| ![The Da Vinci Code (Two-Disc Extended Cut + BD Live) [Blu-ray]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/517CnF%2BECqL.jpg) | Director: Ron Howard
Actors: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou, Jean Reno, Ian McKellen, Paul Bettany
Studio: SONY PICTURES
List Price: $28.95
Buy New: $15.99
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Rating:  634 reviews
Sales Rank: 3302
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
Languages: English (Original Language), French (Original Language), Latin (Original Language), English (Subtitled), French (Subtitled), French (Dubbed)
Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Media: Blu-ray
Region: 1
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Number Of Items: 2
Running Time: 174 Minutes
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.3
Dimensions (in): 6.7 x 5.3 x 0.4
MPN: 16123
UPC: 043396161238
EAN: 0043396161238
ASIN: B000I2J2XG
Theatrical Release Date: 2006
Release Date: April 28, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: BRAND NEW ... SEALED ... NEVER OPENED (SHIP ONLY MON-FRI)
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Showing reviews 611-615 of 634
 Adequate Adaptation of Novel May 20, 2006
Diana F. Von Behren (Kenner, LA USA)
3 out of 4 found this review helpful
Calling to mind that the novel "rhe Da Vinci Code" by the controversial Dan Btown primarily reads as a series of cerebral puzzles packaged as a suspense thriller pitting an ultra conservative branch of the Roman Catholic Church (Opus Dei) against a secret society protecting a 2000 year old secret surely explains why some critics claim that Ron Howard's 2006 film of the same name seems "weighed down in exposition and talkiness." (USA Today, May 19, 2006)
Instead of remembering that the novel waxes "pedestrian" with Eureka moments by utilizing some fairly simplistic brainteasers which lead main characters Robert Langdon, an imminent Harvard symbolist,and Sophie Neveu, DCPJ cryptologist, down a labyrinthine rabbit hole where one amazing conclusion emerges, threatening to tumble the very pillars of Christian dogma decided upon in the year 325 at the council of Nicaea, reviewers penalize the movie for simply following the book's formula without the benefit of the shortened suspense apposite chapters. Howard chooses for brevity's sake to forego many of the book's conundrums---the mystery of backwards DaVincian script which absorbs two or three pages is wisely condensed into one knowing statement of fact. In a style typified in "A Beautiful Mind" to encapsulate the inner workings of genius schizophrenic John Nash, Howard binds Hans Zimmer music to CSI-demonstrative visual effects to cleverly illustrate each twist of the ultimate conspiracy for those of us not adept at piecing together clues involving art, religion, history, secret societies and arcane rituals.
As with most films, Howard's "Da Vinci Code" performs to a mainstream audience and should succeed in entertaining accordingly. A Tom Hanks with a poorly cut wannabe-professor's do plays the part of "Harrison Ford in Harris Tweed" with a likeable gravitas that includes ample sympathy and dawning understanding for his accidental sidekick, Amelie-waif Audrey Tautou whose chocolate brown eyes convey all the pathos expected from a by-product of the Greatest Story Ever Told. Supporting cast members like Ian McKellan---admirably flipping from fanatical scholar to duplicitous tactician----Jean Reno----adding a manly French flavor packet to the book's otherwise stereotypical dogged flatfoot Bezu Fache-----and Paul Bettany-----almost unrecognizable as the overtly intense self-flagellating monk Silas after dryly sarcastic roles in "Wimbledon" and "A Beautiful Mind"-----capture the usual suspense genre second string to quirky perfection.
All in all, the movie adequately represents Dan Brown's brainchild, offering to audiences two and a half hours of non-stop entertainment. Bottom line? If the book titillated, so will the movie, in spite of the fact of an already revealed mystery and a reader's digest version of the sub-puzzles. Visually agreeable, like most high budget films, the book and its characters come to as much of a celluloid life as is rendered possible given the original nature of the novel. Are the prequel events of Langdon in "Angels and Demons" already in the works?
Diana Faillace Von Behren
"reneofc"
 Compelling May 19, 2006
James Daniel Walsh (Bakersfield, CA USA)
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
I left the theater after having seen this film and saw the line of protestors outside. My opinion of the film, which was already quite high, doubled to great respect after I saw that. How can people judge something without giving it a chance? Wouldn't it have been wise for those people to wait and see the movie and then protest on Saturday? Instead their out there on OPENING DAY!!! Give it a chance!!! There is nothing at all blasphemous about the movie, just as there was nothing anti-semetic about the Passion of the Christ and nothing anti American about Faherenhite 9/11 (two movies that did very well BECAUSE of the attention given to them by protestors). In the end, all these people did was re-inforce what the movie has to say about the Catholic church - that it is filled with people who are willing to do anything to silence people who are only offering a different opinion. If your faith is so weak that it can't stand up against a Hollywood blockbuster, than shame on you - your faith is meaningless. Grow up.
