beary said:
How did you handle the Catholic-bashing? I'm not a Catholic (am a fundamentalist protestant type) but the book really made me mad because it seemed like it made all the people of faith out to be villains. I know it is just fiction and all that, but wasn't sure I would want to see the movie because of that. (Dan Brown's other books have that same bent to them too - actually Angels and Demons was probably even worse. An enjoyable read, as was DVC, but big-time faith bashing).
I didn't really pick up on any Cathlic bashing. I think it did display Opus Dei in a negative light and romanticized the Priory of Sion, of which did exist, but its legitimacy is questionable.
If anything, I felt this was a story of two polar opposites of Catholicism. One believing the Mary Magdalene-Holy Grail theory and wanting to expose it, and the other believing the current doctrine and wanting to keep things the way they are.
It's no secret that Catholicism has had its share of corruptness in history, and there are some theories portrayed (such as witchhunts, etc.) that seem plausible to keep women from holding authoritative roles in the church, especially when some of the first disciples to spread the gospel after Christ's death were women.
However, because Catholicism has such a peppered history, it makes it easy to write a novel and adapt a screenplay to include consipiracy theories.
I recognize it as a work of fiction, as I did with the Last Temptation of Christ, Stigmata, the Exorcist (although based on a true story), and many others.
I take interpretive movies about Christianity for what they are - entertainment. But they do allow me to think critically about my religion and denomination and ask some really good questions to my priest.
Anyway, I enjoyed the movie very much and would highly recommend it.