Noah

**_The “least-biblical biblical film ever made”_** Helmed by Darren Aronofsky, "Noah" (2014) is his imaginative reimagining of the story from Judeo-Christian Scripture. Being an artistic filmmaker, the production values are top notch, including the quality cast and stellar Icelandic locations, not to mention there’s a moving spirit of reverence to the proceedings. The storytelling is compelling enough, although I started getting a little bored in the second half when the protagonists are stuck in the ark. The title blurb above is from Aronofsky himself, who described himself as not religious, but he once practiced Judaism and was interested in the Noah story, especially the environmentalist angle, yet other parts as well. The movie creatively adds lumbering rock creatures obviously inspired by the fallen “sons of God” and the giant Nephilim they fathered from Genesis 6. I found them interesting, but they are not part of the scriptural story. The worst deviation is the depiction of the title character (Russell Crowe), who is described in the Bible as a righteous, blameless man who walked with God. We know Noah wasn’t perfect and that he sinned myriad times during his life, but the second half of the film erroneously portrays him as an extreme misanthrope bent on wiping out humanity. Meanwhile the villain of the piece, Tubal-Cain (Ray Winstone), soundly believes that humans were made in God’s image and had dominion over the animals. He also believed in the right to hunt animals for sustenance even though such food was divinely prohibited before the global flood, which is the setting of the story; so, as depicted in the movie, Tubal-Cain was in sin on this count. (The fruits of the earth, by the way, were more nutritious and better adapted for the sustenance of the human body prior to the flood; later, they were less capable of supporting the growing feebleness of the body). Needless to say, “Noah” can only be appreciated as an artistic movie inspired by the biblical story. The rock creatures are fantastical and plentiful bits are totally unbiblical. Nevertheless, a lot of key scriptural truths are featured, like the existence of God, the intelligent design of physical creation, the intrinsic corruption of humanity, divine judgment, the global flood, the ark-vessel that saves some people & animals, and love overcoming righteous wrath for a second chance. The film runs 2 hours, 18 minutes, and was shot in southern Iceland, including Dyrhólaey, Fossvogur, Reynisfjara, as well as a set of Noah’s Ark at the Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park on Long Island. “Noah” was a success at the box office, earning $359.2 million worldwide on a cost of $125 million. GRADE: B-/C+