The DaVinci Code (DVD, 2006, 2-Disc Special Edition, Full Frame Edition)

Leonardo Da Vinci the man, certainly fits our idea of a man of all seasons who lived by no code other than his own. Born illegitimately in Tuscany in 1452, Leonardo da Vinci took advantage of his considerable artistic and mechanical talents to break free of class constraints and achieve lasting recognition. While we think that the Renaissance Era was a peaceful time of painting flowers, and a free atmosphere in which creative genius flourished, it was this period of time that brought turbulent years which gave birth to the rebirth of civilization. As Bach and Mozart produced the finest music in the styles of their times, Da Vinci was a member of secret orders, most notably the Priory of Sion, a secret fraternal organization founded in 1099. Da Vinci himself was a intellectual paradox: he exerted a curiosity about practical and mechanical things, how they worked, and his artistic thoughts derived from the practical. He was practical, and apparently charismatic, and brilliant enough to produce works beyond anything seen before. According to legend he had such physical strength, could bend horseshoes with his hands, and it is well-known that he wrote his notebooks in script which was backwards. He never stopped experimenting, which unfortunately doomed some of his paintings to premature decay due to unstable primers. He sometime was unable to complete paintings because of attention problems; he would lose business opportunities, as with the Sistine chapel that finally Michaelangelo painted, whom he met late in life and resented. He also had two great strikes against him: he was illegitimate and also accused of sodomy. He overcame the stigma of the former, but the latter, Brown writes that Da Vinci was a “flamboyant homosexual” and fought “a perpetual state of sin against God” despite the public success of his life in historical terms while unproven, it haunted him forever. His love of nature, however, was tempered by witnessing murder in churches and public hangings. Although he refused to eat meat he drew pictures of corpses. He was an artist but also possessed the inquisitiveness of a scientist.
Leonardo Da Vinci was the man. A strange one at that.
Loretta Marie

As a Christian. seeking the mysteries of unknown within our Faith, this movie presents a challenge: a challenge for us to think, reflect and come to terms with what is important to each of us. The book was definitely a page-turner..once on film, it does lose some its 'punch'. None-the-less..Ron Howard and cast get in our face about what Christianity may or may not be to us respectively : IT IS ABOUT HOW DEAR WE HOLD OUR FAITH. DO WE DARE CHALLENGE OTHER BELIEFS AND THEORIES? No matter how devout we may be..this movie (and the book more so) moves us to look within and embraCE OR DEFLECT WHAT WE READ AND SEE..In the case of the movie..it does get in your face and we need to be strong in our faith, rather than throw stones..:Da Vinci Code is a perspective, theories,opinions..we all have them. There is always a sense of 'maybe' or'what if'..this movie is NOT doctrine..getting bent out of shape may indicate that we are threatened rather than being truly 'thinking, reflective"' human beings. That is how we were created./I believe the movie (and book) present a wonderful challenge for us to re-examine where we stand in our faith. It (movie)is a well presented piece of history, theory and wonder...not dogma 'We often seek to 'touch the face of GOD'. When one is challenged to look 'beyond' for enlightenment or perspective..I have noted many to rebel..the old "How dare you!" attitude.This was a marvelous work, encouraging us on the sub-level to look at who we are and our relationship with a being we believe to be OUR Father. The 'secret' society (OPUS DEI..and many, many more) is alive and well, into the 21st century..why is that? This work has stirred up many feelings..these need to be examined'not brushed of as 'Hollywood' or a just a good read. The Da Vinci Code raises questions..and doubts and a measure of intrigue to liver out and pursue our Christianity even further..after all...as long as we continue to be human..doubt and questions about any subject or belief, will continue to be challenge us.This work was just one of many. It was very well presented on screen (and in the book). It has served a purpose. Maybe some can get out of the laid back approach about our beliefs, religion, and being devout..like going to church on Sundays (for those who may still indulge in church-going) This work may have a purpose to renew and become strong in one's beliefs..be they (beliefs) what they are. No one can take that right away from you; nor do we have the right to throw stones at another's others views, beliefs or opinions (Mary Magdalene would a good laugh at our behavior). Watch the movie; read the book; don't take offense..rather, oen your mind and allow yourself to come away with a renewed purpose to look at what each one of us believes and cherishes. Cling to that and live it.
My view is this: BRAVO to Dan Brown and Ron Howard to test our strengthen in what we hold dear and precious in our spiritual life.

