Movie Review: Noah

Noah (2014) - Directed by Darren Aronofsky, Written by Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel
A single man is chosen by the Creator through dreams to restart life itself as the wicked world is cleansed by an apocalyptic flood.

I was very surprised by this movie. Honestly, I don't know what I was expecting when I walked into the theatre. Maybe an action movie that completely threw away the Old Testament Bible story. Maybe a thought-provoking epic that showed how cruel God is. Maybe a combination of the two. But what I received was not what I was expecting at all. Once you get past the idea of angels as rock monsters, you can really become invested in the story.

This movie showed not that God is cruel, but that we are wicked. True, a great many things were added (some extremely cheesy), but this movie was just an interpretation. What's more, it was an atheist's interpretation. Darren Aronofsky saw the story of Noah as what it is--an epic story of rebirth. Believe it or not, I liked his portrayal of God because it applies to our world today. God wasn't portrayed as a man in flowing robes with a Morgan Freeman voice but as a breath of wind between the leaves, the storms of water raining down upon the world, and as the shining rainbow in the sky. He was always present, but the characters weren't always aware. I also liked the theology of the angels helping him build the ark.

What I loved most was just when you think the movie is about redemption and portraying the wickedness of man (which was absolutely accomplished), you find out it's about mercy. Yes, an entire nation fell and thousands perished, but a few amount survived. The movie showed that they were wicked too and deserved to die, yet they were given mercy. The Garden of Eden had been ravaged by man, but man was going to be given a second chance because Noah had been given a choice. Adam and Eve's choice ruined mankind, and Noah's saved them from extinction. A beautiful theme.

The cinematography was also beautiful, and the visual effects were stunning. Ray Winstone was my favorite of the movie with his performance of Tubal-Cain, but the movie had many talented actors. If you can stand rock monsters, embellishments, and interpretations of the Old Testament, then I think you should see it. If anything, at least go to open your mind to an atheist's view on an epic story of God's great mercy.