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Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code has reportedly sold 40 million copies and has topped the best seller list for some 60
weeks. Now, riding on the crest of this popularity, the movie of the same title has just been launched with much media hype.
Due to the book's controversial statements, the movie is also the point of much speculation.
For weeks, the public has been clamoring for the banning of the movie Da Vinci Code
due to some unfounded claims the book makes against the Catholic Church. However, much of what is said are actually reactions to the book rather than the movie. While most of the reactions are valid, they, nonetheless, refer to the literary version of
Dan Brown's story. CINEMA emphasizes that these are two different mediums of art and communication and should therefore be analyzed distinctly.
The film version remains faithful to the core plot of the novel.
The story begins in France, as Jaques Sauniere, the curator of the Louvre Museum is murdered. As he lies drying he plants a series of clues to lead Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), a noted American symbolist and Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), a French cryptographer and granddaughter of the murdered curator, to his murderer. The murder apparently is connected to the Catholic Church's well-guarded secret which if exposed could destroy the powers of the hierarchy and faith of the followers. As the plot unfolds, we are introduced to three groups: The
Priory of Sion, a secret society meant to protect and preserve the secret; the Opus Dei's Council of Shadows, an ultra-conservative faction whose desire is to
keep intact the system of the Church and destroy the evidence of the secret; and the "Teacher", an anonymous mastermind working both sides in his attempt to expose the
secret and liberate the faithful against the autocracy and oppression of the Church.
The "secret" refers to the Holy Grail and questions the most fundamental doctrines of the Catholic Church -- Christ's divinity and celibacy. Supposedly, Christ bloodline, literally, is alive and personified through his last living descendant. Robert Langdon and Sophie Noveau are also led to go on the search for the supposed Holy Grail thru the symbols and signs Leonardo da Vinci subtly placed in his painting of the Last Supper. Their search takes them on a suspenseful rollercoaster adventure from France to England and Scotland under grave danger in an incredibly short span of time.
Just like the novel on which it is based, the movie The Da Vinci Code
blatantly espouses fallacies about the Christian faith. It maligns Jesus Christ by denying his divinity. The movie also says that Christ married Mary Magdalene and had children with her. The film considers her as the legendary Holy Grail. These and other lies about the Church, its teachings, the Apostles and the Bible, among other untruths, have elicited strong negative reactions from many Catholic faithful and other Christians and rightly so. CINEMA shares their condemnation but has stopped short of banning the film with hope that allowing these lies and blasphemies to be ventilated will lead to their rectification and that whatever questions and doubts the movie may spawn, may be clarified by a more spirited search for the truth. And when honestly searching for the truth, one is careful to look for it in the right and valid sources and not among spurious references like Brown's questionable list.
One who has read the book will notice some slight differences between it and the movie. This may be due to Director
Ron Howard's interpretation or some other reason but the additional scenes and dialog exchanges seem to have softened the antagonism against Christian beliefs and downplayed
some controversial statements. For instance, Langdon's explanation for his claustrophobia resulting from his falling into a well is nowhere found in the book. In
the film, Langdon who professes to be a Catholic, experiences God's presence in the well when he prays for deliverance and is saved. Was this scene inserted to indicate
that Langdon has some faith and is not a firm believer of the lies? Earlier in the film, his character is that of a seeker of truth, as he intermittently questions,
expresses doubt, even cynicism, sometimes, while Sir Leigh Teabing explains the fallacies to Sophie.
Langdon in a way represents a "seeker/searcher" who desires to understand his faith not only cerebrally but more in an experiential way. And near the movie's end, he says that "what matters most is what you believe in."
CINEMA gives the film a rating of V-18 as viewers must have the maturity to discern and understand the "nuances" in the
movie.
Those younger that 18 may not yet have a solid foundation on the Church's basic catechism especially on the articles of faith. Aside from the less antagonistic treatment of the themes in the movie compared to the book, the rating has also taken into account the fact that a film's visuals are usually more powerful than the dialog. Since this movie is verbose, its impact is less forceful.
The movie is presented as just a work of fiction as opposed to the novel's claim of supposedly being based on researches
and academic works.
In fact, the characters and situations in the movie are too incredible to be credible. Silas, the Opus Dei hired gun, is given references of psychosis with flashbacks of fanaticism. It is impossible for a normal person to function the way he does.
Awaited with high expectations, the movie though not a fantastic masterpiece, does entertain.
The mysterious murder of a very important person in the sanctuary of art, the world famous Louvre immediately arouses interest and sets the stage for more suspense as the movie uses symbol and signs to deepen the mystery. However, the movie's initial momentum is slowed down by the lengthy explanations of the pagan theology and fallacious ideologies proclaimed by the important characters. The wordiness results in non-action episodes that turn off viewers who consider them boring. For in a suspense action thriller, one expects to see the visuals of the continuous action rather than to be told "stories". Technically, the movie is well made with excellent production designs, tight angling and quick editing. Commendable are the very convincing performances of the lead actors especially Tom Hanks (Robert Langdon) and Ian McKellen as Sir Leigh Teabing. Over-all, the film is above the average production but cannot be considered a great timeless movie.
The film unfairly presents a negative picture of Opus Dei, a conservative Catholic organization. All the Opus Dei
members in the film are depicted as spiritually unattractive Christians. They are either neurotic, fanatical and murderous (like the Albino, Monk Silas), brutal (French
police officer Fache), scheming, worldly and unpriestly for breaking the seal of confession (Bishop Aringarosa).
Even Catholic cardinals are represented as part of a scheme or conspiracy. All of these are contrary to reality.
How do we respond to the often asked question, should we see the movie? It is a matter of personal choice.
If one's faith is firm and well grounded, one has nothing to fear. But if one's faith is shaky, caution must be exercised by the viewer as the movie being well made, may succeed in swaying one's convictions.
The Da Vinci Code
is a reminder to look into ourselves and examine our faith. Is it strong and deeply moored in God's love or is it only ritualistic that pays lip service? The film is a call to action, to affirm our faith and to help others find and affirm theirs too, by more assiduous study of the Scriptures and more thorough catechesis. If the film succeeds in inspiring this resolve among Catholics and other committed Christian groups, then whatever negative impact it may have shall generate instead much good.
(Date Reviewed: 19 May 2006)
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