Synopsis

Famed symbologist Professor Robert Langdon is called to the Louvre museum one night where a curator has been murdered, leaving behind a mysterious trail of symbols and clues. With his own survival at stake, Langdon, aided by the police cryptologist Sophie Neveu), unveils a series of stunning secrets hidden in the works of Leonardo Da Vinci, all leading to a covert society dedicated to guarding an ancient secret that has remained hidden for 2000 years. The pair set off on a thrilling quest through Paris, London and Scotland, pursued by a murderous monk named Silas and French secret agent Bezu Fache. Help comes from Langdon's old friend Sir Leigh Teabing. Collecting clues they desperately attempt to crack a code they hope will reveal secrets that will shake the very foundations of mankind. Secrets that will reveal Jesus wasn't immortal and had married Mary Magdalene.

What The Critics Say

"There might be a riveting adventure thriller to be made from Dan Brown’s controversial bestseller, but this is not it. Melodramatic, overlong and dare I say occasionally boring, Ron Howard’s The Da Vinci Code gets lost in the maze of its puzzles and media hype. A murder, scrambled code, famous artworks, the search for the holy grail and the greatest cover up by protectors of religious sects." Louise Keller URBAN CINEFILE "A chef is only as good as his ingredients, an expression that aptly applies to the film version of this decade's biggest selling novel "The Da Vinci Code". Despite the involvement of Oscar-winning talent both in front of and behind the camera, none can lift Dan Brown's material above the level of dull melodrama. Slavishly loyal to a fault, no real attempt is made to adapt the work beyond what is literally on the page. Thus, forced into the quite different mold of feature film cinema, the flaws of the narrative become far more overt on screen than they do on the page. ... simply far too long, too talky and just not interesting or clever enough to engage let alone entertain." Garth Franklin DARK HORIZONS "Part conspiracy thriller, part religious epic, part family melodrama, but not satisfying on any level, this vastly disappointing film will frustrate viewers who know the book and will bore those who don't due to the rambling and confusing storytelling." Emanuel Levy EMANUELLEVY.COM "Perhaps an interesting side-piece to those already fanatical about the book, but ultimately a lifeless adaptation that reveals the flaws of its source. So Dark, the Con of Dan Brown." Joe Utichi, FILMFOCUS

"...overblown so-so suspense flick... I don’t know if it’s because I’m not a religious man or if the film’s 'talkiness' just didn’t keep me interested in its mystery-based plotline, but at the end of the day, I just didn’t care for much about the film, particularly its many puzzles and rhymes to be uncovered, which after a while, just felt tired and repetitive to me." JoBlo JOBLO'S MOVIE EMPORIUM "The movie really only catches fire after an hour, when Ian McKellen hobbles on the scene as the story's Sphinx-like Sir Leigh Teabing. Here is the one actor having fun with his role and playing a character rather than a piece to a puzzle. A jumble of historical myth, religious symbology and international thriller-action makes for an unwieldy, bloated melodrama. "Da Vinci" never rises to the level of a guilty pleasure. Too much guilt. Not enough pleasure." Kirk Honeycutt HOLLYWOOD REPORTER "An unpleasant and over-long collision of hokey mystery plotting, absurd religious proselytising, old wives’ tales and grim self seriousness, The Da Vinci Code is an early frontrunner for the title of this year’s biggest blockbuster turkey. And Jesus Christ, that’s one puzzle that’s pretty easy to decipher." Erin Free FILMINK "A pulpy page-turner in its original incarnation as a huge international bestseller has become a stodgy, grim thing in the exceedingly literal-minded film version of "The Da Vinci Code." Part of the quick deflation is due to a palpable lack of chemistry between Hanks and Tautou, an odd thing in itself given their genial accessibility in many previous roles. It's a film so overloaded with plot that there's no room for anything else, from emotion to stylistic grace notes." Todd McCarthy VARIETY

