So the Cannes critics don't like the Code? Big surprise. Critics in the US are panning it as well. This is their universal, knee-jerk response to any would be blockbuster, which is why their judgments in such cases simply can't be trusted. Serious critics don't dare review this type of film positively; there would be too much disapproval from the rest of the pack of hounds. Instead, they whine about length, slowness of pace, etc. Please. These folks are paid to watch movies. How put upon can they be by the length of a film? Trust me, they're wandering about Cannes and other festivals looking for some suitably depressing, heavily ironic, low budget flick to rave about. Who cares? Does anyone really watch Fargo or Pulp Fiction after slogging through them the first time? This little cottage industry is in dire need of an infusion of new blood.

The idea that critics just don't like blockbusters is ridiculous. Looking at summary sites like Rotten Tomatoes, I see that Mission impossible got 3 or more stars from 70% of a wide group of critics. When The Da Vinci Code only scores 19%, its because it is most likely simply bad.

The liked Mission Impossible 3?

That's more than enough reason for me to completely ignore their opinions.

Bring on the Code!!

I personally would never go out of my way to see a Ron Howard film and I think that's the problem here. Howard was simiply the wrong director for this picture. Howard makes nice, safe pictures with very little sub-text or tension. He speaks about the magic of Dan Brown's book without understanding what he's talking about. Howard obviously doesn't understand the subversive nature of the novel or the first thing about that draws people to it. In my mind, Baz Luhrman would have been a much better choice of director for this pic. Now there's a director who understands subversion and can cast a lead with true star power.