The Da Vinci Code Gift Set Blu-ray delivers great video and audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
The murder of a curator at the Louvre reveals a sinister plot to uncover a secret that has been
protected since the days of Christ. Only the victim's granddaughter and Robert Langdon, a
famed symbologist, can untangle the clues he left behind. The two become both suspects and
detectives searching for not only the murderer but also the stunning secret of the ages he was
charged to protect.
Apparently all some people need to reconnect with their inner-indignation is a best-selling book or snazzy Hollywood production that tampers with cherished religious beliefs. Maybe it's just me, but I can't imagine feeling threatened by a work of fiction; particularly one that values cheap theatrics and clumsy scripting over genuine intrigue or higher intellectual pursuits. Of course, I'm referring to director Ron Howard's adaptation of author Dan Brown's controversial novel, The Da Vinci Code. Accused of being a deceptive attack on faith -- a vicious assault on the most fundamental figure in Christendom -- the film is actually little more than an overwritten, underdeveloped globe-hopping thriller. Don't get me wrong, I can understand the outrage of those who take great offense to the assertions The Da Vinci Code so vigorously presents as truth, but the time these well-intentioned individuals spend wallowing in anger could instead be used to engage others in a legitimate discussion about the very history and principles Brown's book and Howard's film supposedly undermine. If sharing one's faith is a goal, why not embrace the chance to do so?
Sigh... I'll pack that rant away for another day. Regardless of whether you think The Da Vinci Code is a baseless heretical blight, thinly-veiled secular propaganda, a harmless work of flighty fiction, or that-movie-where-Tom-Hanks-talks-about-Jesus-while-evading-the-French-police, one thing remains constant: it simply isn't a good film.
Sadly, the film's soft and murky video transfer isn't much better...
Before the curator of the Louvre, Jacques Saunière (Jean-Pierre Marielle), dies from wounds inflicted by a mysterious zealot (Paul Bettany), he leaves a series of encoded clues written in invisible ink and his own blood. Upon discovering the body, the police acquire the assistance of symbologist Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), an American lecturer conveniently visiting France at the time. However, all is not as it seems: Captain Bezu Fache (Jean Reno) actually suspects Langdon of the crime. Escaping the Louvre with the help of Saunière's granddaughter, cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), Langdon works to decipher the dead curator's codes, collect a series of religious relics, and uncover a secret countless people have died to protect. With forces unknown hot on their trail, Langdon and Neveu visit an old friend, Leigh Teabing (Sir Ian McKellen), in the hopes of cracking an increasingly complex code that provides shocking answers about Christ's life on Earth, the nature of the fabled Holy Grail, and the efforts Catholic power players have taken over the ages to conceal it all.
Limp, lazy, and laborious, The Da Vinci Code lacks the narrative focus and proficient pacing needed to make it sing. I'm in no position to discuss the quality or faithfulness of screenwriter Akiva Goldsman's adaptation since I've never read Brown's novel, but the talents of Howard and his cast are wasted on far too many set pieces and redundant conversations to generate a compelling film. I continually had to stop and wait for Langdon to unravel mysteries I had already solved (as exciting as watching someone mull over a clue may seem, I assure you it's not). Worse still, when the intellectual A-bomb would finally catch up with me, he did so by connecting a ridiculous series of dots that no expert -- no matter their training, education, or experience -- could possibly piece together without an entire fleet of researchers nipping at his heels. It doesn't help that Neveu is essentially on hand to spit out any random question that may or may not pop into a viewer's mind. Unfortunately, this necessary expositional evil inadvertently creates a perpetually perplexed female lead; a struggling dolt limited to confused expressions and inane regurgitations of the facts.
It's a sad state of affairs when a weighty adaptation of a controversial best-seller falls decidedly short of popcorn fare like National Treasure. At least Nicholas Cage's historical romp had wit and humor on its side. Compared to a lifeless dud like The Da Vinci Code, a hidden map on the back of the Declaration of Independence is positively inspired. How ironic then that a mystery concerning the discovery of an all-important soul is so insipidly souless. Only the appearance of Sir Ian McKellen lightens the mood; his performance brings enthusiasm and exuberance to a film otherwise devoid of anything resembling either one. He seems to be the only person on set who understands that The Da Vinci Code should be every bit as rousing an adventure as a summer actioner like National Treasure. Instead, he steals scenes from Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou: two actors who've built their careers on the backs of lively, infectious characters like Forest Gump and Amélie. Even Bettany and Alfred Molina -- the proverbial wolves in the fold -- lack the passion and presence to inject any real malice into the film.
