Da...............................Vinci

Just as a point of reference, you must say the title to this post as if you were one of the superfans found on Saturday Night Live. "DA................VINCI." Ok, now that we have that out of the way, I would like to say that I am not trying to rip off of my friend Pete's blog, however, I also went and saw the DaVinci Code on Saturday night. Here's my take.

First of all, it was so great to actually go see a movie. Granted, I have been told that seeing this movie will send me to hell, so all in all, I guess it all balances out. (BTW, I finally watched the Chronicles of Narnia on Friday night, so I guess that means that I can still make it to heaven.) The movie, from a critical perspective, was just an ok movie. It is worth seeing, but there were some odd cuts, slow dialogue, and even some mediocre acting by Mr. Hanks. (Did I mention predictable at times?) Still, I would recommend seeing it over the Flight 93 and DEFINITELY over RV.

Secondly, here's my take on the whole sacrilegious side of things. WHO IN THE WORLD FEELS THREATENED BY THIS MOVIE!!!!!???? I just don't get it. I did not leave the movie questioning my faith. I did not leave the movie thinking that Jesus was not divine. I DID leave the movie a little hungry however, and, a Nestle's Crunch Ice Cream Bar later, I was fine. Here's what I did think was worthy of noting in the film: the relation of semiotics to this whole debate.

I had never stopped to realize that this entire issue is an issue of symbols! Indeed the film opens in a lecture on "religious symbology." The relationship between a symbol and the way that we perceive reality through the interpretation of those symbols are of great interest to me. What the movie taught me has nothing to do with Constantine, or marriage. What the movie taught me, or rather affirmed in my spirit, is that we should all check our usage of religious cultural symbols and question what they are telling others. What does our use of the cross in jewelry and fashion really represent? Is it possible that the symbol of the cross once meant something that is so much more in depth than what it is used for now? Are there symbols, or images of Christ that have been so assimilated into culture, or rather viewed through specific cultural lenses, that they no longer look anything like the Jesus Christ that actually walked on this earth? I left the movie questioning my faith to the extent that I want to be open to critiquing the cultural symbols that have replaced, or become synonymous with our religious symbols.

If you can't tell, here's my suggestion. Go see the film if you want to know what it's about. (or if you simply want to tick off the fundamentalists who are trying to make Ron Howard go bankrupt.) The film is good, but don't expect too much. And finally, make sure that you don't go in the middle of a thunderstorm - you stand less of a chance of getting struck by lightening on the way out of the theater.