The Inside Story After the success of Dan Browns novel "The Da Vinci Code" it was inevitable that a movie would be made. Published in 2003 the book was a worldwide bestseller, was translated into 44 languages and more than 60.5 million copies have been printed. Many took the novel to be a factual rather than fictional work latching on to its 'conspiracy theory' as though it was gospel. It is in fact a first grade thriller and one that has provided an entertaining read for million of people around the planet. Acclaimed director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer saw the potential in the book very early. "Not only did I like "The Da Vinci Code" as an entertaining and exciting read, but there were certain profound things about the story that caught my attention. There were questions of history versus the creation of history," notes Grazer. "Questions I found exciting and compelling." Academy Award ® winning director Ron Howard agrees. "This story has all the style and traditional suspense elements that make a movie work as an entertaining narrative. It takes the viewer along with the confidence that it’s headed in a particular direction but then surprises you in so many ways. That’s why the story Dan Brown created so captivated his readers. It feels familiar as a mystery and as a thriller but then, 'wow', there’s this fascinating turn of events." But the film rights had already been optioned. Encouraged by Sony Chairman Howard Stringer, producer John Calley read the book and immediately optioned the film rights. "I was crazed by it, fascinated. It was a first-rate thriller," Calley recalls. Grazer and Howard were left with no other option than to approach Calley and put their idea to him. They were in luck. Calley had been looking for an opportunity to work with Howard. "I’ve always admired Ron. He’s skillful and moderate in the best sense, in that he never has an agenda. He was a great choice for this project since he brings a kind of fundamental intelligence that is totally appropriate to the material." When it came to suggesting a screenwriter who could adapt Dan Brown's story for the bigscreen, Howard had one man in mind. Academy Award ® winner Akiva Goldsman. It wasn't an easy task. "It was a pretty daunting task," says Howard. "By the time we’d all decided to make it into a movie, the book had gone from being a big hit to being this historic success story. I’d already been working very closely with Akiva and he and I had some fairly deep conversations about the novel, because it’s more than just believing it would make a good movie story. In choosing to take it to the screen you also have to ask yourself a lot of the questions that the book poses to the reader. I’ve never really been involved in a film project like this, one that not only generates feeling and emotion and is entertaining, but also really stimulates great conversation." Goldsmith it seems, lacked the confidence that he could adapt the story. "I was tremendously impressed by the book and had absolutely no idea how to adapt it since it’s such a complex, labyrinthine and intricate piece of fiction," Goldsman confessed. "My inclination was to shy away from it. But then I sat down with Ron, and he had such a clear idea of what he wanted to do with it that he turned me around and gave me the confidence to try." Dual Academy Award ® winner Tom Hanks also agrees there were major challenges when it came to adapting the book. "You have to give every reader what they’re expecting, because, quite frankly, the book is really good," says Hanks. "You could change it, make it different, but you’d better be sure you’re also making it better. Akiva’s job in adapting something that is as specific as "The Da Vinci Code" is a monumental task, because of all of his great instincts as a screenwriter about what makes for a good cinematic narrative." The team collaborated constantly with Dan Brown. "Dan made himself accessible in the most understanding, collaborative kind of way, in terms of his acceptance of the fact that of course the screenplay was not going to be a verbatim version of the novel," Howard recalls. "He knew we were going to have to streamline it somewhat. But he was a really important resource in helping us interpret things he had learned or read including several things he discovered after he wrote the book, which have found their way into the script. So, our movie is in some ways a kind of an updated, annotated [note: the Oxford Dictionary explains: 'add explanatory notes to.'] version of The Da Vinci Code." Howard was also responsible for putting the international cast together, choosing Tom Hanks for the lead. "This is a unique film in that it has a truly international cast," says executive producer Todd Hallowell. "Watching Ron slowly piece together all the right elements so that they perfectly meshed was a pretty amazing process. He really put together an extraordinary ensemble." That international cast includes American actors Tom Hanks & Seth Gabel; British actors Paul Bettany, Alfred Molina and Sir Ian McKellen; French box-office stars Audrey Tautou & Jean Reno and German veteran Jürgen Prochnow. It's certainly an impressive line-up. In light of the fact that only Ian McKellen and Paul Bettany provide a 'spark' for the film, it's amazing to discover some of the comments made about the cast of "The Da Vinci Code" which just don't ring true on the screen. Take Howard's remarks about Tom Hanks in the role of Robert Langdon. "Tom is also very