The DaVinci Code (DVD, 2006, Widescreen; 2-Disc Special Edition)

The fuss about Dan Brown's best seller & this subsequent motion picture based upon it is perplexing. So what if Jesus had a wife & daughter? I'd prefer to believe that he had a completely fulfilling mortal life. Does Brown's well researched theory threaten Christendom? If so, how? My faith hasn't changed.

The Roman Catholic church has a vast history of condoning torturous & murderous gangs as the Inquisition & Crusades! Today, the same denomination is notorious for the largest child, teen & adult sexual harassment ring & cover-up by US bishops & cardinals in history. In contrast, Brown's theory isn't a violent one; in fact, it's heart warning to imagine a religious martyr having had a love life that produced a child after his death. There's more evidence in the Gospel of Thomas (that neither Brown's book nor Howard's film mention) in its final verse 114: Simon Peter tells Jesus to get rid of Mary because women don't belong in "the life" with men (disciples). Jesus responds in the last line of the verse, that he'll make Mary male, saying that any woman who makes herself male for God's sake will inherit the kingdom of heaven. He spoke in parables, remember? Not speaking literally about making Mary into a transsexual, Jesus refers to the irrelevance of sex & gender when it comes to spirituality. It's a 'conceivable' theory this movie 'incarnates'. Dan Brown's story, Akiva Goldsman's screenplay & Ron Howard's movie go like this:

On a business trip in Paris, Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), a symbologist from Harvard, learns that the curator, Jacques Saunière (Jean-Pierre Marielle), of the Louvre museum's dead & apparently murdered there. Once Professor Langdon meets with the French police captain, Bezu Fache (Jean Reno), they find cryptic writing near Saunière's body. Langdon (Hanks) has no trouble solving the encoded writing Saunière left on the Louvre's floor in front of Leonardo DaVinci's "Mona Lisa." 'Agent' Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), who's really a French cryptologist, meets Langdon at the scene & secretly warns him that to avoid Captain Fache who wants Langdon dead. Tension, thrill, chase & intrigue begin at this point.

Cryptologist Neveu & symbologist Langdon flea the Louvre death scene on the run for their lives. The clues they've both deciphered lead to are a hidden in plain sight secret in masterpieces by DaVinci.

The late curator was deeply involved with the Priory of Sion, a true life secret society that has allegedly protected 'The Holy Chalice' for 2000 years. In breakneck chases through Paris, London & points in between, Neveu & Langdon are tracked by members of Opus Dei, a nefarious, Papal approved, Catholic
fundamentalist-supremacist group that's planned to take possession of the Priory's secret charge. Neuve & Langdon hide at the estate of Langdon's professor friend, Sir Leigh Teabing (Sir Ian McKellen). Teabing joins with Neveu & Langdon to unravel the secret mysteries of history of their lifetimes.

Sir Ian McKellen proves that Tom Hanks is no match for his acting skill. There's humor for adults in line the 2 exchange:

Langdon (Hanks): The ancient male symbol was the blade, it's a basic phallus. It's still used today on military uniforms.
Sir Teabing (Sir McKellen): Yes & the more penises you have, the higher your rank. Boys will be boys!

Audrey Tautou as Sophie & Sir Ian McKellen as Teabing each have & deliver the best lines throughout "The DaVinci Code."