Obviously it's hard to accurately adapt a novel into a movie. Already having read Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code, I eagerly anticipated the release of Ron Howard's film. I absolutely loved the book; it was smart, exciting, fascinating, and fun. To my surprise, so was the movie. So then it also came as quite a surprise to me when I saw the rating The Da Vinci Code received on Rotten Tomatoes: 24%. But I still stand by my review; I could watch this mystery over again and still catch things I missed the first time.

Professor Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is giving a speech in France on his new book about the meaning of symbols when he's called upon by Inspector Fache (Jean Reno) to visit a murder scene. Langdon was supposed to meet with the museum curator of the Louvre Museum, Jacques Sauniere (Jean-Pierre Marielle), earlier that night but he never showed. Now Sauniere lies dead in the museum, his body positioned in the form of the Vitruvian Man by Leonardo Da Vinci. Beside his body, Sauniere left a cryptic message that only his grand-daughter Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou) and Langdon could decipher. The rest of the movie follows Langdon and Neveu as they trail from one clue to the next, in search of the secret behind Sauniere's death.

While Langdon and Neveu try to discover this secret while running from the police, Sauniere's killer Silas (Paul Bettany) is in search of the same thing. Silas's story is told through a number of flashbacks to explain how he became involved in the church and ultimately a devoted servant of the Teacher. Silas was the most interesting character in The Da Vinci Code because of his strange and unfamiliar lifestyle. There is a scene in which Silas illustrates self-flagellation to experience what Jesus felt when he died. But even though he is a murderer and the most disturbed character, I actually sort of cared about him in the end. I didn't view him as a villain, but more like a faithful member of the church manipulated by the Teacher and Bishop Aringarosa (Alfred Molina) for their own gain.

Overall, the characters were pretty close to the book. There were some changes to make Brown's story a better fit for a movie. While watching The Da Vinci Code, I was disappointed to see Langdon and Neveu solve the clues so fast. In the book, I remember them having a difficult time trying to decipher the code Sauniere left behind, or trying to figure out how to open the safe deposit box at the bank. But considering the movie was already 2½ hours long, the director can't take nearly as long to get to the next clue.

Besides, this fast-paced and complex thriller kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. This movie had everything: murders, car chases, historical secrets, flashbacks, mystery, and great characters. My only reservation is whether this story was understood by the mass audience. The Da Vinci Code was definitely a complex thriller, but was it too much for people who were expecting a typical summer movie?

Kristin's Grade: A-

Director: Ron Howard
Screenwriter: Akiva Goldsman
Based on: The novel by Dan Brown
Genre: Thriller / Action / Adventure / Mystery
Running Time: 149 minutes
Rated: PG-13 (for disturbing images, violence, some nudity, thematic material, brief drug references and sexual content)

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