Every person who hasn't been under Madonna's Rock knows of the latest phenomenon to hit our culture. Practically everywhere you turn it's there. At the bookstore, on the news, in a commercial, on the history channel, front page on a magazine or your hometown newspaper, there's even a diet. Whether you regard it as fact or fiction, the truth is that nobody can escape The DaVinci Code.

For a while, I remained out of the loophole. Just what was everybody raving about? I had always thought the novel would be a documentary type of non fiction fact sort of novel. But, was I wrong. My grandmother practically shoved her copy of the novel into my hands and told me that I HAD to read this novel. So, as I visited my father over April vacation, I found myself torn to the pages in front of me. Nothing stripped my eyes from the book, as Dan Brown made me turn page after page. I followed along in the footsteps of Robert Langdon, professor of symbology, and cracked the code for myself. I remember one point in the novel when I came to one of the many clues Langdon encounters, noticing the familiarity of the letters. Remembering some facts that I knew from art class concerning DaVinci I flipped down the overhead mirror in my dad's car, deciphering the clue before Langdon did. Then, it was just a matter of hoping the characters would follow suit. My dad just smiled.

After tearing through the novel and later reading Angels and Demons, the prequel to The DaVinci Code, I was on the edge of my seat to see the film adaptation. Dan Brown crafted an excellent thriller and a historical novel that was nicely rapped into one little dust cover. Sure, most of it may not be true, but that is ultimately up to the reader to decide. Kudos should definitely be given to Mr. Brown for his ingenuity in presenting (fact?) in fiction and allowing his readers to decide. Pure genius. Now, it's Ron Howard's turn. I've adored almost all of Opee's films and personally, I think that he was just the man to bring the event of the year to the big screen. So, having read the novel, thoroughly prepared, I ventured out to crack The DaVinci Code on the big screen.

The DaVinci Code 5/19/06

Finally the previews roll out (although, I do love em') and the title sequence begins. It starts out beautifully as the infrared light flashes by the titles and then they disappear into darkness. It feels almost as if the viewers are probing the Louvre themselves and then the heavy footfall of the curator, Jacques Sauniére, thunders down the cavernous stretches inside the museum. Then, the shrill explosion of gunfire rips the eerie silence, and the cat and mouse pursuit is over. Or so the audience thinks. No no my dear viewers, this is where it all begins.

Each actor who portrays their particular character, I feel actually lived and breathed their parts. Everyone from the albino Silas to Bezu Fache, the bull of an investigator of this DaVinci disaster, feels as if they are that person. No lame cornball Hollywood blockbuster acting here. Ron Howard carefully selected the perfect compilation of actors and each works beautifully. It's a treat to once again see Tom Hanks in a role, even with the hair, and his accomplice Audrey Tautou as agent Sophie Neveu is a refreshing new and exciting face. I loved the fact the movie wasn't dumbed down for Americans and all of the French speaking remained intact. What's a few lines of reading gonna do? Jeesh. I just love the authentic kinda of feel of that. You think, cool, that guy's speaking in French, I must really be in France. It just transports the viewers to another level of believability.

The action remains just as intense in the movie as in the novel and sure it moves along at a rather rapid pace, but then the film finds the right moments to quiet down and do some explaining. It obviously has to live up to the controversy, now doesn't it? I particularly love the shot as Langdon and Neveu escape the authorities outside of the American Embassy in that tiny little car and you see Hank's worried look in the rear view mirror right before it is shattered off by a near miss. Cool. Tensions continue to mount, a wonderful church choir like soundtrack keeps you riveted and barely keeping the pace with Langdon.

Of all the roles in the film, I think Sir Ian McKellen's role as Sir Leigh Teabing, was the most profound. He comes off as the charming, witty, and humerous scholar just as well in the film as in the novel and it's hard to believe that he's really the man behind it all. At least until his true intentions come forth in the end. Howard tosses about the thought of who the mysterious Teacher actually is. I certainly know that the lady in front of me was surprised by Teabing's change in character and that is all account of McKellen's wonderful skill as an actor.

The sequences that surprised me the most were the flashbacks to the Crusades as the tale of Mary Magdalene unfolds. Epic battles, knights, tombs, and emperors just add so much more depth to the tales and an awesome cool factor. I think that they are an awesome visual technique that doesn't even come to mind when reading the novel, but are just perfect in the movie.

I have to say, that I am particularly impressed with this film. I'm predicting that this will be my favorite of all of the blockbusters this year. Although, Superman is looking mighty fine indeed. This film is the perfect mixture of action, history, superb acting, mystery, cool special effects, and controversy. It represents every thing that a summer blockbuster should be and I'm overjoyed that it turned out just as well as it did.

Whether you choose to delve into the points presented or regard them as merely interesting devices in a fictitious story is up to you. But I think that the decision to see The DaVinci Code should be a no brainer.

~QGJ

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

77-02-05-83-99-80
I know that it has been a while since my last Star Wars blog and I promise that my next blog will be solely dedicated to the galaxy far far away. If you're savvy though, you may just find the Force hidden in this text. P.S. Find George Lucas.