Da Vinci Code and Paris

The Louvre


River Seine

I just got back home after watching The Da Vinci Code.

I am curious how the book and the movie are viewed by non-Catholics or non-Christians. For a born and raised Catholic like me who grew up in the only predominant Catholic country in Asia, the book and film have a more profound meaning because I was brought up under the Church's teachings and doctrines. My faith was shaped by these beliefs, and the Da Vinci Code was written so convincingly that it has even become a significant enough threat that the Vatican has even issued official statement about the book being a work of fiction, and that the Catholic faithful should not believe in it.

I am not even a strict practicing Catholic. I did not have a reaction against the book and I really really found The Da Vinci Code a fascinating read inspite of the critics. But the film is a different matter. It sucked. One critic called in "servicable" and I think he was being generous with the comment. If the book managed to draw people into the history of the Catholic Faith and even question its teachings, then the movie managed to do the opposite for me personally.

The movie was so unconvincing, and so uninspiring, you would have no second thoughts that the theories presented in the film are pure fiction. If the Catholic Church thought that the movie will even raise more questions and doubts about the history of Christianity, I think they can rest their worries because the film may have even done the opposite effect.

The only thing that affected me in the film was the locations. It was set in Europe and I miss Europe so much. Most of the location was in Paris and I was there last autumn. Paris is one of my favorite cities in the world. I miss the culture, the history, the geography, and the people. I miss Europe and I want to go back soon.