Getting Ready for the DaVinci Code Movie to Be Awful

I'm not going to rush out and see it, anyway, but I'm all set for the DaVinci Code movie to be terrible. I expect it to be a slack potboiler that tries to make a big "reveal" out of something everybody who reads a bus bench already knows. The distributors must already know it stinks, as they won't even show it to the people who are paying to run it. So look for a big collective bleh.

How many movies are done today where its a remake or based on a book that millions have already read? Most of these turn out to be great successes, while others go down in flames.

Criticize all you wish, but do it the honor of atleast backing up why it will crash & burn?

I believe the book was remarkable, and the fact Tom Hanks is starring with Ron Howard behind the camera, high hopes are an understatement.

With the combination of these two stars, why would someone firmly believe the movie will go under?

Well, to be honest I didn't forsee Tom Hanks in the role of Robert Langdon. I also didn't imagine his hair arranged in such a way either. It's a really odd haircut. That said, there is a strong cast of actors and a proven director, so unless they all have a horrendous off day, it's gonna be a success.

Originally posted by chissler
I believe the book was remarkable, and the fact Tom Hanks is starring with Ron Howard behind the camera, high hopes are an understatement.

I'm sure something similar was said about Howard and Russell Crowe, which is why "Cinderella Man" was so brilliant and we all went to see it and it won all those Academy Awards®.

[edit on 16-5-2006 by Enkidu]

Well for one, Cinderella Man was well accepted critically. It recieved rave reviews most of the time from what I have seen. The one downfall of the movie, which it seems to be remembered was its lackluster performance at the box office.

Do you remember what was opening at the same time?

Alittle something called Star Wars? Yeah thats gotta hurt alittle bit.

Cinderella Man was an amazing story and was played out in front of the camera just as great.

Cinderella Man Review

Eighty-three percent of the nation’s movie critics gave The Cinderella Man a thumbs-up review after the movie’s June 3 opening when it took in $18.6 million, the best box office performance of that weekend’s new movies.

Ebert & Roeper gave the movie a Two Thumbs Way Up review, while Gene Shalit of NBC’s The Today Show said it was “Absolutely the best movie of the year so far. By far.”

So exactly what was so wrong with it Enkidu?

I'm sure something similar was said about Howard and Russell Crowe, which is why "Cinderella Man" was so brilliant and we all went to see it and it won all those Academy Awards®.

Cinderella Man was badly scripted melodrama. It depends on how good a script is, and how good an actor can interpret such a script. Whoever wrote The Da Vinci Code script better pray that they did a good job of it.

bleh, not enough action in Cinderella Man for my liking and lost interest in it, very quickly.

I understand, an opinion I respect.

However the movie was not created to be an action flick. So it would be tough to judge a comedy and say it wasn't scary enough, or I didn't laugh enough at the latest love story.

I know, but I just rushed into the cinema and went to see that. I could've went to see Star Wars, but I don't like Star Wars. A pile of nonsense. So in reflection, Cinderella Man was actually a bit better. Just sort of felt a little like A Beautful Mind really.

I don't think many people in the industry would be insulted with such a comparison.

Beautiful Mind is and was a great movie.

Originally posted by chissler
Do you remember what was opening at the same time?
Alittle something called Star Wars? Yeah thats gotta hurt alittle bit.

Completely different audience. Face it, in spite of some good critical reviews, the movie tanked hard.

So exactly what was so wrong with it Enkidu?

If I knew exactly what made some movies hits and what made other movies blockbusters, I would be in that business making tons of moolah. I suspect that while "Cinderella Man" had many elements that film critics are familiar with from other movies of the past (from "Rocky" going all the way back to "The Champ," I guess, with Jackie Cooper), audiences just weren't in the mood to see a movie about a good guy set in the Depression about boxing. Hey, audiences are fickle. You can talk to them all you want about wonderful character development or attention to detail or uplifting messages. They don't care.

Also, word of mouth is extremely important. So while the film probably pushed all the appropriate buttons to make it a "good movie," there was still something missing in it that people didn't connect to. Maybe it was too by-the-numbers. Maybe it was too technically skilled, so it was sterlized. Like I said, I don't know.

But I'm already catching a vibe about "The Da Vinci Code." That it will create a bit of a stir when it first opens because so many people have read the book and are so drowned in the hype they can't help not to. And of course some of the knee-jerk Christians will make a little stink about it. So it will do okay at the box office, but not great. Because the book isn't about Jesus or Mary, it's about a guy who finds this stuff out. So it's kind of your basic thriller about secret stuff and conspiracies, and unless it's like "The Bourne Identity," with Tom Hanks kung-fuing kamikaze monks or something, people are gonna be less than satisfied.

Just a hunch. I think I know people pretty good. I am people.
I just expect a lot of people to be disappointed.

Man, I laughed when I saw the title of this thread because I was thinking the same thing. I'll wait a week or two to see what everyone else thinks. Heck, at $10 for the movie, and another $20 for popcorn and drink, that's the smart thing to do anyway.

That's why you get you're food and candy BEFORE you go to the theater... then you only gotta waste your $10

But I don't think it will be that bad. I'm pretty tolerant when it comes to movies. And i actually love bad movies, they make for great laughs. For example, all the MST 3000 stuff. Most things with Tom Hanks I have enjoyed, and nearly all movies directed by Ron Howard I highly enjoyed, so I don't see this one being any different. I'll be seeing it Friday after a friend of mine comes help me pack for my move.

Originally posted by DarkHelmet
And i actually love bad movies, they make for great laughs. For example, all the MST 3000 stuff.

I've recently come to the realization that life is too short to waste on crap.
But for ATS, I'll make an exception.

* chissler reads the sign that says Do Not feed the trolls

* chissler ignores the sign

I've recently come to the realization that life is too short to waste on crap.
But for ATS, I'll make an exception.

Sarcasm?

DaVinci, Cinderella Man, ATS.. we agree on so much. [/sarcasm]

This just in:

"Cannes critics left cold at Da Vinci Code screening"

"CANNES, France (Reuters) - Journalists gave eagerly awaited film "The Da Vinci Code" a cool reception at its first press screening on Tuesday, a day ahead of the world premiere of the adaptation of Dan Brown's controversial novel."


today.reuters.com... rss&rpc=22

Looks like your prophecy is coming true.

In all these years of reading critic reviews, I've found they mean absolutely nothing. It seems like every movie that gets horrible reviews, ends up being one I highly enjoy. Very few actually review a movie horribly, which I in turn thought was horrible. I like reading the actual viewer reviews instead, because you're getting the peoples view, instead of some 60 year old that hates everything put in front of him not named Brokeback.

[edit on 17-5-2006 by DarkHelmet]

I don't really trust those frustrated wanna-be art insiders and movie industry rejects also known as "movie critics". I never read their stuff.


I go see a movie if I like the plot, actors, director.

I liked the book so I am going to see the movie, simple as that

Originally posted by mecheng
Looks like your prophecy is coming true.

It's still too early to call. Those dudes at Cannes are pretty snooty and pretentious. I have read a couple of reviews that mentioned a point of "unintended laughter," which is generally a bad sign for any serious movie.

Some people will like it, some people won't. Some people will like it so much they'll actually go out and BUY the DVD. Some people will like it because a lot of other people say it's not that good. In the same way, some people will not like it because a lot of other people say it's not that good.

One of the first things people do upon leaving a movie theater is to ask other people what they thought of the movie. We like to know what other people think. We define our reality, and get a lot of our opinions, by combining our own feelings with the opinions of others.