Based on the best selling novel, The Da Vinci Code, stars Tom Hanks as a professor of cryptic codes and symbols who becomes involved in a plot to destroy the evidence of what some believe to be the roots of Christianity.
Release date May 18, 2006
Violence D Sexual Content C- Profanity C+ Substance Use B+Why is The Da Vinci Code rated PG-13? The MPAA rated The Da Vinci Code PG-13 for disturbing images, violence, some nudity, thematic material, brief drug references and sexual content.
Run Time: 148 minutes
If there is one thing The Da Vinci Code hasn’t run short of, it’s hype. For more than a year before gracing the silver screen, previews and promotions have been dangled in front of the public eye. Meanwhile, opinions from religious organizations regarding the story’s re-writing of the role of Jesus Christ and other New Testament figures also increased as the release date drew nigh. And then there’s the huge audience who have read the novel by Dan Brown, upon which this movie is based, who anticipated seeing their favorite book put to film.
For those who have only heard the hoopla, the controversial plot goes something like this:
Professor Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) is a man who lives to break codes and discover the secret patterns of numerals, letters, and symbols in the monotony of daily life. He’s in France making a presentation and signing his new book when the local police approach and tell him that his friend has been murdered. Accompanying the officials to the Louvre, Langdon is shocked to see the victim’s naked body covered in various cryptic signs written in the man’s own blood (of which we see a great deal).
Also at the grande mus0xE9e is Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tautou), who is introduced as the granddaughter of the deceased. Begging his trust, the young woman passionately explains that he is the chief suspect in the investigation. Offering to help Langdon avoid arrest, the two escape the museum, and flee into the streets of Paris. But what the professor doesn’t know is he’s embarked on a far more dangerous journey than a run from the authorities. His cryptographic skills will pull him into a scheme full of twists and turns, with a climax involving the divinity of Jesus Christ, his relationship with Mary Magdalene, and whether direct descendents of the “Savior of Man” walk the Earth today.
If you’re a parent wondering if this historically set drama holds concerns for family viewing, the answer is “yes,” from various perspectives. First, Christians—especially Catholics—may be offended, or at least troubled, by the implications regarding Christ’s life, and the claims as to whom he left in charge of his church. (Without giving too much away, the film says it wasn’t Peter.) Yet even those not weighing the religious doctrines, will still find bothersome issues like the particularly gory violence and sexual content.
Self-mutilation, murders with guns, and scenes of harsh hand-to-hand violence involving men and women are depicted throughout. Another male character appears completely naked (seen mostly from the rear) and physically abuses and mutilates his body as a sign of his dedication to Jesus. As well, there are discussions of satanic and sexual rituals, and a brief depiction of a couple under a blanket on an altar presumably having sex.
These disquieting moments punctuate what some will view as an interesting adventure, which simply happens to use historical religious characters as a backdrop. Heavy on dialogue, the over two hour run time travels by quickly, and you won’t want to miss a word or you’ll be left behind.
Possibly audiences’ greatest apprehension should be with a far broader problem than this film. Whether it is the retelling of Pocahontas, the voyage of Christopher Columbus, or the American Civil War, we risk having popular culture become our new history books. Movies like this contain just enough facts to allow viewers to believe what they see might be true, instead of recognizing them as works of imagination. Discerning fact from fiction is one code parents should be actively helping their children to crack.
Directed by Ron Howard. Starring Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou. Running time: 148 minutes. Theatrical release May 18, 2006. Updated July 17, 2017
Rod Gustafson has worked in various media industries since 1977. He founded Parent Previews in 1993, and today continues to write and broadcast the reviews in newspapers, on radio and (of course) on the Internet. His efforts also include writing and researching media in all its forms and observing how it effects society and culture. He and his wife Donna have four children.
Why is The Da Vinci Code rated PG-13? The Da Vinci Code is rated PG-13 by the MPAA for disturbing images, violence, some nudity, thematic material, brief drug references and sexual content.
This movie approaches the top end of the PG-13 rating with its graphic depictions of a naked corpse covered in cryptic signs drawn in blood, a nude man shown mutilating himself in an act of sacrifice and emulation of Christ’s crucifixion, and many other moments of conflict involving people being shot (see on screen) or beaten. More concerns for parents include an unexpected and violently portrayed car crash, a few moderate and mild profanities and a conversation using male and female anatomical terms. A character drinks alcohol from a hidden flask, and is later poisoned. Finally, traditional Christian religious doctrine is altered, and leaders of the Roman Catholic Church are depicted in sinister fashion with murderous intent.
Page last updated July 17, 2017
Do you think movies and media have the power to change our perspective of history?
You may want to research some of the topics brought forth in this movie using religious texts along with Internet resources. You can begin by checking this link for more information on the Knights Templar, an organization that has become embellished in many movies and works of literature.
This movie is based on The Da Vinci Code, a novel by Dan Brown.
The Da Vinci Code (4K Ultra HD) - Feature film in 4K resolution with High Dynamic Range (HDR) - Dolby Atmos soundtrack (Dolby TrueHD 7.1 compatible) - Also includes the film and special features on high-def Blu-ray
The Da Vinci Code (Blu-ray + Digital HD) - All-NEW: Launching a Legacy: Interviews with Tom Hanks, Ron Howard, Dan Brown and Brian Grazer about The Da Vinci Code - First Look at Inferno - Deleted / Extended / Alternate Scenes - Select-Scene Commentary with Ron Howard - 17 Featurettes - Trailers
Click here to find information about the Angels & Demons release
DVD Notes: The Da Vinci Code
Release Date: 28 April 2009
Fans of the film and Dan Brown’s best selling book will find plenty of information to sort through with the DVD release of The DaVinci Code. With almost as may special features as a museum has artifacts, here’s a list of what’s on display:
DVD ROM Features:
Demo of the Sony Pictures PC game, The Da Vinci Code Puzzle Game
Presented in either full or wide screen, the disc offers audio tracks in English (Dolby Digital 5.1 and DS), French (Dolby Digital 5.1) and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1 ), with subtitles in English, French and Spanish.
Blu-ray Notes: The Da Vinci Code: Extended Cut
Release Date: 28 April 2009
The Da Vinci Code: Extended Cut on Blu-ray Disc hits the home video market just days before the theatrical release of the movie’s sequel, Angels & Demons. Along with 28 minutes of previously unseen footage, this package includes:
- First look at Angels & Demons (5-minute segment introduced by director Ron Howard)
- Unlocking the Code (interactive picture-in-picture feature offering cast and crew interviews, behind the scenes footage, storyboards, photos and trivia)
- Ron Howard commentary on selected scenes.
-First Day on the Set with Ron Howard
-The Filmmakers’ Journey Part 1
-The Filmmakers’ Journey Part 2
-A Discussion With Dan Brown
-A Portrait of Langdon
-The Codes of The Da Vinci Code
-Who is Sophie Neveu?
-The Music of The Da Vinci Code
-The Da Vinci Props
-Close-up on Mona Lisa
-The Da Vinci Sets
-Re-creating Works of Art
-Scoring The Da Vinci Code
-The Visual Effects World of The Da Vinci Code
In National Treasure, another code breaker begins hunting for a treasure believed to hidden by the Founding Fathers of the United States. (There’s a connection to the Free Masons and the Knights Templar in this film, too.) The secret powers of religious symbols and artifacts are quest of adventurer Indiana Jones in Raider’s of the Lost Ark. The sequel to this film is Angels & Demons.