Film Review: Reviewed By Karen Krizanovich; 3 out of 5

Fans of author Dan Brown's blockbuster novel will not be disappointed by this sober but all-encompassing adaptation from the Oscar-winning writer/director team behind A Beautiful Mind. Ron Howard ably directs Tom Hanks as Harvard professor Robert Langdon, whose expertise in symbology sees him ensnared in an unusual Parisian murder case - one that spirals into a search for the Holy Grail and, by extension, a secret that could threaten the foundations of the Christian religion. Langdon is joined in his investigations by enigmatic French cryptologist Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), and the pair are pursued across international borders by a network of zealous religious powers bent on their destruction. Despite this powerful premise, the action is a tad dry and precise with an emphasis on plot rather than breakneck pace. Thankfully, Ian McKellen's joyous portrayal of Grail expert Sir Leigh Teabing injects life into the long, convoluted story and the locations are used impressively.

Plot Summary

Mystery thriller based on the bestselling novel by Dan Brown, starring Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou. When the victim of a ritualised killing is discovered at the Louvre, French cryptographer Sophie Neveu and Harvard professor Robert Langdon are called in to try to identify strange symbols cut into the body. They become embroiled in a deadly conspiracy that has shattering ramifications for Christianity.