The Da Vinci Codswallop

Advantages: I suppose it would save you reading the novel
Disadvantages: It's utter crap

...Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon is called in when the curator of the Louvre is found dead in the museum, covered in mysterious sigils. But Langdon soon finds himself framed for the murder and on the run with French cryptologist Sophie Neveu. They are quickly embroiled in a conspiracy far larger than they could ever have imagined; one that could threaten the tenets of Christian belief. But powerful people are determined that the secret remains just that and they are willing to kill to protect it. Though Ron Howard's output is usually less than innovative, he can normally be relied on to make good, solid, diverting fare. It's unclear what went so spectacularly wrong with "The Da Vinci Code". The film takes itself too seriously throughout, which is odd considering the source material is nothing more than an airport/beach novel struck...

afy9mab 03.10.2006 · Read review
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Review of The Da Vinci Code (DVD)

Crack the Da Vinci Code

Advantages: A good story from the Brown Novel, great filming and good cast
Disadvantages: Not outstanding acting, slightly erratic at times, lots of information in short space of time

...Dan Brown's international bestseller comes alive in the fil, 'The Da Vinci Code', directed by Academy Award Winner Ron Howard. Join symbologist Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu in their thrilling quest to solve a bizarre murder mystery that will take them from Paris to London - and behind the veil of a mysterious ancient society, where they discover a secret so powerful it could shake the very foundations of mankind. (DVD Blurb) IMDB gives this film 6.4/10, however I would place it around the 7/8 mark. This has been a popular film and grossed US$224m in its opening weekend. Boxofficemojo suggests that toward the end of 2006, this film had grossed over US$750m. STORYLINE ~~~~~~~ I am going to review the storyline from a fictitious point of view. There is much debate surrounding the factual accuracies and other...

reevo_the_great 07.11.2008 (08.11.2008) · Read review
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Review of The Da Vinci Code (DVD)

On the menu at the Hotel Da Vinci

Advantages: Shiny new hotel, modern and comfortable
Disadvantages: Not the most interesting town in Tuscany

...The 4-star Hotel Da Vinci lies just on the other side of the River Arno from the town centre of Empoli. It's an easy walk from the hotel to all that the town has to offer, unfortunately that's not really an awful lot. On the plus side, it's an easy hotel to find - exit the superstrada 67 (or FI-PI-LI, Firenze-Pisa-Livorno) at either the Empoli east or west junction, follow the by-pass to the bridge, and turn right (or left) for Vinci. In case those instructions are too hard to follow, it's signposted all the way from the SS67 exit. Hotel Da Vinci is ideally situated for visiting some of the major attractions of Tuscany, being a 20-minute drive from Florence, 5 minutes further from Pisa, and around an hour from Sienna. Empoli has rail links with both Florence and Pisa. The hotel is a silver-grey shining, ultra-modern edifice...

proxam 20.08.2005 · Read review
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Review of Hotel Da Vinci, Vinci

The Da Vinci Code (PS2)

Advantages: Fun puzzles, good graphics, good sound, hard to complete
Disadvantages: Storyline bit linear, poor combat system.

...The Da Vinci Code roles everything into one with combat, puzzles to solve, stealth to pull off and more. TRUTH TO MOVIE The game generally follows the storyline of the movie, there is some extra events added that could not have happened in the movie but the plot of the game and film are similar is most aspects. 4/5 COMBAT SYSTEM The combat system is very basic and uses a system of controls that would be more suited to a dance game (press the right button as it appears on the screen). I think that it is obvious that this game was not designed with the combat system in mind and that it was just a necessity. 2/5 NON-COMBAT GAMPLAY This is where this game excels, there are puzzles to solve which are quite complicated, you have to sneak past enemies and make tactical decisions about who to fight and who to avoid as well as which...

anakha6 26.08.2008 · Read review
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Review of The Da Vinci Code (PS2)

The Da Vinci Code

Advantages: Very good read- unputdownable
Disadvantages: No

...the location of the grail. During the search, via the discussion between the characters, Brown details the historical background about the legends of the grail and the various myths associated with the grail. You can see the techique Brown used. He puts a thread through the various myths and makes a connection between the various events and facts and links them into a story. However, many of the facts mentioned are indeed true, such as the origin of the "black Friday". I also learned a lot about the famous Leonardo Da Vinci and a lot of the "decoding" skills. I have to say I enjoy reading the story very much and it is one of the best adventure fiction I've read in a long time, a clue follows another. Sooner or later you will notice that you cannot put down the book!! Another thing which I get from the story is the crytex which is a mobile vault...

medgenie 29.07.2008 (27.07.2008) · Read review
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Review of The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown

Advantages: Good pace, easy to read, good and interesting characters. Good Story.
Disadvantages: It's not real.

