One of the most talked about films released this year is the adaptation of Dan Brown's mega selling novel, The Da Vinci Code from director, Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind).
The story, which is based on a conspiracy about Jesus Christ's offspring, has been embroiled in controversy.
There's been calls for the film to be banned by Christian groups in countries including South Korea, Greece and Thailand as well as protests from members of the National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation about the representation of Albino's as psychotic criminals.
Tom Hanks plays Symbologist, Robert Langdon, in Paris to promote his latest book, when he's summoned to the Louvre, to advise on markings that the old curator carved onto his chest before dying.
Langdon, not realising he's implicated in the murder, is aided by police cryptologist, Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tatou), who happens to be the Curator's estranged granddaughter.
Sophie and Langdon begin an elaborate journey, while trying to evade the police and a deluded monk called Silas (Paul Bettany). To survive they have to unravel a series of clues and are helped by historian Sir Leigh Teabing (Ian McKellan).
It leads them to an ancient society dedicated to protecting an astonishing secret.
For all the debate about this movie, it will leave you tepid and does not match up to all the hype. On the religious side, director Ron Howard had two choices, sit on the fence or try hard not to offend anyone and he's chosen the safe option by not allowing Langdon to have a definitive point of view.
As a thriller, the film never gets your heart racing. It's too convoluted with voiceover and a constant barrage of historical information. This suited the novel, but if you're one of the two people left in this world who haven't read it, you'll be bewildered.
Not that Dan Brown's novel is brilliant - for all its pseudo intellectual discussions about religion, history and art, regardless of truth, it's still an easy read.
While the film is an anti climax that lacks the same intensity.
Plus Hanks simply doesn't suit the role and there's not a sizzle of anything interesting between him and Tatou.
The only actor who has fun is Ian McKellan who seems to relish his role as the roguish historian. Howard should have borrowed some of his energy for the rest of his far too serious adaptation, because this is one code that was cracked before the film began.
