Noah - A Sinking Ship

Noah (2014)

Noah (according to Moses) tells the story of a man, husband, and father, who due to his holy life, gains favour with his creator. Through a dream, it is revealed that God, fed up with mankind's wicked ways, has decided a great flood will wipe humans from the face of the Earth. Noah is tasked with building a great ark and starting over with his family and a male and female of every living animal. Noah, according to Darren Aronofsky and Paramount Pictures, is the latest in what will be a string of many grand scale films based on biblical stories.

Aronofsky and studio executives unfortunately struggled with using the simple story laid out above and decided to weigh down the plot with extraneous side stories that turn this apocalyptic tale into an obligatory blockbuster. From teenage tantrums of not being able to find a spouse in time, to Noah turning into a deluded psychopath considering infanticide, to a more than contrite final showdown between Noah and the leader of a small tribe. While dedicating screen time to these mini conflicts, we eventually lose the humanity behind what is meant to be the end of the world and therefore lack emotional investment when all is eventually lost and then found again.

Russell Crowe does do justice portraying the reluctant titular hero and gracefully transitions from environmentalist to tyrannical ship captain to doubting man whose heart wrenching struggles go unanswered by a God who has gone silent. Crowe's acting ability is one of the only things that makes Noah remotely watchable for all its 138 minutes. One thing also worth mentioning, is the films beautiful visual effects, some that bring about awe inspiring images from stony fallen angels, to the massive deluge from first drop to global wasteland, and finally the most stunning representation of the creation story that I've ever seen.

We live in a time where technological advancements will allow us to imagine and portray the imaginative stories of the Bible but this cannot be the only focus of these films. Unfortunately for Noah, the visuals, while gorgeously executed, and the competent acting were not enough to float this drowning drama. (C-)