Film Review – Noah

Director: Darren Aronofsky
Screenplay: Ari Handel and Darren Aronofsky
Cast: Russel Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins and Emma Watson
Genre: Drama
Ratings: **

Noah is a film based loosely on the story of Noah’s Ark and I am sure most of the world knows the story of Noah and his Ark. But for those who do not know, Noah is a biblical character, Noah (Russell Crowe), whom God (Creator) speaks to and tells him he is going to destroy the world because of the wicked ways of men, with a flood. The Creator (this is what God is called in the film) also instructs Noah to build an Ark for all the animals in the world. Noah does all of this and he and his family and two of every animal are saved from the flood.
What a waste of talent on such a mediocre film. Although the acting is brilliant, it is a pity that the story line is such a disappointment. Crowe has that majestic presence he had in Gladiator and the supporting cast complemented each other well. The special effects are a bit far fetched and look fake, too unrealistic for my liking.
This film is very very loosely based on the Bible’s Noah. In the film version, Tubal-Cain (Ray Winstone), a decedent of Adam’s son Cain who killed his brother Abel, also features as the wicked king of the wicked humans. Why oh why, Mr Aronofsky did you do that, really now. There is nothing in the historical tale as captured in the Bible, that supports this nonsense, and one can not even say it is a stylistic element. It is forced and intrusive, reminding me of the Deus ex Machina concept of a Middle Ages stage.
Another thing that really made me frown is that Ham (Logan Lerman) and Japheth (Leo McHugh), two of Noah’s sons, did not have wives that they brought with them into the ark. What lies are these?. The Bible clearly states that all three of Noah’s sons had wives.
If this film had been based on a book that had been written by a living author, the director and the writer of the script would have been sued, I tell you. The whole scenery of the film is also very confusing. Why has the director chosen to depict the land as a waste land, it does not make sense. And why is it depicted as a bad thing to eat meat, there is no reference in the Bible where it says men are not aloud to eat meat. Pork yes, but ordinary lamb, beef or venison, they were allowed to eat.
Watching Noah was just such a disappointment for me. I recommend that you rather watch the Mel Gibson 2004 film The Passion of the Christ. And if you have already watched it, watch it again or rather watch the more recently released Son of God. Even though I have only watched half of the film (too long), the part that I have seen is much better than Noah, but that is for another review.
I have read reviews written about Noah and they are all positive and everybody seems to love this film.
Am I missing something. So let me not influence unduly you too much. Go watch the movie, (waste of time), and make up your own mind.