As one of a handful of probably a handful of people who haven’t read Dan Brown’s novel &#8220The Da Vinci Code,” I entered the Ron Howard film based on the book with no idea of what to expect.

While I have no way to compare it to the novel it is adapted from, I can say that I enjoyed the film for what it is – an entertaining thriller with a solid cast and some genuinely intriguing moments.

&#8220The Di Vinci Code” opens with a murder in the Louvre in Paris. Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks), a Harvard symbologist in Paris on business, is called to assist the police with the murder – although Langdon is actually considered a prime suspect.

Langdon escapes with the help of a French cryptologist named Sophie (Audrey Tautou), who happens to be the granddaughter of the man murdered in the museum.

The duo band together trying to find out who is responsible for the murder, and in the process uncover a religious mystery that could shake the foundations of Christianity.

Howard does a nice job of pacing with &#8220The Da Vinci Code.” Although the film clocks in at more than 21/2 hours, the film moved briskly, with some interesting dialogue among some nice action sequences. Only in the final scenes did the film start to feel a tad lengthy.

Hanks and Tautou (who I’ve been a fan of since &#8220Amelie”) head a strong cast, which includes Ian McKellen, Jean Reno and Paul Bettany. McKellen fares the best, with a juicy role that is a perfect fit for the actor’s talents.

&#8220The Da Vinci Code” isn’t a perfect film. Even though I hadn’t read the book, I found the mystery very easy to figure out.

There is also the controversy surrounding the film’s interpretation of religious history. I really don’t see it as an attempt to rewrite history, because I looked at the story for what it is – fiction.

I didn’t find it offensive. I just looked at it as an interesting way to move along a story that is more like &#8220Raiders of the Lost Ark” than &#8220The Ten Commandments.”

Don’t get me wrong, &#8220Da Vinci” will never be confused with the greatness of &#8220Raiders,” but it is still good enough to be worth a look – whether you are a bookworm or not.

&#8220The Da Vinci Code”

Starring: Tom Hanks, Audrey Tautou

Directed by: Ron Howard

Rating: PG-13 for disturbing images,

violence, some nudity, thematic material, brief drug references and sexual content

Playing at: Great Escape 12, Highland Cinemas (Glasgow)

Grade: B

DVD dandy of the week

This week’s dandy is &#8220Transamerica” (B-) a so-so film that features a fantastic performance by Felicity Huffman.

&#8220The Desperate Housewives” star is barely recognizable as Bree, a pre-operative transsexual whose plans to have a sex change that will make him a female are delayed when Bree learns that he fathered a son named Toby (Kevin Zegers).

Bree heads to New York and learns that Toby is a teenage runaway struggling to survive as a street hustler.

Bree reluctantly agrees to help Toby and they take off on a cross-country journey, where both discover more about themselves along the way.

Writer/director Duncan Tucker’s film is pretty standard, and at times a little too cutesy, but it is held together by Huffman’s remarkable work. The actress is very believable as Bree, and gives the character a touch of humanity that is missing from Tucker’s screenplay.

Huffman’s work earned her an Oscar nomination and I actually believe that of the five nominees, she was one who should have won. It’s hard to imagine what the film would have been like without Huffman.

&#8220Transamerica” is a perfect example of a performance carrying a mediocre movie to another level.

&#8220Transamerica” is rated R for sexual content, nudity, language, and drug use and is now available on DVD.

– Sportswriter/movie reviewer Micheal Compton now has reviews available on the Web. Go to www.bgdailynews.com and click on the Compton’s Critiques link for a quick hit of movies now playing in the area. Micheal can also be reached via e-mail at mcompton@bgdailynews.com.