Listen to Opie

I plan to follow Ron Howard's advice.

CANNES, France (AP) -- It's a rare suggestion from a movie director: Ron Howard says if you think it will bother you, don't go see "The Da Vinci Code."

Sounds like a plan.

I choose not to see it. I won't pay good money to see a movie that disrespects my faith. Why would I add to the studio's profits? I won't support it.

But it's not as simple as Howard makes it seem. This goes beyond individuals making choices about their entertainment.

The problem is there are a lot of people that will go to The Da Vinci Code and buy its fiction as fact.

That's what makes this fiction so disturbing. That's why it's important for the Vatican and others to speak the truth and make it known that it's a piece of fiction.

"There's no question that the film is likely to be upsetting to some people," Howard told reporters. "My advice, since virtually no one has really seen the movie yet, is to not go see the movie if you think you're going to be upset. Wait. Talk to somebody who has seen it. Discuss it. And then arrive at an opinion about the movie itself."

"Again: This is supposed to be entertainment, it's not theology," he said.

Yes, it's "supposed to be entertainment," but based on the reviews that I've read, it falls very short.

Read how film critics are reacting.

Yikes! It sounds like a bomb.

Howard's suggestion to wait and talk to people before seeing it would make sense if the movie had an original screenplay. In that case, it would be unfair for people to criticize the story prior to the film's release, making judgments about its content without knowing what's in it, and calling for boycotts.

Howard says that "virtually no one has really seen the movie yet." Fair enough. Other than critics, that's true. However, millions have read the book.

The novel provides all the information that's necessary to come to a decision about seeing the movie, especially since Howard and company have been on a media blitz informing all that it doesn't stray from the book's plot.

In Howard's adaptation, is it claimed that Jesus had a child with Mary Magdalene? Yes.

In his film, is the evil Opus Dei a cult of murderers? Yes.

Is it really necessary to take a wait and see approach? No.

One reporter asked the cast if they believed Christ was married.

Star Tom Hanks quipped, "Well, I wasn't around."

That's cute. Cute, but stupid.

Quips don't atone for disparaging the faith of a billion people.

In an interview last week, Howard was asked:

There were earlier reports that you were trying to tone down the controversial theological points. Were there debates on how faithful the movie should be to the book?

Before the adaptation began, there was a sort of discussion about the theological aspects. I have to say I respect the executives at Sony because they quickly said no. They took my position—that we know what this story is and we understand that some of the ideas are controversial and we’re not going to try to mollify the critics. This is a movie, not the book. It will be interesting to see what people think of it. I made some creative choices that are my own. Whether people think that makes it more intense or less intense, will be part of the discussion as well. But we ultimately decided it would be foolish to tone it down.

In other words, the decision was made not to shy away from bashing the Catholic Church.

What about the request to insert a disclaimer that this is a work of fiction?

When you put a disclaimer on a work of fiction, you’re sort of removing the fun of it. What you’re trying to do is get an audience to suspend disbelief and go along on the ride. As much as I acknowledge that the movie deals with some themes that can be very controversial for some people, I am also trying to serve an audience that really wants to go and lose themselves in a movie and have a great time.

Why have a disclaimer?

Here's a reason for a disclaimer. Opus Dei is NOT a fictional group.

Portraying this real group inaccurately calls into question whether The Da Vinci Code is a "work of fiction," or a slanderous hit piece.

I think it might be very difficult for Christians to "lose themselves" in The Da Vinci Code and "have a great time."

Then again, if the initial reviews are correct, it doesn't appear that moviegoers in general are in for a great time.

The Da Vinci Code clocks in at two and a half hours.

I'd much rather watch five episodes of The Andy Griffith Show.