Posted on 05/17/2006 7:19:19 AM PDT by Reaganesque
Quotes from early reviews of "The DaVinci Code" at Cannes:
"CANNES, France - "The Da Vinci Code" drew lukewarm praise, shrugs of indifference, some jeering laughter and a few derisive jabs Tuesday from arguably the world's toughest movie crowd: critics at the Cannes Film Festival."
"One especially melodramatic line uttered by Hanks drew prolonged laughter and some catcalls, and the audience continued to titter for much of the film's remainder.
Some people walked out during the movie's closing minutes, though there were fewer departures than many Cannes movies provoke among harsh critics. When the credits rolled, there were a few whistles and hisses, and there was none of the scattered applause even bad movies sometimes receive at Cannes."
Yahoo News
"A pulpy page-turner in its original incarnation as a huge international bestseller has become a stodgy, grim thing in the exceedingly literal-minded film version of "The Da Vinci Code." Tackling head-on novelist Dan Brown's controversy-stirring thriller hinging on a subversively revisionist view of Jesus Christ's life, director Ron Howard and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman have conspired to drain any sense of fun out of the melodrama, leaving expectant audiences with an oppressively talky film that isn't exactly dull, but comes as close to it as one could imagine with such provocative material; result is perhaps the best thing the project's critics could have hoped for. Enormous public anticipation worldwide will result in explosive B.O. at the start in near-simultaneous release in most international territories, beginning May 17 in some countries -- day-and-date with the official Cannes opening-night preem -- and May 19 in the U.S. and elsewhere."
Variety
" Several whistles instead of applause were all that greeted the end of Ron Howard's 125-million-dollar film, and worse than that, the 2,000-strong audience even burst out laughing at the movie's key moment.
"I didn't like it very much. I thought it was almost as bad as the book. Tom Hanks was a zombie, thank goodness for Ian McKellen. It was overplayed, there was too much music and it was much too grandiose," said Peter Brunette, critic for the US daily The Boston Globe. '
Breitbart.com
"Bottom line: A jumble of historical myth, religious symbology and international thriller-action makes for an unwieldy, bloated melodrama."
The Hollywood Reporter.com
I'm cashing in my "Adventures of Pluto Nash" and walking away with the pot.
I don't know, steve-b might still have it. "Adventures of Pluto Nash" got 6% on Rotten Tomatoes, "Battlefield Earth" got 3%. Fortunately I have seen neither. Can we reach a consensus?
I am always on topic regarding what I talk about. If you don't like my conversation, don't join it. Shoo away pest.
Ronnie Howard has jumped the shark!
Haven't seen the movie but have seen pictures of Hanks and I never saw him as the lead. My visual for the lead was a younger Harrison Ford type. An overweight, middleaged Hanks just is not believable. My guess is Ron and Tom are buddies and thought that was enough.
I read on the Rotten Tomatoes message board a comment that said the review by Joe Utichi of FILMFOCUS did, indeed, change his review from "fresh" to "rotten." I don't even need to watch it to know it is rotten. :-)
"How's about someone who has seen it let us in on the secret so we can post it. Should be interesting."
I came across a possible ending at Amy Welborn's blog.
http://amywelborn.typepad.com/openbook/2006/05/does_sophie_tur.html#comments
"Then Sophie, who has been established as a bit of a klutz throughout the film, rises to leave. As she does so, she knocks over the glass of water she had been drinking. She's gone. A waiter appears and offers to refill Langdon's glass of wine. He says, oh, we weren't drinking wine...it was water. They look down TO SEE WINE DRIPPING OFF THE TABLECLOTH."
Now, this is not claimed to definately be how it ends, but is thought to possibly be so. Anyway, check out the web-site. Amy has written a book debunking the DVC, and has a lot of good stuff about the movie.
I would add "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest", "Lord of the Rings" and "Godfather" as well, but your point about the paucity of good books becoming good ovies is valid.
Anyone who's read it, who do they reveal to be the descendant? I may have to wait and read it at MovieSpoilers.com
If early signs are any indication, he's jumped the whole darn Sea World.
I read it about a year ago. It was droll, but I suffered through it. I swear I don't even remember a descendant being revealed. The book is at home (I'm at the office). I'll glance through it tonight and see if I can't find out the answer for you.
I'll put my guess out there and say....
Prince Phillip of Monaco
Reviews are written before a movie is released so critics have no way of knowing if a film will be popular.
Yeah just like the book did.../sarc
I already told DA Nifong it was nonconsensual. Expect your indictments within the next few days...;-)
No!! I demand to take a lie detector test!
The book was awful too. Just a garden-variety mystery. How it became such a big seller is really the mystery to me.
Then what's the excuse for this movie? The book wasn't very good.
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