Many are marking their calendars for the much anticipated May 19 premier of The Da Vinci Code, a silver screen adaptation of Dan Brown’s acclaimed and criticized novel. Although Brown was recently put on trial for plagiarism charges brought against him concerning the authenticity of The Da Vinci Code, he was acquitted; so rest easy when you purchase your movie ticket.
The screenplay, written by Akiva Goldsman follows Brown’s plot closely. As in the novel, Robert Langdon, played by Tom Hanks, is called to the Louvre one night during his Parisian vacation to put his expertise in ancient symbols to use. The museum’s curator was found dead on the floor in a compromising position that points all fingers to Langdon.
While still under the assumption that he is at the Louvre to aid the investigation, Langdon meets French cryptologist Sophie Neveu, played by Audrey Tautou. After Langdon is informed of his supposed crime, he and Neveu are on the run from the law and in search of the truth for most of the novel.
Together, the pair makes some startling discoveries. They unearth secrets about the Priory of Sion, a secret society whos sole purpose is to keep a 2000-year-old event secret. They discover the Vatican’s quest after finding evidence supporting the secret. Langdon and Neveu are in a constant race against time as they slowly uncover the century old secret.
The novel appears lengthy at first sight but it is a page turner that is, if nothing else, tough to put down. Although the movie has been hyped up since the beginning of the year, Da Vinci fans can head to theaters to decide for themselves if it’s all it has been cracked up to be.