 Lackluster May 19, 2006
David A. Dein (The Garden State)
9 out of 12 found this review helpful
If I had to sum THE DAVINCI CODE up in one word, it would be lackluster. It's the kind of movie that will have its defenders. But for the most part, they will be defending Dan Brown's Novel, not Ron Howard's movie. It's not that the film is incompetent. It just doesn't try hard enough. It sits there never quite compelling you to do anything but watch it. It's a thriller with very little thrills.
Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), Harvard University's most gifted Symbologist, is in Paris giving a lecture on his new book. When he is accidentally thrown into the middle of a murder investigation, in which he is the prime suspect. His only allies are Sophie Neveu, the murdered man's granddaughter, and Sir Leigh Teabing, an eccentric brit with a passion for the holy grail. Langdon must outrun an over zealous police chief (Jean Reno), a psychotic Albino Monk (Paul Bettany), and a mysterious man called only The Teacher. In the process he stumbles over the biggest mystery of our age: just what is the Holy Grail?
Director Ron Howard does his best to keep us interested in the story. It's been simplified and changed drastically from the source material, probably so that modern moviegoers can grasp the material a little easier. The thing that surprised me most about the changes in the story, were how they dramatically changed Robert Langdon's character motivations. The Langdon of Dan Brown's famous novel is an expert in the Grail symbology and goes as far as to defend it to Sophie. In the film he plays more of the Devil's Advocate questioning more and going as far as to call most of it bunk. This changes the end of the film dramatically taking a bit of real passion out of it. In essence you're left with a postmodern twist on the story that zaps a lot of meaning out of the plot.
Screenwriter Akiva Goldsman script shies away from the controversy of Dan Brown's book, it feels as if the producers sensed a boycott and got cold feet. I think it hurts the film. Honestly, if your going to court controversy you should jump full in. If not you've lost the battle. Now I wished I hadn't slaved through Brown's book. The film doesn't fill you with much desire to read the book it's based on.
On a purely cinematic level it fails because it's not all that compelling. None of the characters are drawn full enough for you to care about them. They are lost in a film that has a point A and a point B, but the journey to get there is paved with boring car chases, fake drama, sloppy gunplay and incredibly stilted reveals. No one seems to have any honest motivation, and problems are solved but not explained. For instance Langdon and Sophie have this thing called a cryptex, they need to solve a code to get a piece of paper out of it. But instead of showing us how Langdon figured out the code it just jumps to him solving it.
My favorite moment was when Langdon and Sophie need to get to a library to figure out a riddle. In Dan Brown's novel they spend hours in a library, in the film Sophie borrows some random guy's cell phone and they figure it out on a bus. I chuckled.
All in all THE DAVINCI CODE is the kind of movie that's made to cash in on one of the most popular books in recent history. Its got star power, its got a big name director, its got a giant budget. But it's missing a human touch. It's missing a central heart. It's not a film about people. It's a film that just sits there and then fades to black. Amidst the controversy, amidst the hype, the boycotts, and the millions it will rake in at the box-office THE DAVINCI CODE is much "ado about nothing."
 A pleasant suprise May 19, 2006
Hannahzarah Avarraschild (Burlington, VT United States)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
I am not a fan of Tom Hanks and I didn't find the book all that interesting so I wasn't expecting much out of this movie. I saw it earlier this afternoon and it was a pleasant surprise. Tom Hanks did a good job portraying a professor of linguistics caught up in high drama. The movie had a good pace to it so unlike the book it didn't get boring. I have told everyone I have run across today that it was worth seeing and would present it that way to anyone interested in it. As far as the religious controversy--my spiritual beliefs aren't harmed for one minute if Jesus was or was not married with or without children or even if he had been human. His teachings are still worth listening to. This movie didn't seem antagonistic to me at all. The people hunting down the grail guardians were presented as a small group of fanatics who would be excommunicated if caught doing what they were doing.
As I stated I feel it was well worth watching.
Suberb! May 19, 2006
Gary
The length is a little punishing (said the Nun to the Bishop), but I thought this was rollicking good fun for the most part. UK viewers may titter when Audrey Tautou first appears talking like Michelle from vintage BBC comedy 'Allo 'Allo ("Listen very carefully; I shall say this only once!") and even wearing the same coat. Director Ron Howard's approach - hokey melodrama but on a tight leash - works surprisingly well.
I am not religious but I was very touched by its sentiments.
Showing reviews 611-615 of 634
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