...four others held. The elderly and bleeding curator somehow managed to strip off his clothes, then arrange his body according to a famous Leonardo Da Vinci drawing of a naked man in a circle, "the Vitruvian Man." The curator, Sauniere, also managed to write some symbols in visible and invisible ink and in his blood on and around his body before he expired on the museum floor near the Mona Lisa. Enter Sophie Nevue, a French criminal investigator and code cracker, along with Bezu Fache, the lead French crime investigator. Sophie happens to be the curator's estranged granddaughter. As a result of the curator's codes and mysterious anagrams created at the crime scene, Sophie and Robert are drawn in (so to speak) to solve the murder and, later, the Grail mystery (and they fall in love in the end). Brown chooses character names with symbolic...

ralfschumacher 22.10.2007 · Read review
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Review of The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

The Da Vinci Code - fact, fiction, or just hype?

Advantages: Decent plot, some interesting characters...
Disadvantages: ... written with all the subtelty of a sledgehammer

...about, is it really secret anymore??!?! :-D) Fans hail it as being a well researched exploration of what could well be the truth, while critics love pointing out a myriad factual accuracies in the book. If either of those is what you're after however, stop reading my review right now. The Da Vinci Code is a novel, ergo a work of fiction, and the basis upon which I am going to review it. (Without the public denouncement by the Catholic Church it would, no doubt, have remained relatively unknown, or at least in comparison to what it has become.) It's not going to be easy setting up the plot without spoilers, but I guess you already know that it's something about a code embedded into the works of Leonardo Da Vinci and something to do with the "true identity" of the Holy Grail. It also has a lot to do with Jesus Christ not being who many...

CaptainDisaster 20.10.2005 (21.10.2005) · Read review
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Review of The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown

Mona Lisa Smile

Advantages: Good description of nature and the world around him
Disadvantages: Nowhere near the kind of Prophecies it intimates

...Leonardo da Vinci was born 15 April 1452 in Vinci, Italy, learning mastery of painting and sculpture, as an apprentice. whilst acquiring the technical skills which led to his famous inventions. Working from Florence at the beginning of his career, da Vinci became interested in architecture and geometry and has remained one of the greatest inventors and painters of all time. When one thinks of Leonardo da Vinci, his beautiful paintings, such as the Mona Lisa instantly come to mind, as well as, perhaps, his magnificent inventions, yet, we rarely see da Vinci as a writer. It is in his literary creations that we see the true depth of his thinking and genius; providing flair for the unimaginable. Prophecies is a collection of mixed length 'prophecies', detailing da Vinci's mental life. The reason for my inclusion of prophecies within...

heideroosjes 17.04.2004 · Read review
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Review of Prophecies - Leonardo Da Vinci

Da Vinci Turns In His Grave

Advantages: good acting, impressive effects, interesting concept
Disadvantages: poor scripting, it is just not that good

...The Da Vinci Code; 2006; Directed by Ron Howard; Rated 12 Anyone who has heard me speak of The Da Vinci Code will know my opinion on it; an opinion I stand by having seen the movie. This is a fabulous story, brimming with intrigue, scandal and almost managing to pass itself off as fact. The big disappointment is that it was not written very well at all. Now, no disrespect to Dan Brown, he has made an awful lot of money off these books and got his agenda recognised and imprinted into the collective conciousness. I'm not saying I could write these particular books any better than he did (dropping all modesty for a second, I could definitely re-write/edit them and make them a lot better than they are, but they are already best-sellers thousands of times over). Please don't be offended die-hard Dan Brown fans; this is just me being...

cocoklo 28.12.2006 · Read review
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Review of The Da Vinci Code (DVD)

£200+ per hour

Advantages: Financial assistance for very little effort, suitable for almost any work placement students, well-run local offices
Disadvantages: Some refund-requirements aren't clear from the outset

...There are lots of companies and charitable organizations who offer scholarships and funding to students going abroad to study, but what about if you're off on a work placement? You'll no doubt be paid a salary of some kind, but more often than not it's fairly low. Who do you turn to for a bit of extra money in this case? The answer, I found, was Leonardo. The Leonardo da Vinci program aims to promote availability and quality of training among the European member states, and improve the options for students wishing to take up work placements abroad. The scheme has been running since 1994 and is currently in its second phase, and over ?1 billion of funding was made available for the years 2000-2006. Though it's a Europe-wide set-up, the scheme is administered at a local level, and you apply to the offices nearest to your university. In...

zoe_page 03.07.2003 (08.04.2006) · Read review
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Review of Leonardo Da Vinci Program