So feel free to spend your days debating Brown's intentions and the controversial symbology of the Holy Grail... it won't make The Da Vinci Code a better film. A painfully contrived story, an even weaker script, a parade of dry performances, and the most dense and unwieldy expositional dialogue you'll ever find crammed into three hours of celluloid amount to one thing: a disappointing waste of time.
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 quite soft at times... yes, it sometimes looks 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 mastered technical mess. However, with the help of some well-informed readers and a particularly insightful industry 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.
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.
In addition to the 174-minute extended cut of the flick itself (sorry Langdon enthusiasts: Sony hasn't included the theatrical version), the 2-disc Da Vinci Code Gift Set offers all of the special features that appear on the 2006 DVD, as well as a variety of exclusive material, a Picture-in-Picture track, and some BD-Live options for those of you who find texting as fulfilling as watching a film. It's also worth noting that all of the discs' supplemental content is presented in high definition.
More importantly (at least to the collectors and completists checking out this particular review), the Gift Set gives fans the chance to snag two exclusive items: a copy of Robert Langdon's personal journal and a replica of the cryptex seen in the film. While the wafer-thin journal seems like an afterthought, the cryptex is actually quite impressive. Hefty, well-constructed, and fully-functional, the replica isn't just fun to play with, it stores messages, allows owners to set their own password (after changing the default combination from "TRUTH" to another five-letter word), and looks great sitting on a shelf. The lone downside? It all comes packaged in an awkward, oversized Collector's Box most people will toss out with the trash.
Unlocking the Code Interactive PiP Experience: This involving (albeit arguably overworked) behind-the-scenes jaunt uses clickable icons to provide users access to interview segments with key members of the cast and crew, concept art, still photographs, descriptions of the differences between Brown's book and Goldsman's screenplay, production factoids, historical trivia, and more. It's too complicated for its own good (requiring far too much finger shuffling over the course of its 174-minute runtime), but Da Vinci Code fans will enjoy the sheer amount of information that's been crammed into this track.
Select-Scenes Audio Commentary: Even though a full-length audio commentary hasn't been recorded for this release, I actually found myself appreciating director Ron Howard's discretion. Instead of running out of steam half way through a three-hour track, he engages in a scene-specific discussion that gives him ample time to cover the book, his production, the cast, the challenges of shooting on location, the underlying controversy of the story, and the eventual reception of the film.
Production Featurettes (HD, 159 minutes): Divided into seventeen individual chapters on disc two, this extensive documentary is far more compelling than the film. First Day on the Set with Ron Howard (2 minutes) is a quick introduction with Ron Howard, A Discussion with Dan Brown (5 minutes) is just that, Book to Screen (11 minutes) explores the novel's adaptation, The Filmmakers' Journey (37 minutes) is a broad two-part look at the production, Magical Places (16 minutes) gives a solid overview of the locations featured in the film, A Portrait of Langdon (7 minutes) is a character-centric investigation of Brown's protagonist, Who is Sophie Neveu? (7 minutes) follows suit, and Unusual Suspects (18 minutes) focuses on the supporting cast.
Next up are a few more practical featurettes. Close-up on Mona Lisa (7 minutes) is a dry mini-doc about the famous painting, Recreating Works of Art (6 minutes) shows how famous pieces were replicated, Props (10 minutes) investigates the Cryptex and other important objects that land in Langdon's paws, Visual Effects (15 minutes) plows through the special effects Howard employed, The Codes of The Da Vinci Code (6 minutes) dissects the religious symbols and iconography found throughout the film, Sets (9 minutes) visits Richard Roberts' creations, The Music (3 minutes) briefly touches on Hans Zimmer's compositions, and Recording Sessions (10 minutes) finds him in the mixing booth. In all, the featurettes amount to a thorough chunk-o-documentary that dwarfs the material found on most other releases.
BD-Live Cinechat: You can also hop online as the film plays and use on-screen text-messaging to share your thoughts with other users. Maybe I'm just getting too old for this sort of thing, but I don't think I'll ever understand its allure.
Angels & Demons Extended Preview (HD, 7 minutes): Hopefully this follow-up effort will be more entertaining than its bland predecessor.
MovieCash Code: Snag yourself a free ticket to see the upcoming theatrical release of Angels & Demons.
The Da Vinci Code Gift Set may not slap you across the face with sharp visuals and crystal clear details, but fans of the film will find it to be a solid release nevertheless. It features an exceedingly faithful (albeit intentionally soft) video transfer, an excellent TrueHD audio track, and an extensive set of supplements (including several meaty exclusives, a copy of Robert Langdon's journal, and a high-quality, fully-functional replica of the film's cryptex). The bottom line? Diehard Langdoners should consider picking up this collector's set, while casual fans and newcomers alike should rent the regular Blu-ray edition before committing any cash to a purchase.
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