I found it to be quite interesting for the most part, though the story relied on a few contradictions and convenient coincidences. The acting was very good and the cinematography and art direction were excellent. I'm not a big fan of Ron Howard's films, but I think he did an excellent job with this one.
The premise of the story itself was fairly straight forward and I saw the twist coming long before it was revealed, in that respect, this story is nothing special and I guess Dan Brown's notoriety is more due to his books popularity than to his skill as a story teller. I was entertained nonetheless and that is all I really require from art. I am not interested in being 'challenged' (for what end?) so this film, despite its few flaws was highly enjoyable.
It was also nice to see so many good actors as well, though I'm starting to grow weary of seeing McKellan pop up every where.
14 comments:
The film is not as absorbing as the bookbut then few films are with the need to finish within a reasonable time span.
Howard made an overuse of flashbacks for my liking which detracted from the story and could have used the time better to fill in the gaps.
The ending is overly long and not as simple as the book. We also miss out on several sequences in the book that give more character to the girl.
Having said all that it is an okay film but not one that shall be joining my collection.
Oh I don't know... not having read the book, I thought the flash backs were a good way to create an ambience conducive to the character of the story
...though I did wince at the usual 'rocket launcher like' trebuchets bombarding Jerusalem.
...there is also something strangely comforting in the notion of Audrey Tautou being the daughter of Christ...
The more I think about it, the more I like the notion of matriarchal religious philosophy.
And you can stop laughing now Oleg...
I haven't seen the movie, but I liked the book very much. His books have a page-turner quality that you don't run into very often.
I haven't seen the movie, but I tried to read the book, and I didn't care for it at all. It seems like there's an interesting story buried in there, but I thought that the writing was just awful. Perhaps, I'll have better luck with the film.
And yet, the book is very popular... what was it you didn't like about it?
LOL - Maybe I just have a no-nonsense taste in literature. I find him very readable and that is an important element for me.
I cannot read classic stories like Moby Dick or Robinson Crusoe just because I find them impossible to slog through.
Ha ha ha... you should try reading some of the books I've read then.
Tolstoy was the worst I think. 'War and Peace' is awful and it goes on forever!
If I can help it, I never stop a book half way through, so I've had to chew some really dry old pages in my time.
I'm with you Moif, seldom will I stop once I have started a book, but I have never tried Tolstoy, nor do I wish to.
I do like classics as long as they are readable. The Three Musketeers, the Mutiny on the Bounty trilogy, The Scarlett Pimpernel, anything by Rafael Sabatini...those types are what I like.
I am beginnning to see a pattern emerging there...
=)
And yet, the book is very popular... what was it you didn't like about it?
I like many different types of writing, and I can appreciate the sparse style of Hemingway just as easily as more verbose authors like Tolstoy (although his moralizing is a bit annoying...)
I also read a lot of trashy, Victorian adventure/gothic/romance novels, which I recognize are extremely melodramatic, but when I starting reading The Da Vinci Code, the writing just felt poorly constructed to me. Obviously, most people don't agree with me on this. It was a huge success. I just couldn't get through it, and I can't really tell you why, precisely.
It can't be as bad as Eco's 'Foucaults Pendulum'. =/
Personally I doubt I'll ever bother to read 'The DaVinci Code' myself... too many books on my preferences list already...
Mind you if Alibiris don't get their act together soon I'll be forced to read some thing dreary soon any way.
What's Alibris?
http://www.alibris.com/
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