Quartile rating: 8.5/10 · 1 rating
A murder in Paris’ Louvre Museum and cryptic clues in some of Leonardo da Vinci’s most famous paintings lead to the discovery of a religious mystery. For 2,000 years a secret society closely guards information that — should it come to light — could rock the very foundations of Christianity.
The Da Vinci Code benefits from a genuinely gripping page-turner premise and some effective set-pieces in iconic European locations, but Ron Howard's adaptation struggles to translate Dan Brown's propulsive thriller onto screen. Tom Hanks feels miscast and delivers a notably flat performance, and Paul Bettany's Silas is more cartoonish than menacing. The cinematography is competent and makes good use of the Louvre and European gothic settings but rarely rises above workmanlike. The plot's elaborate conspiracy architecture is engaging in concept but the film over-explains at every turn, grinding momentum to a halt. The ending deflates rather than pays off, resolving the grand religious conspiracy with a whimper and an oddly sentimental final beat that undercuts the thriller tension built throughout.