Darren Aronofsky brings the story of Noah's Ark to the big screen with this Paramount/New Regency religious drama. Aronofsky directs from his own script cowritten by Ari Handel and John Logan. Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins, and Emma Watson head up the starring cast. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, Rovi
Release Date: Mar
28, 2014
Rated: PG-13 Disturbing Images, Brief Suggestive Content and
Violence
Runtime: 2 hr. 17 min.
Genres: Action/Adventure, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Cast: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ray Winstone, Emma
Watson, Anthony Hopkins
Religion films are always going to be a touch call because
they’ll either be too faithful or they’ll deviate too far from the
scripture. Either option will result in
factions of believers and non believers being turned off by the material on display. Darren Aronofsky’s Noah isn’t a by the letter
retelling of the story even though it hits all the major points. Within 10 minutes of the film you’ll be able
to tell where you stand with it, depending on your beliefs. Personally, I found a bombastic but loving cinematic
take of a very familiar tale. Aronofsky
delivers a film that’s beautiful to look at and engaging at the same time. The film is over 2 hours long but in never
really drags as the story keeps you engaged throughout. Russell Crowe gives us one of his most earnest
performances in a long while with supporting cast rounding an all around well
made movie. Jennifer Connelly in particular
has a wonderful moment to shine near the end of the film but its Crowe’s film through
and through. Crowe gives us a realistic
idea of what Noah would have experienced mentally while Aronofsky gives us a wonderfully
dense thesis on hard line scripture vs. interpretation. It’s a fascinating idea played out with
characters that are so ingrained in most of our collective psych that is sure
to upset one faction or the other. In
the end your personal enjoyment of the film will depend on your beliefs. At it’s
core, it’s a wonderfully filmed, acted and produced film which deserves to be
seen.
A
