The Da Vinci Code Blu-ray

Sony Pictures | 2006 | 174 mins | Not rated | Apr 28, 2009

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Video Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video resolution: 1080p Aspect ratio: 2.40:1 Audio English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 French: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 French: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (less) Subtitles English, English SDH, French English, English SDH, French (less) Discs 50GB Blu-ray Disc Two-disc set BD-Live

Price List price: $38.96  Amazon: $19.99 (Save 49%) Third party: $16.79 (Save 57%) Usually ships in 24 hours Blu-ray rating Users 4.1 Reviewer 3.5 Overall 4.1 Based on 16 user ratings Playback Region free

The Da Vinci Code

It may appear to be one of the most underwhelming Sony video transfers in recent memory, but The Da Vinci Code's 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer is actually quite faithful to its source. Yes, the picture is terribly soft at times... yes, it looks shockingly similar to its standard DVD counterpart... yes, when this review first posted, I gave the disc a low score based on the belief that I was watching a poorly-conceived technical mess. However, with the help of some well-informed readers and a particularly insightful Hollywood Insider, I've come around.

Since cinematographer Salvatore Totino used Long Cooke S4s lenses with diffusion filtering for the film's principle photography, a relentless brigade of dense shadows swallow both the actors and locations, robbing the image of the sharpness, definition, and clarity often associated with a high definition presentation. Detail is almost entirely obscured by darkness, soft close-ups and establishing shots dominate the majority of scenes, and textures simply cease to exist every time the lights grow dim. Even when a few decent day-lit exteriors salvage the transfer late in the game -- finally filling the screen with more refined edges and more distinct detailing -- a slight haziness persists. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if a number of viewers eject the disc just to make sure they didn't purchase a DVD. Still, black levels are incredibly rich, delineation is just as revealing as Totino intended, and the transfer itself offers a reliable rendering of the film's theatrical print. Furthermore, artifacting and banding are kept to a bare minimum, source noise is nowhere to be found, and grain ranges from invisible to unobtrusive.

All things considered, The Da Vinci Code may be the last disc you grab to show off your home theater, but it is an accurate representation of Howard and Totino's intentions and deserves to be praised as such. It's a soft and murky, yet technically sound transfer that should satisfy fans armed with appropriate expectations.

The Da Vinci Code Blu-ray, Audio Quality

Powerful, clean, and intelligible, Sony's Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track doesn't suffer from any debilitating technical issues or struggle with any major inadequacies. Instead, dialogue is generally crisp and well-prioritized (only a handful of hushed whispers fall by the wayside), reliable LFE support kicks in whenever Langdon has to flee the authorities, and the rear speakers do a fine job handling the varying acoustic properties of the film's diverse interiors. I was taken by the aural realism of each sprawling chapel and cramped vehicle -- it didn't matter if Hanks and Tautou were babbling in an aging church or murmuring in Teabing's living room, everything sounded just as it should. In fact, despite the inaccuracy of some minor directional effects (those pesky French sirens never seem to settle in the right spot), the soundfield is wholly immersive; drawing the listener deeper and deeper into Langdon's exploration of history. The Da Vinci Code's TrueHD track may not woo audiophiles with errant explosions and rampant gunfire, but it effectively handles every element the film throws its way.

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