Popcorn and JC

Perhaps the best thing about going into the theater to see "The Da Vinci Code" this past May was the fact that I had never read the novel. I simply couldn't buy into the hype; a book that was seemingly being read by one out of every five people, and an even scarier ratio, that one of out of every 50 probably thought the damn thing was real, despite its place on fiction shelves in bookstores worldwide. I also knew walking into the film that I just wanted to be entertained and have some fun, the likes of which can be provided by the "Indiana Jones" series. \nFor all those who live in caves and haven't the slightest idea as to what "The Da Vinci Code" deals with, the book/film is a dizzying murder mystery revolving around some heavy religious reinterpretation and the possibility than Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a child, thus creating a bloodline that is alive even today. Robert Langdon (a long-haired yet always likable Tom Hanks), a symbologist, gets roped into the mess and is sent racing around Europe with cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou aka the most adorable woman ever thanks to "Amélie") in hopes of solving the murder and cracking the dozen puzzles thrown into the mix. Oh, and Ian McKellan is in it, a clear sign that it's worth watching, and yes, his performance is the best in the film.\nI'm willing to admit that a lot of what author Dan Brown presented is indeed quite interesting, at least in terms of what I saw on the screen. Paintings that are clues to uncover secrets hidden by the Catholic Church for centuries, secret organizations of religious fanatics on a quest of the most sacred of artifacts -- it all makes for good entertainment, although it was made quite clear to me that the hordes of protesters outside theaters across the country weren't amused. As I remember telling one of them: "You cannot stop the Hollywood machine, you're merely making people want to see the film more." \nThe supplements on the DVD are pretty typical. A "First Day on the Set with Ron Howard" featurette finds the director anxious and ready to get what is certainly his biggest project to date off the ground and moving. There is a conversation with Dan Brown on what it's like to have your book turned into a movie, segments on casting Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou, and a "Magical Places" featurette covering all the shooting locations, the coolest which is of course the Louvre in Paris. Sadly, there is no commentary track, although Dan Brown fans will surely be pleased that before the film, there is a teaser for "Angels & Demons."\nFor all the obsessive "Code" fans out there, an $80 edition also exists that contains the DVD along with a working cryptex replica and Robert Langdon's journal. I find the whole idea to be rather absurd, but considering the lady in front of me was buying one, clearly there are people who'll buy anything. \nI've yet to read the book, and I probably never will, but I can say that "The Da Vinci Code" is enjoyable in the popcorn movie-watching sense. Rent it, have fun and just remember none of it is real.