Noah (Movie Review)

 

Review by Paeter Frandsen

 

According to Darren Aronofsky's Noah, in the early days of man's history humans waste no time in corrupting themselves and the earth around them. Crime and all kinds of depravity run rampant, seemingly unchecked, and the world itself has become a barren wasteland not unlike post-apocalyptic fiction. Fallen angels called "Watchers" live among humans and bear some of the responsibility for their corruption, since it was they who gave tools and technology to humanity that they were clearly not ready to use wisely.

In the midst of this darkness stand Noah and his family, who are the only people left in the world that recognize their responsibilities, under the authority of the Creator, to act as caretakers for the world and its creatures. Noah begins receiving disturbing visions from the Creator that warn of a coming flood that will destroy the world. He is to prepare a vessel that will save those among humans and animals who are innocent, so that when the waters subside a new world can be born without the corruption of the old one.

But Noah, although a humble man who strongly desires to do the right thing, is not without flaws or errors in judgment. And his efforts to answer the Creator's call place him in dramatic conflict with both his enemies and those he loves.

Russell Crowe plays the part of Noah with a quiet strength that fits the intention of the role perfectly. Jennifer Connelly joins her old A Beautiful Mind partner once again and provides a comforting anchor for Noah through much of the film, and a stirring counter to him when they find themselves in conflict with each other. A strong supporting cast filled with familiar faces and wonderfully human performances grounds the experience in character-driven drama that is bound to connect effectively with many viewers.

Fantasy fans also have much to enjoy. This re-imagined story of Noah allows for iron-forged weapons and armor that bring something of a "Conan-vibe" to the experience. And the Watchers, who take the form of large misshapen stone creatures that glow from within, seem inspired by the Ents from the Lord of The Rings trilogy. Add to this liberal splashes of supernatural happenings and much of the packaging of a great fantasy story can be found here.

Darren Aronofsky directs this film with more creative reserve than he is known for, resulting in a story that, while not without unanswered questions, is much more coherent than some of his other work. And despite some hit-or-miss CGI, for the most part the film is visually captivating and beautifully fantastical in addition to being dramatically grounded.

I found the third act to be a little unusual, as it comes after what one could easily suspect is the climax of the film. Don't be surprised if you find yourself saying, "Oh, I guess there's more story they're going to tell." In some ways I think the film could have done without much of the third act, as it goes off the beaten path of the source material even more than the rest of the film, and also seems somewhat tacked-on just to make the movie longer and more "epic.” That said, there is still complexity, tension, and drama in the third act that is engaging and worth seeing.

I don't know who could watch this movie and not have worthwhile topics swimming in their head or begging for discussion afterward. No doubt by now there have been numerous reports of Christians getting up in arms about this movie. Some have already warned of its "environmentalist agenda" and many more will complain that it doesn't match the biblical account.

I didn't feel like I was being preached at by environmentalists. The conservationist views of the characters in this movie result from living in a world where nature has been largely destroyed. Their priorities would be extreme in our world, but not in the world of Noah, I think. I also found that regarding fidelity to the source material, the pattern was largely addition rather than subtraction. I was amazed that the framework of the biblical account was largely intact, and the mounds of additional story and concepts were still compatible with a biblical worldview, with only few and minor exceptions.

What may seem strange about the movie, and what may make Christians uncomfortable, is the very thing that makes it so much like an Old Testament story. Events in the Old Testament are often simply described without commentary. We can find ourselves asking "Did God want them to do that or not?" Now and then commentary is provided, identifying which actions performed by people were good or bad, but much of the time the reader must bring with them their knowledge of scripture as a whole in order to interpret moral aspects of an Old Testament account.

Likewise, God is silent in Noah, providing only visions and small signs to guide the protagonist. But we are left to wonder, along with Noah, whether or not he is understanding God correctly in any given moment. If a viewer finds themselves having problems with the film and its treatment of the source material, I'd ask them if they've considered viewing it through an "Old Testament lens." If they aren't already determined to be angry, it may give them a fresh and valuable ability to enjoy and talk about this film.

Surprisingly, what is revealed or implied of God's character in this movie seems to be completely consistent with teaching throughout the Old and New Testaments. This film says that humans are corrupt and that their evil must be punished and removed. But it also says that humans are valuable and have capacity for good as image-bearers of the Creator.

Noah is a solid though imperfect movie that is easy to involve yourself in. The fantasy treatment is a viable re-imagining of the source material, which offers few details to begin with and leaves much room for the imagination. I'm still not sure how I feel about every idea presented in the movie, but it was an experience that challenged, comforted, and intrigued me. Far from something to get angry about, I'd argue that many Christians actually have a duty to see this film, to enjoy, evaluate and absorb it, and then talk about it with others.

Rated PG-13 for violence, disturbing images and brief suggestive content

Quality: 8.5/10

Relevance: 10/10