Noah (2014)

Controversy isn’t exactly a new phenomenon when it comes to biblical movies, and it often turns out that the most controversial films often are the best. A fine example is Martin Scorsese’s terrific The Last Temptation of Christ, which was violently smeared by Christians when it was released back in 1988. Unfortunately, such protests suggest that these crowds like their Bible-based movies to be entirely faithful and uncritical of the stories and characters they depict. This may make for fine group experiences, but from a cinematic perspective they aren't particularly interesting. The Last Temptation of Christ instead was a film that took the story of Jesus as seriously as humanly possible; spending every second exploring the struggles and temptations that would come along with being the Messiah. The ending of the film is actually profoundly spiritual, but too many were blinded by the occasionally “controversial” material that preceded it.

Darren Aronofsky’s passion project Noah attempts to give a different famous biblical tale the Last Temptation treatment, even though it takes a bit of time to get to the more complex stuff. This film has already stirred up some anger among certain audiences, and even non-religious crowds have been slightly put off by where Aronofsky ultimately goes, but I found Noah to be a terrific and surprisingly moving experience; a mix of thematic ambition and visual grandiosity that is sometimes uneasy but almost always effective. Aronofsky has been obsessed with the story of Noah for most of his life, and it’s not for the same reasons most enjoy it. He sees it as a tale of destruction, and he isn’t afraid to show audiences that a flood that kills almost all of humanity isn’t nearly as fun as VeggieTales would lead you to believe.

Noah is divided into two distinct parts, with the first relying on standard Lord of the Rings­-esque spectacle and the second moving the focus inward to the darker side of Noah’s character. It’s no coincidence that almost every piece of advertising shows off the first half, since that part is much easier to sell. Early on, God—or The Creator, as he’s known here—informs Noah (Russell Crowe) in a dream that he is going to destroy the world. Puzzled by this information, our hero eventually discovers that this destruction is going to come via flood, and it’s up to him to save the world’s various wildlife by building an ark. This is part you know. However, Aronofsky’s Noah also becomes preoccupied with one huge question: why was he chosen? What makes him and his family so special? If man is so full of sin, he becomes convinced that he is just as guilty.

These are the questions that drive Noah’s second half, which kicks into gear once the floods actually come and the Noah clan is confined to their large, lonely vessel. This section will come as a surprise to many people, and that’s somewhat understandable. As mentioned before, nearly all the marketing for this movie has emphasized the more conventional beginning, and that can lead to dangerous expectations. It focuses on the conflict between Noah and Tubal-cain (Ray Winstone), who represents, perhaps too bluntly, the evil that has corrupted humanity. This leads up to a massive, rainy battle sequence that would be a fine climax for most epics of this sort. In many ways, it feels like an ending, but then the movie keeps going, and it journeys into places no one could have anticipated.

Perhaps it is a tad inelegant in the way it attempts to go from overblown fantasy action to something more contemplative, but in reality the reversal is actually part of the point. In the early going, the more disturbing aspects of the Noah story exist mostly in the background. Then, in one haunting scene, Aronofsky moves these issues explicitly to the foreground and never looks back. The beauty of Noah is that the film isn’t content merely to act out the familiar story as we all know it. Instead, it engages with the story and tries to find the meaning behind it, much like Noah himself struggles to understand the task he is carrying out. This is one of many parallels to the aforementioned Last Temptation, only Aronofsky’s film cost $125 million and features gigantic Ent-like rock creatures known as Watchers.

Noah is also notable for featuring the best Crowe performance in what feels like ages, and it almost makes up for the train wreck that was Winter’s Tale. His presence is a vital part of what makes the movie work, considering how much of the story leans on Noah’s internal struggles. Just as much credit goes to the supporting cast, including Jennifer Connelly as his wife, Logan Lerman, Douglas Booth and Leo McHugh Carroll as his sons, and Emma Watson as Booth’s wife. Watson in particular becomes a crucial part of the proceedings in the second half, and in many ways her character is the heart of what Aronofsky is exploring. In a film so focused on the end of all humanity, she represents what hope there is for the future.

As messy as the film can be, it’s willing to go places so few big budget epics are willing to go, and for that reason alone it holds a special place in my heart. In terms of public perception, Noah might have to fight an uphill battle against audiences expecting a more typical epic. (Though I was pleasantly surprised by the success the film had in its first weekend.) It’s evident from the start just how enthusiastic Aronofsky is about this material, and I found that passion rather infectious. This is the rare case of an ambitious filmmaker taking a familiar story and making it his own all while trying to satisfy blockbuster audiences. He may not wholly succeed at the latter in the short term, but Noah is a stunning piece of work all the same. It leaves an impact not because it pleases the viewer, but instead challenges them. In the long run, those types of films often wind up being the most rewarding.

Grade: A-