci Code, and others have been targets of Rome’s ire and evil machinations. The Vatican and its secret society cohorts don’t want you to understand that the ancient Hebrew symbology in all of these texts purposely encodes and exposes the truth about them. Furthermore, the structure of ancient wisdom symbology verifiably encodes the rules to decode messages built with it. This is what they most fear you will discover.
If the Bible represented the literal truth or even accurate history, there would be no need for faith in the assertions of deceptive and duplicitous clergy and their ilk. It is undeniable the New Testament is awash with ancient Hebrew symbolism and allegory. The same is evidenced in the Old Testament, Dead Sea Scrolls, Gnostic texts, biblical apocrypha, Quran, DaVinci Code, and other related sources. All ancient religious, mystical, and wisdom texts have been shrouded in mystery for millennia for one primary reason: The ability to understand their widely evidenced symbology was lost in antiquity. How do we finally solve these ages-old mysteries? To recast an often-used political adage: It’s [the] symbology, stupid!
It is beyond amazing that the Vatican still tries to insist the Gospels are the literal truth. Every miracle purported for Jesus has multiple direct symbolic parallels in the Old Testament, Apocalypse, Dead Sea Scrolls, and other symbolic narratives and traditions. Recasting the symbolism of earlier Hebrew texts as literal events in the New Testament is one of the central deceptions associated with Christianity. This is part of the secret knowledge held by the ancient Gnostics, Templars, Cathars, and others, which is presented with dramatic effect in the DaVinci Code. None of these narratives or stories were ever intended as the literal truth. This fact is the key to unraveling many ages-old mysteries and exposing the truth about the Vatican's long-term deceptions.
Moreover, the following Washington Post article (The Book of Bart) describes how many changes and embellishments were made to New Testament texts over the centuries, unequivocally demonstrating they are not original, infallible, or truthful. When you combine proof that the New Testament Gospels are not wholly literal with proof that these texts were heavily reworked in the early years of Christianity, you are left with only one possible conclusion. The Vatican has long lied to everyone about the central tenets and history of Christianity. This revelation also proves they are not the Creator’s representatives but Her longtime opponents. The recent hoopla over the Gospel of Judas and DaVinci Code demonstrates they are still desperately trying to deceive the world and obfuscate their true nature and activities.
It's no wonder the Vatican fears the truth more than anything else. As further proof of these assertions, seek to understand the symbolic significance of my name (Seven Star Hand) and you will have proof beyond disproof that Jews, Christians, and Muslims have long been duped by the great deceivers I warned humanity about over the millennia. What then is the purpose of "faith" but to keep good people from seeking to understand the truth?
Now comes justice, hot on its heels... (symbolism...)
Not only do I talk the talk, I walk the walk...
Here is Wisdom!!
Revelations from the Apocalypse
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