Priory of Sion, Pagnilagyan ng Biton?

Syempre, Martes kahapon kaya sugod sa cinema na naman kami. Half the price ang tickets e! Alam mo naman mga Pinoy, basta mura mabenta. Malapit na daw mag snow dito kaya kagabi wansapak ang lamig! Umuulan pa! Pero hindi ito hadlang para sa amin. Mura e!

Usual suspects. Bumili lang kami ng chips, sinilid sa bag ko (bawal magdala ng food from the outside sa loob ng sinehan, pero wala namang nag-iinspect ng bag sa entrance), tapos pasok na kami sa cinema.

"Da Vinci Code". Karamihan sa amin nabasa na yung nobela. Ako, hindi pa. Pero tama ang hinala ko. Mas lamang ako sa pag enjoy ng pelikula dahil hindi ko pa alam ang mangyayari. =)

On with the show!

Da Vinci Code
Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert!

First off, I'm talking from the point of view of someone who has watched the movie but have not read Dan Brown's novel. And prior to watching the film, I've already been hearing a lot of negative opinions about it from those who were avid patrons of the novel. But for me, I believe Da Vinci Code has delivered very well... so well in fact that the film was enough to create a disturbance among the Christian circle.

Being off topic, I see the whole issue as unnecessary and even foolishly protracted. The longer they spend time mindlessly babbling criticisms against the movie, the longer they're just making people more curious and eager to check it out. Debates have already erupted and for what cause, to protect the Christian faith? C'mon, anyone who can pay a couple of bucks to watch the movie knows for the least that the movie's a fiction. If you ask me, those who harboured concerns regarding this effect on film viewers were the ones who have problems on the foundations of their own faith.

Back to the film now.

It started in Louvre, France when after a museum curator was murdered by an Opus Dei fanatic, Robert Langdon - a Harvard symbologist - was implicated to the crime whilst the old man left a series of cryptic clues which he should decipher. On his trail was the French cop Captain Fache who threw all the resources he got to sack Robert. With help from Sophie Neveu, a French cryptologist and grandchild of the curator, he was obliged by circumstance to solve the bizarre mystery surrounding the death.

It was too late though when he discovered that what he was about to unravel was a mystery so significant that it could topple the very foundation of mankind (booohoooo, I love saying that... gives me the creeps!). Seeing that he was too "in" to turn back, Robert seek refuge to an old English friend, Magneto... este Sir Leigh Teabing, who divulged everything about the Holy Grail and its enigma to them.Together, the brady bunch worked their way to a heart-pounding labyrinthine trip across Europe in a quest to find the secret of the Holy Grail. Aided by perplexing clues and jujus, Robert was able to pin down mysteries after mysteries, all the while being chased by Captain Fache and the albino assassin, Silas.

Everything should went as was planned by their real enemy - the faceless power-grabber only known as the Teacher - until the series of events leading to the final climax of the film revealed that Sir Leigh himself is the Teacher. After successfully thwarting the Teacher's nefarious plans, the rest of the movie just mellowed into the resolution of the final mystery: Where is the sarcophagus of the Holy Grail?

Most of the following events after that were simply discoveries that answered the remaining lose ends left along the movie like who's the last bloodline of Christ, what's the real story behind Sophie's family, what's the real purpose behind the Priory of Sion, can Sophie really walk on water (hehe), and stuffs that pretty much wrapped up the whole story.

I say, the first part of the film was really really confusing, and I was talking about those parts when Robert and Sophie were starting to recover pieces of clues from the crime scene (combination for the safe codes, anagrams, symbols, magic inks... hey, that's so much to muster from a dying man, hehe!). I dunno, I believe it was meant that way since everything pretty much fall into places on the latter parts of the movie anyway.