The Da Vinci Code is the controversial movie directed by Ron Howard and based on the best-selling Dan Brown novel that has made Mr. Brown a multi-millionaire and at the same time, angered Christians and Catholics around the world. The movie is sure to do the same. In the movie, Tom Hanks plays Robert Langdon, an American professor trapped in Paris after he is considered the prime suspect in the murder of a prominent French curator and historian. With the help of Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), Langdon manages to elude the police and begins to follow a series of hidden codes and puzzles that lead him to an ancient secret that a mysterious society has been hiding for more than 2000 years. If revealed this secret will shake the very foundation upon which Christianity and Catholicism have been built.

I have to admit I went into The Da Vinci Code fully knowing the negative buzz that has suddenly surrounded the movie in the last 24 hours following its screening at Cannes. Nevertheless, I went into the movie with a fairly open mind and really wanting to like this movie.

Unfortunately, for a movie with so much publicity, so much promise and so much hype surrounding it, Da Vinci is fairly disappointing. It's a tough book to tackle. There's a lot going on here and a lot that needs to be translated to the screen. But I'll tell ya, I read the book and there were parts of the movie I still found confusing. Between all the different characters, the subtitles, the flashbacks, the pointing guns, the cryptic messages, the prolonged dialogue, and Hanks' humoungous noggin, I'm not too sure how someone who hasn't read the book can totally follow what is happening. There are characters in the book who are central figures, yet in the movie, just seemed like a waste of film and make-up (ie. Alfred Molina's Bishop Aringarosa). The movie certainly seems to lack the urgency that exists in the book. And then there's Tom Hanks, who generally is one of my favourite actors and one of the best of our generation and he just seems to play the entire movie in a monotone, unexcited sort of fashion, despite his long, flowing hair and his acting does not stand out like we are accustomed to him doing.

Overall, I have to say that The Da Vinci Code does not live up to the high expectations it seems to have set for itself. The movie has received an extraordinary amount of publicity and in most cases, this would be a studio's dream. It should be interesting to see how this attention translates into box office dollars. There are millions and millions of religious folk who will not see this movie based on its anti-Christian and anti-Catholic premise and that is their right. Hopefully, a lot of them will take the high road and turn the other cheek because protesting will just encourage others to see the movie. Not that I'm against people seeing Da Vinci but wouldn't that just sabatoge the purpose of their protests? Because from what I'm seeing on the news and reading in the papers, there are going to be protests. Heck, I don't even blame them for being upset considering the movie claims the man upon which their entire religious belief is based was nothing more than a mere mortal who also happened to be married. Mr. Brown should be happy that most Christians and Catholics will turn the other cheek and not react like a handful of people did when a certain book written by a fellow named Salman Rushdie was published.

The movie was good for what is is ....a movie. It was entertaining and not really thought provoking. I don't think Tom Kanks was the right choice for the lead actor but still it was entertaining. The movie kept our interest and so it didn't seem drawn out. Good movie to pop in and watch on a cold winter night.

With so many centuries of hidden knowledge, cults, sects, and Christianity-shattering secrets involved, this may have been confusing to those not acquainted with the book, but Howard and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman ingeniously weave the myriad layers into a true thrill ride. This is so true -- I really did enjoy seeing Tom in the movie -- a nice get away from the comedies!!

I loved the book and brought the DVD the day it came out, I was not dissapointed, The film does not deviate much from the book.
Highly recomended by me

I've read the Da Vinci code book two times and enjoyed reading it both times. The book is fast paced and draws the reader into the chase to find the clues. Dan Brown's writing style keeps the reader enthralled in this adventure and never gives a lull in the story.

Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the movie. While the movie is faithful to the book, it just doesn't have the same sense of urgency that you feel in the book. The movie seems to just drag on and at points, I was pretty bored.

I wouldn't say this isn't a good movie, it just isn't as good as the book. Maybe a different director than Ron Howard could have produced a movie that was more fast paced and faithful to the original book. This movie is worth watching, I'm just not sure its one that I'm going to add to my DVD collection.

I am glad that I had the opportunity to read the book, several months ago. The film followed the book pretty closely, I think. The book developed the characters and what I thought they "looked like" well, and the film did not disappoint me. I think that "Silas" was well-cast, as was Sophie. They were precisely in my "mind's eye."