smart and fascinated by the world around him," Howard said. "In casting Tom, I was certain I had brought in a really intelligent and helpful collaborator." Hanks says "his collaboration with Howard was essential in his process of discovering the character of Robert Langdon." On the role of Sophie Neveu, Howard says "One of the themes that resonated with me when I read the novel, and one of the things I really wanted to make sure was front and center in the movie, was the idea of the sacred feminine." Screenwriter Akiva Goldsman said, "For me, the most interesting aspect of "The Da Vinci Code" was the story of this girl who, in her search for identity, turns out to be far more than she ever imagined." The role went to the star of that delightful French film, "Amélie" [who by the way will turn thirty this year on August ninth]. Howard observes, "Audrey has a unique quality that, given the mystical elements of The Da Vinci Code, was absolutely perfect. She is both enigmatic and accessible." It all sounds good but it doesn't work on the screen. Both Hanks and Tautou are too one-dimensional. They did get it right with Sir Ian McKellen. "I don't think anybody has more fun acting than Sir Ian McKellen," says Tom Hanks. "He was always scanning out not just the dialogue but also the sensibilities behind it." They also managed to get it right with Paul Bettany. The role of Silas was the last to be cast. "Paul loved the character, loved the script, and really went out on a limb, gambling a lot to play him," says Howard. "He’s terrifying in the movie, just terrifying." Paul Bettany says "his primary mission was to humanize the deadly monk." Doing so would require Bettany to dig deep. "I realized that he was drawing on a deep reserve to create his character. It was his talent, but also something else that allowed the character to be terrifying but dimensionalized," Howard said. "He brought so much to that role. He was everything you could have wished for from the character in the book and more. Silas as a human being in the hands of Paul Bettany." Most who see "The Da Vinci Code" will agree that without Sir Ian McKellen and Paul Bettany, the film would have been an even bigger disaster. There is another saving grace for the film, the soundtrack composed by Academy Award ® winner Hans Zimmer. Prior to becoming one of the most respected composers in Hollywood, the German-born artist achieved success in the pop music world as a member of "The Buggles". The group's 1982 worldwide hit single, "Video Killed the Radio Star", helped usher in a new era of global entertainment as the first music video aired on MTV. Zimmer began his solo-composing career with the 1988 film, "A World Apart". Fortunately for the team and its backers, the hype of the book together with the hype of the trailer and television advertising should see the film do well enough at the box-office. The Verdict "Those who have read Dan Brown's novel will probably find this a very disappointing effort, while those who know little or nothing of the fictional theory that Jesus married and produced offspring will find "The Da Vinci Code" overlong, boring and at on a number of occassions, more akin to being given a lecture they don't need. Hanks, Tauto and Reno all fail to deliver. The only saving graces for this bloated, limp interpretation of "The Da Vinci Code" are Sir Ian McKellen as Sir Leigh Teabing, Paul Bettany as Silas, and Hans Zimmer's wonderful score. THREE STARS." Cast & Crew Bytes "THE DA VINCI CODE" stars .......
Two Time Academy ® Award winner Tom Hanks ["Apollo 13", "Catch Me If You Can", "The Terminal" and "The Polar Express"]; Cesar Best New Actress winner Audrey Tautou ["Amélie", "Dirty Pretty Things" and "A Very Long Engagement"]; Evening Standard Best British Actor Award, the London Film Critic's Best Supporting Actor Award & ELLE Style Best Actor Award winner Paul Bettany ["A Beautiful MInd", "The Heart Of Me", "Wimbledon" and "Firewall"]; Jean Reno ["The Crimson Rivers", "Jet Lag", "Tais-toi!" and "The Pink Panther"], Clive Carter ["Chromophobia"]; Jürgen Prochnow ["The English Patient", "Air Force One", "The Replacement Killers" and "Chain Reaction"]; Alfred Molina ["Chocolat", "Frida", "Plots with a View" and "Spider-Man 2"] and 2006 Berlin Film Festival Golden Bear Lifetime Achievement Award winner Sir Ian Murray McKellen ["Six Degrees Of Seperation", "Richard III", "The Lord of the Rings I, II & III" and "X-Men 3: The Last Stand"] as Sir Leigh Teabing.
"THE DA VINCI CODE" was .......
directed by Academy Award ® and 2006 ACE 'Golden Eddie' award winner Ron Howard ["Cocoon", "Apollo 13", "A Beautiful Mind" and "Cinderella Man"]; screenplay by Academy Award ® and Writers Guild Award winner Akiva Goldsman ["The Client", "Batman Forever", "A Beautiful Mind", and "Cinderella Man"]; based upon the novel by Dan Brown ["The Da Vinci Code"]; cinematography by 1995 Clio Gold Statue Award winner Salvatore Totino ["Any Given Sunday", "Changing Lanes" "The Missing" and "Cinderella Man"]; original music by Hans Zimmer ["Riding in Cars with Boys", "Black Hawk Down", "Madagascar" and "Batman Begins"] produced by John Calley ["Postcards from the Edge", "The Remains of the Day" and "Closer"] and Academy Award ® winner Brian Grazer ["Friday Night Lights", "Cinderella Man" "Fun With Dick and Jane" and "Inside Man"]. Run Time 144 minutes Rated M [AUST] Copyright ©2006 - Sony Pictures - All Rights Reserved Copyright Protected © 2006 - Impact Internet Services - All Rights Reserved