The Da Vinci Code, written by Dan Brown, was published in 2003 and soon became the most controversial book of the early 21st century. In it, the main characters, Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) and Sophie Neveu (Audrey Tatou) investigate a murder in the Louvre and, in doing so, they follow a set of clues to unravel a mystery, taking them to London and then to Rosslyn Chapel. It is estimated that 81 million copies of the book have been published, making it one of the most popular books of all time.
In 2006, a 2-hour and 29 minutes (54 in the extended cut) film adaptation was made, which contributed even more to the hype and controversy brought on by the story’s high point, namely that Christ and Mary Magdalene had a child and that their bloodline is still present in the world today.
The film, directed by Ron Howard, was a big success at the box office, in most part due to its provocative nature and due to the millions of dollars poured in its promotion.
At a cinematic analysis, it can be said that the Da Vinci Code is a decent movie and deserves many a, but, at the same time, it is lacking here and there, such as in the acting department. Its power, however, lies not so much in the controversy it caused at the time – even though this is how it seemed back when it was launched – but in the fact that it is responsible for introducing the new symbolic thinking in the world.
If you think about it, the Da Vinci Code was the start of the new wave of symbolism, conspiracy theories and other ways of symbolic thinking. It was an unparalleled phenomenon which did not ‘just happen’. Looking back, one can clearly tell that the success of the Da Vinci Code and the introducing of new a new symbolic thinking was a coordinated effort. The movie (and book) were everywhere and talked about all around the world. Extremely many household names were involved in the making of the movie and in promoting it. The film was supported by big entities such as the Louvre museum, and we can also see two nice shots of the Ritz as well as car logos. Important entities also participated in the making of the film: for example, the scenes which take place at Rosslyn Chapel were shot at the actual site. In terms of promotion and post-film expansion, many people may remember how strongly the film was popularized. Watch German TV channels such as RTL – which was at the time one of the most popular TV stations in Europe, the teaser for the movie, consisting of the “So Dark the Con of Man” moment ran almost every 3 or 4 minutes. In France, people could go on guided tours of the Louvre branded as Da Vinci Code tours, narrated by Jean Reno, who appeared in the movie as Captain Bezu Fache.
The Da Vinci Code may not have introduced singlehandedly symbolic thinking into the 21st century, but it definitely was a part of it. In 2006, Julian Assange’s WikiLeaks was founded, which would also become a powerful instrument through which conspiracy theories and the search for the hidden would be introduced to the public.
Back in its day, the film was extremely popular due to the heavy marketing machine that pushed it and was met with hatred by some and with high expectations by others. Critics were not very enthusiastic about it, and people who left their comments online were also not extremely captivated by it. Many considered it to be a little bit too “vanilla”. The way in which the film was received says a lot about our society and the paradigm in which we live. People were discontent because the movie did not feature enough drama or enough violence. If you think about it, the whole premise and idea of the movie was a very tense one, so the fact that we are desensitized to these premises and that a movie centered on the entire sang real theme leaves many yawning is an indicator of how people perceive the world. The way The Da Vinci Code was received goes to show how much – or, better said, how little people are connected to their past, to their beliefs and to their collective and individual histories. At the same time, the film, besides introducing the new symbolic thinking, also ushered in what is now a growing trend, namely the focus on old European traditions and values, which are currently apparently highly suppressed by the powers at be.
In short, The Da Vinci Code is a strong point of reference not just in the history of cinema, but in the history of global culture, as it paved the way of what would become the mainstream paradigm of the years to come. Today, people talk with ease about secret organizations, plans made in the shadows and even concepts such as the Flat Earth theory. All of these are indicators of the fact that people have become accustomed to the notion that, more often than not, things are not necessarily what they seem at a first glance.