I like how they laid out the scenes that comprised the recollection of past events and explanations of clues. They've been vivid enough to portray them in a way that not-so-avid-fans-of-history won't be too overwhelmed with information overload. Still, although it might sound biased, I believe that viewers who are not in the "ample level of perception" category (ok... pinagandang pamamaraan ng pagsasabing "bobong manonood") would find some events and personalities taxing to understand (Council of Nicaea, Priory of Scion/Sion, Opus Dei, Knights Templars, Leonardo Da Vinci's artworks, Fibonacci series) and frankly, the movie is nothing without at least a hint of comprehension about these things. In "The Da Vinci Code", the pacing is too fast that there's no room to stop and think. You should only either catch up or get confused even more.

Powerful performances came from Tom Hanks (Robert Langdon), Ian McKellen (Sir Leigh), and especially Paul Bettany (Silas). On the other hand, I was not too impressed with Jean Reno's portrayal of "a cop under pressure" (he's too relaxed it seems), same with Audrey Tautou (Sophie Neveu) whose character I wasn't able to connect with. I just can't "feel" any strong emotions that she was supposed to exude. Aye like herr aczent vhough, zo cute vor me. =)

I also think she really looks like Christ, at least the Christ we knew as depicted on the pictures.

To sum up, it was a good experience watching the film IF you haven't read the book. Having read it before watching the movie will only make you grumble of scenes omitted or situations modified or at least it will have an effect on your appreciation of it. But of course, movies have limitations that novels don't have so if I may kindly suggest to the book patrons planning to watch the movie counterpart, appreciate the quality of the film objectively before whining with what's lacking from the books.

One thing of note though: most of Dan Brown's arguments and discussions presented on the film/book were not original concepts and had been around for some time now as vague hoaxes, insufficiently supported claims, and/or regional myths like the presence of Mary Magdalene on Da Vinci's "Last Supper".

Lastly, the movie is cerebral all throughout. Heard that Christian critics? Hello, we need brains here! I'm a Christian myself, raised with a strict Christian culture, and so proud that not a nick was inflicted on my faith to the Saviour I've known after watching the movie. =)

Amen.

Priory of Sion, Pagnilagyan ng Biton?

Syempre, Martes kahapon kaya sugod sa cinema na naman kami. Half the price ang tickets e! Alam mo naman mga Pinoy, basta mura mabenta. Malapit na daw mag snow dito kaya kagabi wansapak ang lamig! Umuulan pa! Pero hindi ito hadlang para sa amin. Mura e!

Usual suspects. Bumili lang kami ng chips, sinilid sa bag ko (bawal magdala ng food from the outside sa loob ng sinehan, pero wala namang nag-iinspect ng bag sa entrance), tapos pasok na kami sa cinema.

"Da Vinci Code". Karamihan sa amin nabasa na yung nobela. Ako, hindi pa. Pero tama ang hinala ko. Mas lamang ako sa pag enjoy ng pelikula dahil hindi ko pa alam ang mangyayari. =)

On with the show!

Da Vinci Code
Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert! Spoiler Alert!

First off, I'm talking from the point of view of someone who has watched the movie but have not read Dan Brown's novel. And prior to watching the film, I've already been hearing a lot of negative opinions about it from those who were avid patrons of the novel. But for me, I believe Da Vinci Code has delivered very well... so well in fact that the film was enough to create a disturbance among the Christian circle.

Being off topic, I see the whole issue as unnecessary and even foolishly protracted. The longer they spend time mindlessly babbling criticisms against the movie, the longer they're just making people more curious and eager to check it out. Debates have already erupted and for what cause, to protect the Christian faith? C'mon, anyone who can pay a couple of bucks to watch the movie knows for the least that the movie's a fiction. If you ask me, those who harboured concerns regarding this effect on film viewers were the ones who have problems on the foundations of their own faith.

Back to the film now.

It started in Louvre, France when after a museum curator was murdered by an Opus Dei fanatic, Robert Langdon - a Harvard symbologist - was implicated to the crime whilst the old man left a series of cryptic clues which he should decipher. On his trail was the French cop Captain Fache who threw all the resources he got to sack Robert. With help from Sophie Neveu, a French cryptologist and grandchild of the curator, he was obliged by circumstance to solve the bizarre mystery surrounding the death.

