Watched the Da Vinci Code on Saturday evening. Even though I enjoyed the movie, I wish I didn't watch it then as I was really tired (we got the midnight show as all else were sold out, and this was after a day of BBQs, dodgeball games and 'sari' races). If you have read the book, you will definitely enjoy the movie. If you haven't - well my friends who are in that category said they enjoyed the movie too. But you definitely have to be a bit smart to follow some of the plot.
And like, duh, the book is waaaay better. Obviously as you can do a lot more in the book. However, this is a very faithful adaptation of the book.
A word about Tom Hanks. Is this the same actor who was in Forrest Gump? What a lousy job he did in the Da Vinci Code.
About the protests spanning the globe - there's even fatwas issued by Indian Catholics on Dan Brown's head, proving that Muslims don't have a monopoly here - given the topic of the movie and the way the Catholic Church is portrayed, I would expect that. What I don't get is the number of Muslims (not a lot) who protested. There was even a march on Friday outside the mosque I went to for prayers.
For .. um, Chrissake, why? Given that 95% of what the Da Vinci Code says (I don't want to give spoilers here) is what Islam believes happened to early Christianity, I don't get it.
Tags: Da Vinci Code
The personal, official blog of author Mezbauddin Mahtab
I wasn't planning on seeing this flick, because the book is ALWAYS better than the movie!
ReplyDeleteCase(s) in point: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, A Time to Kill, every Stephen King adaptation...etc.
Exception: LOTR Trilogy
Muslims are protesting for the reason that Prophet Isa (pbuh) is shown to have been married and had kids.. like duh :) Of course its a movie and fiction but its still defaming one of our prophets
ReplyDeleteShabina: Agree, movies from books usually suck (exception: Prisoner of Azkaban).
ReplyDeleteNever read the LOTR books neither watched the movies so can't comment.
Anon: I still don't see how expressing a belief that Jesus(Isa) pbuh was married and had kids is defaming him. That belief is erreneous according to Islam and Christianity, but so is the Crucification which Muslims don't believe in but Christians do. Is that also defaming Jesus, or just a different belief on him? It's not that they say anyone committed adultery, like they say that David (Dawud) pbuh committed adultery with Bathsheba (n'billah).
Thanks for posting your mini review. You know, I've read lots of reviews of The Da Vinci Code in the past couple of days, and very few of them mention Tom Hanks' performance. The ones that do all agree that he was pretty mediocre. That's disappointing from a guy that has won 2 best actor Oscars.
ReplyDeleteGood review, Tom Hanks was definetly not at his best. On the protests issue, I watched the movie in Namibia (yeah, I know so much for immersing myself in only African culture) with a bunch of Zimbabwean Catholics who were raised in missionary schools, they literally left the movie in tears and shock and went home and read the Bible questioning everything they had ever learned. I was shocked to see how much of an effect a blockbuster movie can have on people who havent been exposed to much theatre/cinema in their lives. To them movies were an accurate reflection of life, not anything like our "its just a movie for entertainment" attitude.
ReplyDeleteWell, I thought this was an interesting observation. I realized that Tariq Ali, and I wouldn't be surprised if there were numerous like him, who had on numerous times critiqued Islam. However, he has been welcomed with open arms all over the Islamic world, and not one fatwa laid on him. Yet, others like Salman Rushdie, etc have been quite fiercely attacked. What accounts for these differences in attitudes is that people are very much aware of what's an outright nonsense and what's just casual observation. People don't just go up in arms for the sake of doing so, and unfortunately, it seems that more people feel compelled to make elitist remarks regarding exotic cultures just to appease the West.
ReplyDeletePerhaps, what I'm saying is that, people have and ought to rise up in arms when people like Rushdie, Manjid, Deepa, etc feel it's necessary to take a shot at Eastern culture/perspectives for the sake of Western praises.
it is very convenient to say that davinci code is a work of fiction and dismiss everything it has to say as "untrue".
ReplyDeletei think actually most of the info in it is PROBABLY true... except obviously the ending part.
the bible and koran say a lot of things that just don't make sense. i think the davinci code should be incorporated into the bible and koran.
The Quran is said to be 'divine' messages, and it has not been modified since inscripted. What you're suggesting would be deemed inflammatory; the Da Vinci Code is not the words of God.
ReplyDeleteOh dear GOD! I CANNOT believe people are actually even FLIRTING with the idea of the darned FICTIONAL book being a holy righteous passage now! Bring your brains back from whichever country they've gone vacationing off to and put it back in your head! Jeez!
ReplyDeleteAbout the muslims protesting the book...i don't get it. I hated the book. It was stupid. I actually liked Angels and Demons better. My like/dislikes aside, this is just Dan Brown pulling random ideas out of thin air. As long as he doesn't mess with the Prophet (am I being hypocritical now?), I think we can keep our banners stored away. Nothing to get riled up about. Sigh.
Funny creatures, us human beings.
I agree with anon above.
ReplyDeleteNo one is saying Davinci Code is a holy book. But it sure does make more sense than the Bible and Koran.
If the Koran is so holy and is said to be "divine messages", then why are Muslims using it to kill other people? I don't get it!
@panasianbiz: Tom Hanks was disappointing, yes. I thought he was very wooden and showed no interest in being interested in the grail that his character was.
ReplyDelete@dil: wow, that tough eh? I remember watching the Message and thinking they could have done this - they should have done that - this scene was good - analysing it like a movie.
@neela:
Perhaps, what I'm saying is that, people have and ought to rise up in arms when people like Rushdie, Manjid, Deepa, etc feel it's necessary to take a shot at Eastern culture/perspectives for the sake of Western praises.
Exactly.
@anon (3:45): If you find parts of the Koran that do not make sense please take it to the nearest mosque and get a knowledgable person to help you out with it.
ReplyDelete@anon (8:30) don't get you. Please clarify.
@brother: using Koran to kill people sometimes crass stupidity can only be replied to like this.
Leviticus 25:44
Lev.1:9
Exodus 21:7
Lev.15: 19-24
Exodus 35:2
Lev. 11:10
Lev. 21:20
amongst others.
Have a good day.
Nowal: You hated Da Vinci Code? you are the only second person I know who liked Angels and Daemons better. Actually Deception Point wasn't bad either.
ReplyDeleteI would protest against Da Vinci code if they said Jesus comitted adultery or murdered or if the book called him pocessed by the devil and spouting satanic verses. the Da Vinco Code doesnt do that. It just expresses a belief he may be a man instead of a god and married.
watch xmen 3.. that is the best escapist movie of the summer.. waaay better than mission impossible 3. FANTASTIC :)
ReplyDeleteno way, who's the first? =)
ReplyDeleteI actually liked D. Point a lot too, but I don't confess to it that easily. Apparently the book rated high for corniness.
To all those who have read the book and seen the movie, is DVC the sort of movie where it helps to have read the book beforehand, or does it make sense, and make it more thrilling to watch the movie without reading the book?
ReplyDeleteMM
I wasn't planning on seeing this flick, because the book is ALWAYS better than the movie!
ReplyDeleteCase(s) in point: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, A Time to Kill, every Stephen King adaptation...etc.
Exception: LOTR Trilogy
Another exception: The Godfather
MM