[Apologetics] Da Vinci" Film Not Great Art, Says Signis

[Marty Rothwell]

"Da Vinci" Film Not Great Art, Says Signis


CANNES, France, MAY 17, 2006 (Zenit.org).- After seeing the premiere of "The
Da Vinci Code," Signis, the world organization of Catholic communicators,
concluded that "the Church has little to be concerned about" with the film.

"Many Christians from different backgrounds and sensibilities were anxious
about the release of the film of 'The Da Vinci Code,' directed by Ron
Howard," the group stated in a communique today.

"However, far from being a cinema masterpiece, the film is simply a popular
entertainment," it contended. "While the early scenes set us on an exciting
treasure hunt, the wordiness of the drawn-out twists of the later part of
the film will disappoint many cinema-goers."

"The novel attempted to persuade its readers [with] some dubious hypotheses
and some mumbo-jumbo theories," Signis observed. "The film wants rather to
please everyone and not upset them too much.

"The writers have added quite a number of dialogue exchanges which downplay
the more controversial statements of the novel about the Church, the
divinity of Jesus, the role of Mary Magdalene and even Opus Dei."
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