Genre: Biblical epic
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Plot: The story of Noah, the man entrusted by God to build the Ark and rescue the creatures of the earth from the flood that will destroy everything.
The gist: This film is actually one of the best films of 2014, but I've only managed to see this recently. The rather low rating on Imdb isn't a fair score for it, and it's probably because a lot of people will have problems with how this story is interpreted for the big screen. But then again, like most biblical stories, how does one make an adaptation of it which will please everyone?
Darren Aronofsky's version of Noah is part action adventure, part drama with an ecological theme thrown in. The story follows Noah as he builds the Ark after having visions of the world drowning, courtesy of God (referred to here as The Creator), with the help of a group of stone golems called The Watchers, who were formerly angels punished by The Creator to remain on earth. He is opposed by Tubal-Cain, a descendant of Cain who represents the worst of mankind. Tubal-Cain takes what he wants, and he wants the Ark.
If one approaches this film with an open mind, there is a lot to gather and behold here. There is action, tragedy and disaster, well assisted by some really stunning visual effects. But what stands out more is the drama, particularly the moral dilemma faced by Noah in the second half of the film, where he faces some really tough choices concerning life, death and sacrifice.
The good: The cast is excellent, especially Russell Crowe who portrays Noah, giving him the grit, determination and conflict required so that the audience sees him as a flawed but essentially good man, chosen to do a monumental task. Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson and Ray Winstone also do well as Noah's wife, Noah's adopted daughter and Tubal-Cain respectively. As mentioned, the visual effects are astounding, especially when the floods start.
The bad: Logan Lerman is good in his role as Noah's son Ham, but doesn't get enough chances to show what he's capable of. The fate of his character at the end is also rather ambiguous, if only they wrote it better.
Verdict: Noah is a great epic movie that everyone should watch, regardless of their religion. It's an ecological message and a message about our own humanity. If you enter this film with an open mind and not look into how relevant it is to your religion, or not, you'll enjoy it. Recommended. (8/10)
