The film that has incensed Christian groups around the world is ‘dull', nothing more than ‘spiritual tripe', and certainly ‘no masterpiece'

It was as dull as anything. It was like a long, tedious history lecture in dusty churches by lunatics

the Dan Brown best-seller was described variously as "grim", "unwieldy" and "plodding", though one reviewer bucked the trend and said "You'll Louvre It!"

Associated Press critic Christy Lemire found the movie "cursory and rushed. ... As sturdy and versatile an actor as Hanks can be, he can't work miracles when he's got nothing to work with."

Laughter rippled through the theater near the end of the film at the Cannes press screening Tuesday night when Hanks' character, symbologist Robert Langdon, reveals a key secret to co-star Audrey Tautou with ponderous melodrama...."It's not a good sign when your film's big revelatory moment is greeted with laughter," wrote Stephen Schaefer, a film writer for The Boston Herald.

- posted by Alan Grey @ Thursday, May 18, 2006