I've got to get this out of my system.Almost two years ago, I read The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown. Bought it in hardback off eBay.
Over the past few months, most of us have been hearing about the movie. Last week, I heard about many Christian churches that are doing sermon series responding to the book. I listened to sermons by Francis Chan, a seminar by Mike Castelli, a podcast by Josh McDowell, and part of another podcast from Dallas Seminary. I read half-way through Josh McDowell's book on Da Vinci. This week, I read Lee Strobel's book that examines the claims of the Code.
One culture-watcher has estimated that 7 out of 10 churches are doing something to respond to and teach about The Da Vinci Code.
Finally, yesterday, I got to see the movie.
Let me share some random thoughts leading up to our movie....
The Book: From what I can remember of reading it, The Da Vinci Code was a complete thrill-ride, one of the most engaging novels I have ever read. As a big John Grisham fan, I like suspsense, character, and mystery. Da Vinci was all that and more. Fascinating riddles, symbols, and questions. Controversy about history, the church, and Europe. While I was indeed bothered by some of the untruths, and the clearly-fictional "end" of the story... I must say it's completely fun to read, and I read it in less than four days. For entertainment value, I'd give the book an A+. For historical accuracy, an F. But we read fiction novels for entertainment, not for historical or spiritual truth. That being said, let me move on....
The Issues: The issues raised by the book have been a source of debate, controversy, and History Channel specials. If people really do want to investigate this stuff, they will find that The Gospels in the Bible are solid, and that the "false Gospels" (Thomas, Judas, Mary Magdalene) were rejected for very good reasons. Dan Brown's use of facts is incoherent, unfounded, and clearly pushing a feminist agenda. Thank Dan's wife, she did much of the research.
For Christians, it's a good time to brush up on WHY you believe the Bible, and WHY do you believe Jesus is God?
For non-Christians, it's a good time to brush up on what you believe, and find that the Bible's claims are true! While it is convenient (and entertaining) to read in a book like this, we must really seek the truth - it can be found.
Lee Strobel: Strobel's book can be read in less than 90 minutes, and used as a great resource for further discussions. Give this book an A+.
If you'd like to hear more, just search for recent sermons by Francis Chan, John Ortberg, Dallas Seminary (podcast), Lee Strobel, and - starting this week - Knute Larson.
The MOVIE: Where to start? The book sales, the media hype, and even the church response had me thinking that this was the movie of the year. The one you shouldn't miss. People flocked to theaters yesterday, thinking, "Tom Hanks and Ron Howard - this is going to be tremendous!"
I would have been one of them, had I missed the early reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. When we left to see the movie, Da Vinci Code was scoring a 19% on the "Tomato-meter." That means that only 19% of the 105 critics at the time actually LIKED the movie. Well, I have been known to enjoy movies that the critics didn't like, so on one hand, I didn't give much weight to what the website said... On the other hand...
Question: How do you cram 500 pages of suspense and intrigue into 2 hours and 29 minutes?
Answer: You don't.
But Ron Howard tried.
For those of you who have neither seen the book nor read the movie, I urge you - If you "must" do one or the other, please read the book.
For those of you who would like to look at the historical and Biblical issues regarding the book - read Lee Strobel.
For you readers who want to see this novel "come to life" - the movie does a lot of that. The best part for me was seeing the actual places (like the Louvre and several others) where the novel takes place.
For parents who are wondering if this movie is suitable for kids - it's not. There's a violent catholic monk who chases our main characters around and kills several people in the process. Then, to atone for his sins, he goes back home and slashes himself with whips. It's PG-13, and it easily could have been rated-R.
SCORE: 2.5 stars. I wanted to go lower, but I figure it may have been more suspenseful for people who haven't read the book. I'm glad I saw it, but I hoped it would be better.
Disclaimer: At this point in my life, I am not one of those guys who only likes action movies. I actually prefer deeper movies with character, plot development, healthy and unforced dialogue, and powerful themes. Ron Howard's work could use more of that stuff. If you'd like to read other opinions from across the nation, click here.
4 comments:
On one hand, we should applaud these actors and director for even trying to make a movie based on such a successful book.
The odds were against them.
On the other hand, some movie directors actually produce movies that "live up to" the books they are based on.
One wonders if Peter Jackson should have directed The Da Vinci Code....
I would have been downright nasty in that role as Robert Langdon. Hanks put you to sleep, but I would have brought that flick to life!
Our church, like many others, has been gearing up for the whole Da Vinci event recently. Sermons, guest lecturers, etc., have all come and warned of the herecies and inconsistencies in both the book and the movie.
I remember back when I was in college and the first Gulf War began. I was at Cedarville and there was a learned man who came to speak in one of our daily chapel services to warn us that so many things pointed to the end being near. "Jesus is coming any minute," was his big speach. He scared us all to death, in some ways, making parallels of world events to an interpretation of the last days. At this time too, there were lots of books writen about Iraq as Babylon, all sorts of articles appeared in Christian literature pointing out the parallels.
Then the year 2000. A flip of the calendar, yet somehow we, as the church, needed to be ready for disaster, because that chip with the old date sub routine written in it in the gas meter by our house was gonna explode, even though the date routine was never required of it. More hysteria, more books, more articles, get your canned foods, find shelter, be ready for anything. And a lot of it coming from and for the Christian community.
So now we have Da Vinci, and pardon my cynicism, but where was everybody when Indiana Jones raided the "Lost Ark?" "God-in-a-Box" theology with a great adventure and everything. And the "Last Crusade?" "It's time to ask yourself 'what do you believe?', Dr. Jones..." What? that the holy grail if administered correctly gives healing powers and immortality--but wait, only if you stay behind that line.
What is it that is so new that the Christian community has to study up on because of the release of this book/movie? What skewed biblical principles are being put forth that have not already assulted the Truth of God's word in other writings, books, tv shows and movies for centuries? Why now?
What person, having seen Indiana Jones is going to ask quesitons about God, and eternal life, and the holy grail? What person, after reading or watching Da Vinci is going to start an argument with a known Christian over the elements of the story and their veracity?
Why now is the Christian community suddenly implored to learn how to defend what they believe, when all along, and all around them (us) doctrines of theology and morality have been attacked for years? We are being instructed on how to debunk Da Vinci as though that is the argument to be made. As the fabled story goes (is it true?) bankers learn to identify counterfeit bills not be studying the counterfeits, but by studying the real thing.
So let's ignore the hype and be ready, Da Vinci or not, to be able to defend the reason for the hope found within us.
Good call Brian (and this from a fellow Cedarville grad... nice work), this isn't anything the church hasn't dealt with since the 4th century. I personally haven't seen the movie yet but I did read the book and the errors are obvious. I really don't think that anyone who has an inkling of desire to study God's word will have problems pointing out the differences between Brown's ideas and scripture.
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