Sony Pictures Home Entertainment / 2006 / 149 Minutes / PG-13
Street Date: November 14, 2006

Dan Brown’s best selling book attracted vocal detractors who argue that the historical record doesn’t support his version of reality claimed to be hidden by a century’s old conspiracy.  Google reveals numerous sites that purport to dissect the book and offer quotations from scripture to support their objections.  Unfortunately, this is circular logic.  Scripture is the representation of what has become religion institutionalized.  It requires faith and belief (and the rejection of the beliefs of hundreds of other religions that simultaneously exist on this planet).  And the limited research and reading I’ve done in the past to satisfy an ongoing curiosity about the historical origins of religions suggests that all holy works were composed by men and selected for inclusion in an “official” form by men. 

The logic of conspiracy theorists is no less circular.  They claim that all official records were created to support the position of the institution and efforts have been made to discredit alternative views.  Are the Gnostic books rejected because they can be shown to be historically inaccurate?  Or are they rejected because they are not considered to be consistent with institutional dogma?  How does one rely on evidence in the form of letters or papers or works that were written nearly two thousand years ago?  Did those authors have a vested interest?  These may be unanswerable questions.  Which leaves only faith as the key to belief.

Dan Brown must have struck a nerve with his best selling book.  It is said to have sold more copies in one year than any other work of fiction and is reported to have sold over one hundred million copies worldwide.  The novel was ripe for interpretation on the big screen, and director Ron Howard and screenwriter Akiva Goldsman have transformed Brown’s book into an entertaining and involving film.

Tom Hanks plays Dr. Robert Langdon, a Harvard professor of ancient symbology, visiting Paris to give a lecture and to sign his latest book for eager purchasers.  His evening is interrupted by Captain Bezu Fache (Jean Reno), who requests his help in a murder investigation in the Louvre.  Apparently, interpreting ancient symbology may be crucial to the case.  The scene of the crime has Jacques Sauniere (Jean-Pierre Marielle) on his back, nude, posed in a fashion identical to one of Leonardo Da Vinci’s most famous works.  He had been shot, but he lived long enough to leave elaborate and obtuse clues concerning his killer and so much more.  The investigation scene is interrupted by Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), a lovely policewoman who had been raised by Sauniere after the tragic death of her parents.

Before Langdon can reveal anything to Fache, Neveu surreptitiously warns Langdon that Fache represents a serious danger.  They escape from her fellow officers and accumulate sufficient clues to set in motion an elaborate chase for truth and justice that will lead them to the contents of a very secure safe deposit box at a private bank, to the French estate of Langdon’s friend and religious scholar Sir Leigh Teabing (Ian McKellen), to London where cathedrals and churches hold new secrets, and to an isolated cathedral somewhere in the British countryside.  To add a note of urgency, the French and British police chase Langdon and Neveu as suspected murderers , and a deadly religious fanatic in the bizarre form of an albino monk named Silas (Paul Bettany) threatens to end their quest fatally.  Only with great luck and impressive intellectual deductions do Langdon and Neveu manage to survive and elude.

Silas, a self-flagellating religious fanatic, is under the command of an anonymous villain known only as The Teacher.  The albino monk had been saved from a life of abuse by Bishop Manuel Aringarosa (Alfred Molina), who conditioned and trained him to do his violent bidding.  Silas, apparently, is now on loan to serve a higher purpose.

So public was the controversy surrounding Brown’s book that you would have had to recently awaken from a prolonged coma not to know that the basis of the plot is the protracted, deadly battle between two sects: Priory of Sion and Opus Dei.  One is protecting a secret that would destroy the dogma of Christian faith: that Jesus fathered a child with wife Mary Magdalene and that there exists a clear line of descendents that have been faithfully recorded over the course of two millennia.  The other is dedicated to the destruction of any evidence that such a line exists and is, in fact, killing both the protectors and the descendents. 

Conspiracies in high places, the questioning of fundamental beliefs, action, adventure, and compelling characters all contribute to a clever bit of fiction that captivates the viewer.  Howard does a masterful job of creating and maintaining tension in what is essentially an intellectual pursuit.  He draws admirable performance from Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou (who never looked more appealing), and Jean Reno, all are subtle and believable.  Ian McKellen is playfully eccentric but very serious in the pursuit of the proof of his conspiracy theories.  The Da Vinci Code may be absurd or it may contain kernels of truth.  I was less annoyed by the concepts as I was by a few of the plot devices.  Why were all the clues (and a vital key) in readily understandable English?  At a minimum, ancient English and French should have been prominent.  And can vinegar survive in a glass vessel sealed hundreds of years ago?  But regardless of these quibbles and of your belief system, the film works well as an intriguing entertainment. 

