Nah. I’ve been brought up to speed by the History Channel DaVinci Code blitzkrieg. 
Vigils? Maybe, maybe not. Either way, I certainly don’t see how the statement “Local churches are holding sessions debunking the book” amounts to an infringement of Dan Brown’s First Amendment rights. If anything, I think that such debunking is an attempt to fight the misinformation that Dan Brown is propagating.
Folks, I’m really tired of people saying that Dan Brown’s detractors should just shut their pieholes, or that they are acting out of petty or villainous motives. Dan Brown has repeatedly said that the historical claims in his book are accurate, even though the storyline itself is fictional. What’s more, many have apparently come to believe his claims. Have we reached the point at which it’s okay for Dan Brown to spread damaging misinformation, but it’s not okay to protest his work?
I think some people have a funny definition of what “freedom of expression” means.
When I read this book, it created a temporary releif from the devils screaming in my mind; just enough to blind out the blandness:)
I read the book. I didn’t like it very much- I’m not Christian, so it doesn’t matter at all one way or the other to me if Jesus had kids. I liked Angels and Demons much better, because there was antimatter in that one and I am a physics geek. 
I won’t go see the movie- why should I, if I didn’t like the book that much? I don’t like to go see movies in the theater much, anyway- I’d rather watch them on DVD at home, when it’s convenient for me.
- Do you read the book? Yes. Despite its wild implausibility and clunky dialogue, I liked it well enough.
- Do you intend to see the film? Probably.
- If you don’t intend to see the film, why? The early reviews are really bad. I’ll wait a bit and see if everyone hates it.
Well, well.
I’m happy to report it blows.
Will I see it in a theater? No effing way. Will I even rent it? Doubtful.
Yes. I read the book on an airplane immediately after reading Angels and Demons, so my expectations were set appropriately. The Da Vinci Code certainly isn’t fine literature, but it’s a good story, and it made the miles pass quickly. I enjoyed it.
Yes, I’ll go see the movie. I like Ron Howard’s directing, and I think it’ll make a good thriller pic.
For what it’s worth, with 12 reviews, the Tomatometer is at 8%.
I have no intention of seeing this movie. I don’t like Tom Hanks. I find him to be a boring and bland actor, and the movies that he chooses to be in are made-for-the-awards overbudgeted dreck. Dan Brown is a pretentious hack and The Da Vinci Code is bullshit, from the small amount of it that I had the misfortune of reading. This movie will burn in movie hell.
I have to say, I normally like Ron Howard movies. I normally like Tom Hanks movies. I normally like Ian McKellan movies. But after reading some of the reviews, if I hadn’t already been convinced not to see it, I am now.
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I tried, so Magdalene help me, but after a while I experienced an uncomfortable mental state as any possible enjoyment from going along with the potboiler was being denied by my increasing agitation over the clunky prose. The historicotheological BS actually had the entertainment *potential * to draw me back in, I love BS theories, but the presentation prevented it. To mangle a phrase, too much cowbell. I tossed it aside.
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Not in theatres I won’t. Maybe rent it in due time.
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a. I seldom watch movies at the cineplex any more anyway, it’s gotta be something I really, really wanna watch. b. Obviously, I could not get caught up in the book, I’m leery of the movie. If there is good WOM I’ll pick it up once it comes out on disc.
(4) BTW the reviews I’ve read tend to be along the lines: Not even close to great. Not an atrocity against all that’s good in film, either. Overlong. Hanks’ performance is underwhelming but McKellan’s a highlight. …I expect a strong initial performance but will be watching for the WOM effect afterward (if only because many potential viewers may wait for that under the assumption that you can’t trust the critics because* they* are also part of The Establishment).
(5) I intend to strike my blow for freedom of expression by renting *Dogma *. That team deserves my money.
I do wonder if a counter-backlash effect will result in a segment of the population buying tickets for DVC just to spite the God Squad – with the sole effect of making mo’money for Sony & Co. If I were the producer I’d be* planting* angry letters to the Editor, man, this is golden synergy for the Studio AND the Churches… they give one another free publicity on a priceless scale.
Here’s a tough decison: do I go see the movie, when the book was eh to me and I don’t care about Tom Hanks one way or the other, simply because my friends are going? Not peer pressure, but I don’t feel like being alone on Friday night. I’ve already mentioned that I’ll likely snicker through parts. Afterwards I won’t be able to say anything about it without unintentionally annoying someone, probably. Ah, choices choices.
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Yes. I picked it up while the hype was building, but before I had any clue what it was about. I approached it as nothing more than pseudointellectual popcorn, and rather enjoyed reading it. Artless but fun…like a Jerry Bruckheimer movie. Even if it was suspiciously similar to something I’d read a few months before, The Book of Q, by Jonathon Rabb (which was better, IMHO). After I’d read it I was pretty astounded to learn that people were taking it seriously.
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Oh, eventually. Probably via Netflix. No big hurry.
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N/A
(4.) I was raised Catholic, btw. Do I regard the book and/or movie as an attack on Catholicism? Nah…at least not one worth paying any mind to. If there are people (and sadly, I know there are) who are going to allow their faith in their religion be shattered by something as theologically ridiculous as this conspiracy theory of biblical proportions…well, their faith was probably not very strong to begin with.
I tried to read the book and it was awful…IMHO it would have never made the bestseller list if it had not been controversial.
Once upon a time a movie generated much controversy and I drove sixty miles, stood in line, and paid twenty bucks to sleep through the Last Temptation of Christ.
I didn’t see the Passion of the Christ either. When it came out I said that if I made a movie, it would be a good thing if people were talking about it long before it came out.
I read Foucault’s Pendulum instead, so I’ve paid my dues to fictional conspiracies and feel no need to read about others.
‘The Da Vinci’ dud (or, The Dud Vinci Code)
No way I’ll pay for the movie. Maybe I’ll watch it if it shows up on cable on a rainy Sunday afternoon. I read the book all the way through despite the awful prose, clunky exposition and 1 dimensional characters but I’m not enough of a sucker for punishment to sit through a Ron Howard adaptation of same.
My favourite line from a review so far: “Too much Opie, not enough opus.”
- Yes, read the book and liked it.
- I probably won’t see it at the theater, but I’ll buy the DVD.
I didn’t think the book was THAT bad. Foucaults Pendulum was better, dVC was a fun, albeit mindless, book. The Last Templar… Ugh, that was terrible.
Read the book - it was a fast read, very much a beach/airport book. Those books ALL have silly characterizations, turgid dialogue and plotting that’s contrived and transparent.
However, my son (who has read about 6 books his entire life that weren’t manditory) read it and loved it. He read it twice, ran out and got Angels and Demons and polished that off in 3 days. He couldn’t wait for the movie so we just went. (He’s 14, BTW).
I like the movie. Hanks isn’t my favorite, but he did a good job here. Pacing wasn’t bad, the story moved along OK. I don’t think I’d sit through it again, but it wasn’t like I wanted the movie theater to give me back 2 hours of my life.
My son didn’t like it that much - because it didn’t include his favorite parts of the book. Go figure.
FWIW - the theater was absolutely packed. 90% of the people were going to the DaVinci code, and there wasn’t a protester to be seen.
So I finally rented it. Good grief, what a waste of time. You’d think, wouldn’t you, that what is basically an international thriller with multiple car chases and several villains would be at least dumb fun and easy entertainment…but you’d be wrong.
I have to say, though…If you suffer from chronic insomnia and don’t want to take pills, all you need to do is rent The DaVinci Code.
There’s really nothing else to say.
National Treasure was better. Much better.