The Hollywood Outsider – Film and Television Podcast | Reviews An award-winning film and television podcast for the fan in all of us
Even those that never attended Sunday School know the story of Noah and his ark, charged by God to save his creatures from man’s despicableness. Well, you may think you know the story, yet the film version of Noah veers a bit from what you recall. For the few uninitiated, here is director Darren Aronofsky’s version of the classic Bible story.
Noah (Russell Crowe) has a vision of a world covered in water. Plagued by man’s vile and wicked nature, The Creator (they never utter the word God throughout the film) alerts Noah of his plan to flood the entire planet, destroying mankind as we know it. The Creator then tasks Noah with constructing a wooden ark for a pair of each species of animal to remain and safely replenish the world when the time is right.
With his wife, Naameh (Jennifer Connelly), 3 sons Shem, Ham and Japheth, adopted daughter Ila (Emma Watson), as well as fallen angels known as The Watchers (think rock formations of Treebeard from Lord of the Rings), Noah pursues his goal with blind determination. He also is forced to contend with the vicious men of the world led by Tubal-Cain (Ray Winstone), who want the ark for their own selfish salvation. Remember, men are wicked. Fear not lest you forget this, as the film will remind you quite frequently.
Let’s answer the question most Christian’s want to know most: Is Noah respectful of the Bible? The short answer is not really. While the first two-thirds of the film does aspire to follow and expand the essentials of the story, the last third of the film veers so close to showcasing Noah as a sadistic madman, stubbornly betraying his own established character and focus, that it will most assuredly offend those of the devout nature.
Though it is based loosely on the Bible story, it is still a movie and this reviewer has no problem with any changes the director makes as long as it creates an entertaining or moving film. Unfortunately Noah fails on both of these efforts. In fact, Noah commits the crime you least want in a movie with this story, these effects, and these actors: It’s far too preachy and just plain boring.
Writer / Director Darren Aronofsky obviously has a grand vision, and an enormous canvas to realize it; yet throughout the film he continues to prove there is no metaphor he cannot attempt nor dream sequence he does not love enough to repeat. Aronofsky is a very intelligent director, yet is one who continually places more emphasis on his own voice and point-of-view than that of the actual story he is telling.
There are moments in Noah where I was waiting for Crowe or Connelly to break the fourth wall, stare at me on that 60 foot screen and scream ‘Stop wrecking the earth! People are EVIL…some are good…but most, like YOU, are dirty, vicious and EVIIIIIL! Please place your empty popcorn container as you leave the theater…or else you are destroying the world, oh, and EVIIIIILLLL!’ It was just too much and caused far too many eye-rolls and unintentional snickers to be taken as seriously as intended.
Russell Crowe thankfully escapes mostly unscathed. His Noah carries a lofty weight as mankind rests on his ample shoulders, and Crowe is a skilled enough actor to do what he can with an under-realized role. This does not carry all the way through to the end though, as his last ‘test’ is also a test on the audience’s patience with over-the-top antics as his Noah begins his aforementioned uncharacteristic and utterly absurd descent into madness.
Of the remaining cast, Jennifer Connelly and Emma Watson both excel in their roles as the only females, and therefore life-givers, aboard this ancient Poseidon. Connelly tries defiantly to save this film on her own merits, but there is only so much even an actress of her caliber can do. Ray Winstone delivers as the sum of all of our sins wrapped in one man, while Anthony Hopkins offers little more than a mystical cameo as Noah’s grandfather Methuselah.
There is an enormous wealth of quality actors and production elements at play here. If Aronofsky and co-writer Ari Handel had spent less time hammering their mantra home and more time telling an engaging story, Noah could have become one of the greats. As it stands, this is yet another unfortunate testament to Hollywood’s obsession with ignoring story for flash or agenda, and this time the film simply drowns under the weight of it.
If $10 is the full price of admission, Noah is worth $4.50
Aaron Peterson
The Hollywood Outsider