Also, the book was so descriptive that I could almost "forecast" the visual imagery coming up in the next scenes. I was not disappointed in the film, but might have felt it dragged had I not have read the book. And, we all need to remember that the book and film are fiction, based largely on what we perceive to be fact. Very provocative.

I heard nothing but positive reviews from movie critics, HOWEVER, it failed to hold my attention. None of the actors that usually put forth outstanding performances were given the opportunity to do so. Movie moves fast and slow, cryptic as expected, bored stiff throughout the movie. I was very disappointed with this highly acclaimed movie:(

I was very happy to see this film come out the way it did i had high hopes after reading the novel....one of tom hanks best i think...

While I think that this is a good story,let me state that I am a Christian as well. I am not offended by the content of the movie, but by the author's statements about it. I do believe that for people who are not Christian, or who are still learning, it can be very confusing. It does state that it is fiction, but there are some facts involved as well. I think that everyone who is looking at it as more than a fictional movie should also read the after book regarding the movie and showing where the fact and the fiction lie. I do thing Tom Hanks was not the most appropriate actor in this film. I love almost all of his movies, but this just wasn't his niche. Overall I say, read it, watch it, and read the unraveling the davinci code too.

We had seen this at the movie theatre and happy it is being released on DVD in November so the rest of the family can see it. It is extremely long, especially to see at a movie theatre. A controversial movie.

I want to say that I own the book, which is awsome! I also rented the movie to see it and I that the movie was awsome and that Tom Hanks did a wondeful job!We always rent or go to the theaters to see a movie before we by it. I loved Just loved the movie!

Okay....if you ask me...just another movie. When you relate any movie to a book, there are always going to be true disappointments. This movie did loose touch with some of the things that were in the book. It's a good movie to watch and can hold your interest, somewhat, I walked out quite often though. I didn't find Tom Hanks quite suitable for the main character. It does have a good ending, which I was waiting to see mainly in this movie due to the book. How the writers could have taken more time in making a better story line suitable to hit the big screens. If you plan on buying this movie, I would suggest waiting and renting it first. It is not a horrible tragedy of a disappointment, but may be worth the wait. For the money you save, I would suggest the book instead. It may take you some time to read next to a short viewing on the boob tube but well worth it. Especially to get the true understanding of the movie since alot of important features, explanations of the characters, time tables, etc. etc.

I found it to be very thought provoking. Being raised Catholic it was a little hard for me to watch with an open mind at times. But whether you agree or disagree it is still very intriging.

I am not big on religion and have no clue about it, but this movie explained it well. It kept me interested and wanting more. I would definitly watch this one again. Tom Hanks does an excellent job in this movie. Very interesting movie!

I initially saw this movie in Arizona. I was somewhat captivated throughout the entire film. Personally, I feel that the part played by Tom Hanks, should have been played by another actor, as his acting in this particular movie, wasn't par with the other parts Mr. Hanks has starred in, in the past. I rate this DVD to be good, as it kept me wondering throughout the film, and right through to the end.

I like movies that you get to try to solve things along with them and this is one of those kinds of movies. I really enjoyed it and will enjoy it over and over. It fit very nicely into my budget also. I look forward to my future purchases.

This movie was very well done considering the amount of information that had to be covered from the book. I read the book and loved it and although the movie could not exactly replicate the book, I found the movie to be very good. My wife did not read the book and also enjoyed the movie very much.
The bonus features are great, especially the stuff about the real codes, mysteries and myths surrounding the story. As a historical fiction lover and a history lover, this dvd has a lot to offer.
Good acting, good direction, decent screenplay and a great story.

It was well done and provided me with some background data I was not familiar with regarding the Catholic Church and its history. It was suspenseful and and a good mystery. The characters were well cast and the settings authentic. I had heard some of the controversy surrounding the movie and decided I wanted to see it on my own time. I recommend it.

This is a wonderful movie. I was very skeptical about it as I had heard negative things about the material that is presented. A friend of mine asked that I keep an open mind about it and I am so glad that I did. It is fantastic and beautifully done!!!

I enjoy a movie that is somewhat controversial. There always seems to be controversy in a movie that involves religion. It's an action packed movie that kept you wondering whats going to happen next. Not at anytime did I see anything that could be considered controversy. This was simply a movie, it did not claim to be true. I enjoyed it & thats why I bought it.

Couldn't wait to sit down to watch. I had read the book. The movie was very good, but some parts I was glad I had read the book first. The actors were fantastic and the movie kept me in my seat.