It was too late though when he discovered that what he was about to unravel was a mystery so significant that it could topple the very foundation of mankind (booohoooo, I love saying that... gives me the creeps!). Seeing that he was too "in" to turn back, Robert seek refuge to an old English friend, Magneto... este Sir Leigh Teabing, who divulged everything about the Holy Grail and its enigma to them.Together, the brady bunch worked their way to a heart-pounding labyrinthine trip across Europe in a quest to find the secret of the Holy Grail. Aided by perplexing clues and jujus, Robert was able to pin down mysteries after mysteries, all the while being chased by Captain Fache and the albino assassin, Silas.

Everything should went as was planned by their real enemy - the faceless power-grabber only known as the Teacher - until the series of events leading to the final climax of the film revealed that Sir Leigh himself is the Teacher. After successfully thwarting the Teacher's nefarious plans, the rest of the movie just mellowed into the resolution of the final mystery: Where is the sarcophagus of the Holy Grail?

Most of the following events after that were simply discoveries that answered the remaining lose ends left along the movie like who's the last bloodline of Christ, what's the real story behind Sophie's family, what's the real purpose behind the Priory of Sion, can Sophie really walk on water (hehe), and stuffs that pretty much wrapped up the whole story.

I say, the first part of the film was really really confusing, and I was talking about those parts when Robert and Sophie were starting to recover pieces of clues from the crime scene (combination for the safe codes, anagrams, symbols, magic inks... hey, that's so much to muster from a dying man, hehe!). I dunno, I believe it was meant that way since everything pretty much fall into places on the latter parts of the movie anyway.

I like how they laid out the scenes that comprised the recollection of past events and explanations of clues. They've been vivid enough to portray them in a way that not-so-avid-fans-of-history won't be too overwhelmed with information overload. Still, although it might sound biased, I believe that viewers who are not in the "ample level of perception" category (ok... pinagandang pamamaraan ng pagsasabing "bobong manonood") would find some events and personalities taxing to understand (Council of Nicaea, Priory of Scion/Sion, Opus Dei, Knights Templars, Leonardo Da Vinci's artworks, Fibonacci series) and frankly, the movie is nothing without at least a hint of comprehension about these things. In "The Da Vinci Code", the pacing is too fast that there's no room to stop and think. You should only either catch up or get confused even more.

Powerful performances came from Tom Hanks (Robert Langdon), Ian McKellen (Sir Leigh), and especially Paul Bettany (Silas). On the other hand, I was not too impressed with Jean Reno's portrayal of "a cop under pressure" (he's too relaxed it seems), same with Audrey Tautou (Sophie Neveu) whose character I wasn't able to connect with. I just can't "feel" any strong emotions that she was supposed to exude. Aye like herr aczent vhough, zo cute vor me. =)

I also think she really looks like Christ, at least the Christ we knew as depicted on the pictures.

To sum up, it was a good experience watching the film IF you haven't read the book. Having read it before watching the movie will only make you grumble of scenes omitted or situations modified or at least it will have an effect on your appreciation of it. But of course, movies have limitations that novels don't have so if I may kindly suggest to the book patrons planning to watch the movie counterpart, appreciate the quality of the film objectively before whining with what's lacking from the books.

One thing of note though: most of Dan Brown's arguments and discussions presented on the film/book were not original concepts and had been around for some time now as vague hoaxes, insufficiently supported claims, and/or regional myths like the presence of Mary Magdalene on Da Vinci's "Last Supper".

Lastly, the movie is cerebral all throughout. Heard that Christian critics? Hello, we need brains here! I'm a Christian myself, raised with a strict Christian culture, and so proud that not a nick was inflicted on my faith to the Saviour I've known after watching the movie. =)

Amen.