I am going to start out by noting that Ron Howard is one of the best directors of our modern generation. That is why that I thought, going into the theatre that this film (staring one of the best actors ever). It would have at least a sliver of a chance of being good, maybe not as good as the book but nonetheless still good. Making a film of such a loved as well as heated topic always draws a lot of attention, there are always the people that love, and most of the time … that same number of people that hate.

It was a very smart summer blockbuster that will attract a lot of the general American public. Think about it. Tom Hanks (one of the best actors we have ever had AND it’s based on one of the most read books since well holy the BIBLE and the DICTIONARY. Ron Howard’s adaptation of the Da Vinci Code, in my opinion not only falls sort of the book, but also tacks on a completley new and UN-improved boring ending. I honestly was somewhat enjoying this film right up until the final 30 minutes, it was pointless, uncalled for and just all around sloppy and bad.

Now getting all of those negative statements out of the way, I very much enjoyed the way that they adapted the screenplay (other than the end, obviously), and I loved the acting all around as a whole. That said Tom Hanks, obviously wasn’t exactly the most convincing Robert Langdon but still his natural acting skills made up for it. Ian McKellen’s performance of Sir Leigh Teabing is jut about as good as it could have been and the French actress Audrey Tautou’s performace as Sophie was well done. Even the little performances such as Jean eno’s performance as the police chief was good just as the rest of eno’s performances. Also the cinamotography and camera shots were very well done and were definately pleasing to watch and keep an eye on.

The “Da Vinci Code” has it’s shining moments but fails, overall to really impress not only non-readers of the novel but also the devoted fans, but i’m not too shocked.

I am an advid fan of both the x-men comic books and the movies. I have been a fan of Marvel Comics for over twenty years. I feel that the characters depths were reached in the first two movies but were not carried on to the third, yet they seemed to add many more to the mix, and the special features were a travisty. These things lead to my actual review being closer to 2.5 stars.

I feel that the addition of new characters enhanced the movie and hindered it at the same time. Beast, played by Kelsey Grammar was very well done, to the point of him saying “Oh my stars and garters.” The Kitty Pryde character seemed one dimensional with no depth at all. She is shown to be a bit intelligent in the class room discussing Plato’s view of ethics, but then used as a third wheel of a love triangle dissolves the hope of any furhter depth. Colossus’s use of the “fastball special”, at the beginning the movie, was awesome to the point of ingenious, but that is where his character loses his appeal. He has next to no lines and begins to blend into the background in many scenes.

The plot is based very losely on the story arc “The Dark Pheonix Saga” and when I say losely, I truly mean losely. The comic story involved a much greater deal of internal conflict within Jean, in which Jean solves by comitting suicide. In this movie, her death only comes by the hand, or claws of, yup you guessed it, Wolverine. The depths of emotional conflict in Jean is never brought to the screen, except for her saying thank you to Wolverine at the end of her life. I felt no pythos or pain, that her life needed to be forfeited. I was unimpressed and unmoved by the representation of the pheonix/Jean saga.

Extras/Special features? These were all things picked up off of the floor of the editing room and pasted, any way they could, back into the movie.
3 Alternate endings that have no rationale behind them or connection to the movie. The world of Marvel, this section is a cheap way for Marvel to exploit the viewer into purchasing some of the lesser quality superhero movies. They show the trailers for Daredevil, Electra and FF. Ther is no in depth look into the world of Marvel Comics at all. For those who really want to be cheated out of their hard earned cash, buy the colectors edition of the DVD, it has different packaging and a comic that stars San Lee. Yeah!!!

The whole presentation from the coverr of the actual DVD to the Special Features seem as thrown together as the actual Movie. I as a viewer feel a bit let down by the conclusion of the trilogy. Marvel, does not seem to shy away from the open handed, gimmie your money approach to commerece, just look at the Civil War Strory in stores now, so I would have to say wait a few months and you will probally see a new release of the DVD that does not seem so thrown together.