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Movie Commentary

Reel Lit

Should you see the movie or just buy the book? -- We tell you if ''The Da Vinci Code'' and others are better on the page or screen

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By Hannah Tucker

THE DA VINCI CODE
Dan Brown (paperback)
The film tones down the heresy and plays up the skepticism of Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) — but doesn't improve the novel's weak dialogue. Luckily, Ian McKellen's Leigh Teabing has a sense of humor.
Last Word A thriller relying heavily on word games and flashbacks is more engaging on the page.

THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE
Paul Gallico (paperback)
Plow through 347 pages of high-seas disaster victims saying things like ''Don't be a chowderhead'' in the 1969 novel or spend 98 minutes with Wolfgang Petersen's update, which replaces most dialogue with fiery explosions?
Last Word Factor in Richard Dreyfuss, and the film wins by a nautical mile.

TWENTIETH CENTURY EIGHTBALL
Daniel Clowes (paperback)
For the indie Art School Confidential, artist/screenwriter Clowes adds a noirish murder mystery to his own story about a student artist (Max Minghella) struggling in the wacky art world.
Last Word The Eightball series better conveys Clowes' cynical, hilarious take on twentysomething angst.

Posted May 26, 2006 | Published in issue #879 Jun 02, 2006 | Order Article Reprints