The Video: How Does The Disc Look?

The film’s theatrical aspect ratio of 2.40:1 is presented in anamorphic video.  This is a quintessential Sony transfer whose quality is perhaps a cut above.  Halos are visible on edges of the opening titles and on edges in the high-contrast bleached flashbacks, but for the most part, they vanish throughout almost the rest of the film.  Small object detail is quite nice, as is finely grained detail, based on skin imperfections and Silas’s flayed flesh.  (I have to be honest with you; reviewing quite a few high definition discs has spoiled me and has challenged my visual sense memory severely.)  Color rendition is very accurate based on natural flesh tones and suitably red blood.  With the exception of fine detail, the works of art in the Louvre seem very convincing.  Primary colors are vivid and devoid of chroma noise or smearing.  This is a pleasing presentation that will never distract.

The Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?

The Dolby Digital 5.1 track isn’t as aggressive as I would have expected.  The surrounds are used more for ambiance than for dramatic discrete sounds and pans.  Even the enveloping car chase wasn’t as ambitious a mix as I would have expected.  What I did admire was an effort to create acoustic space.  Echoes and reverberation in many of the large spaces, ancient buildings and cathedrals in particular, are quite audible and convincing.  Deep bass is present, mixed into the audio whenever a vast door slams shut.  It effectively suggests size and adds a sense of foreboding.  I was struck by Hans Zimmer’s compelling orchestral score; not as bombastic as his usual style, it is a skillful blend of mood, drama, and liturgy.  It is pleasingly reproduced across a broad soundstage leaked into the surrounds.  The sound effects have a nice bite, with reasonably extended dynamic range and quick attack times.  The Dialog remains crystal clear throughout.  I didn’t bother listening to the alternate English track in Dolby Surround 2.0.

Alternate languages are in French and Spanish, each presented in Dolby Digital 5.1.  Optional subtitles are in French, Spanish, and English, for which there are also Closed Captions.

Supplements: What Goodies Are There?

When the first disc of this two-DVD set loads, you’ll find two skippable theatrical trailers and one DVD trailer: the heart-tugging The Pursuit of Happiness (2:27); the recent remake of All The King’s Men (2:33); and, Click (2:05).  Perhaps a more significant preview is a very short teaser that appears just before the feature film; it reveals that author Dan Brown’s first Robert Langdon novel, Angels & Demons, is being adapted and produced.  The only other supplement on this disc is a collection of trailers that includes the first three I mentioned plus: Casino Royale (1:21); The Holiday (2:30); Ghost Rider (2: 01); Spider-Man 3 (1:41); Curse of the Golden Flower (1:24); Gridiron Gang (2:33); Open Season (2:15); Talladega Nights (2:17); Seinfeld Season 7 (2:44); and, a Blu-ray Disc coming attractions promo (1:14).  The last promises some impressive titles.  With a feature film runtime of 149-minutes, I’m grateful that Sony predominantly invested the disc’s bit budget in the presentation and left the supplements for a second disc.  That maximized the potential for quality.

On disc two you’ll find a generous array of ten featurettes that should only be viewed after the feature film to avoid spoilers.  We begin with First Day on the Set with Ron Howard (2:08).  Director Ron Howard expresses his excitement at the prospect of filming in Paris and London, and his excitement over the opportunity of filming in the Louvre.  I’m amazed that it was permitted at all, considering the restrictions that exist for tourists and light issues in particular (which I would find addressed in another featurette).

A Discussion with Dan Brown (4:47) places the spotlight squarely on the author of the exceptionally successful novel The Da Vinci Code.  He discusses his fascination with hidden history, religious history, and the genesis of the novel in a previous work.  He makes clear that the film’s concept is a longstanding theory that cannot be credited to him.  Brown describes his earlier experiences with the success of the book, it’s controversy, and the public’s reaction.  For fans of his work, Brown reveals that he’s hard at work on another Robert Langdon adventure that will immerse him in the hidden secrets of the United States.

A Portrait of Langdon (7:13) examines the character from the points of view of the author, Tom Hanks, the director, and the producers.  This one is a bit of a love fest, with everyone admiring everyone else.  Howard compares the experience of working with Hanks on Da Vinci with Apollo 13, a collaborative effort with someone who is passionate about the material.

