By the end, the film degenerates into wishy-washy relativism of the school that says "the only thing that matters is what you believe", a real cop-out after the hectic Grail quest preceding it.

What seems credible on page is ludicrous in action.

Completing the trail of cryptic clues simply becomes an end in and of itself -- think Sudoku: The Movie -- with little in the way of whimsy, star chemistry or excitement to enliven the dour plod.

The filmmakers were so concerned about doing justice to the book’s ideas that they forgot there’s an audience to entertain.