Who is Sophie Neveu? (6:53) contains a bit of similar love directed at Audrey Tautou, but this featurette is more interesting.  It describes the casting process and how Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer interviewed every beautiful and talented French actress that was available.  I enjoyed the discussion of how she got the role and what she brought to it.  I’ve been impressed with her ever since I first encountered her in Amélie and enjoyed her work in A Very Long Engagement; I’m looking forward to her other roles and I must find the time to investigate her filmography.

Unusual Suspects (17:52) examines the powerful and talented supporting cast, so vital to maintaining the quality of the production.  We learn that as Dan Brown was writing the book, Jean Reno was the person he visualized as Captain Bezu Fache.  We learn about the casting of Ian McKellen as the scholarly and witty Sir Leigh Teabing, Alfred Molina as Bishop Manuel Aringarosa, Paul Bettany as Silas, and others.  This is a very strong stable of actors; they add necessary gravitas to the proceedings.  Expect some unnecessary dissection of each character; their natures are well established in the film.  Once again, the most interesting aspects of the featurette are the anecdotal stories behind their hiring.

Magical Places (15:52) is a personalized description of the experiences of filming in such wonderful locations and within such highly prized and iconic structures.  I was surprised to learn that President Jacques Chirac’s took ten minutes out of his presumably busy day to greet the filmmakers upon their arrival in Paris.  Almost half the short considers the four nights spent shooting in the Louvre.  I can speak from a more conventional first hand experience of how magical that must have been.  I was also interested to learn about how a cathedral in Lincoln was dressed to act as a surrogate to Westminster Cathedral.  Out of the ordinary was the anecdote about how British citizens cooperated with the filmmakers; nice people, the British.  An entertaining and interesting featurette.

Close-up on Mona Lisa (6:32) is not about the film; it’s about the filmmakers’ and cast’s reaction to what may be the most famous painting in the world.  Protected behind bulletproof glass and separated from viewers by a railing that affords more people the opportunity for a simultaneous view, it’s not mounted in the way I remember.  It’s a shame a crush of visitors normally force such a short time in front of the painting; it’s almost impossible to study the details.  One is predominantly left with an impression frequently mentioned by the featurette’s participants: it’s surprisingly small.  I envy the cast and crew’s opportunity to spend some unrushed quality time with Da Vinci’s iconic masterpiece.

The Filmmaking Experience Part 1 (24:34) and The Filmmaking Experience Part 2 (12:14) could just as easily been made one contiguous documentary.  No matter.  Allow me to begin with what this is not.  It is not EPK fluff.  It is not a sequence of self-congratulatory self-indulgences.  It is not a superfluous analysis of characters and plot.  This is a reasonably interesting anecdotal, behind-the-scenes documentary that brings us into the collaborative effort that was The Da Vinci Code.  It provides a sense of Ron Howard’s style and technique as we watch him work with his crew and cast.  And we develop an appreciation for the emotional journey taken to create a film based on a controversial book.  Well done.

The Codes of The Da Vinci Code (5:27) is a revealing little short that guides the viewer through many examples of symbols, both obvious and subtle, that run through the film and explains their significances. 

The Music of The Da Vinci Code (2:55) is an entirely too short snippet of composer Hans Zimmer and director Ron Howard discussing the score.  It’s fluff, but at least we get to understand Zimmer’s take on the film and how that influenced his writing.  The piece ends with a few seconds of promotion for the score CD.  I own it and enjoy it.  If you’re a film score fan and think you know Zimmer’s work, you may be pleasantly surprised.

The supplements are all presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic video - kudos Sony - and are supported by subtitles in Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Korean, and Thai.

The 149-minute feature film is organized into twenty-four chapters.

Exclusive DVD-ROM Features: What happens when you pop the disc into your PC?

If you load the feature film disc, a Flash applet will open that will offer several links to Sony websites for various DVDs.  If you load the supplement disc and look at its contents with Windows Explorer, you’ll find a 14-megabyte setup file for a Da Vinci Code Puzzle Game Demo.  I did not install the game.

Final Thoughts

With fine performances, great production values, and a compelling plot that particularly will appeal to conspiracy theorists, The Da Vince Code is captivating entertainment.  A good-looking transfer, a fine audio track, and a great collection of supplements make this disc highly recommended.


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