Several weeks ago, Marvin asked if we can watch Noah. Unfortunately, one reason or another came up, causing us to miss the local theatrical release of the latest offering of director Darren Aronofsky. It was a good thing that an opportunity to watch the film came up last weekend, so the husband and I settled in for a movie night.
Most everyone knows the story of Noah, biblical figure tasked by God to create an ark that will house his family and a pair of each animal, while a great flood ravaged Earth that would subsequently leave Noah and his family the only surviving humans on it.
If you were thinking that Darren Aronofsky would be taking the conventional route in telling the story about the creation of the Ark, then I take it you're not really familiar with his body of work. I don't know if anyone can actually make a truly faithful adaptation of Noah, considering that his part in the Bible totals to a mere four chapters. So, the filmmaker had to come up with additional details to flesh out his epic film, such as the potential antagonists that would have caused him problems, or the specific struggles he encountered prior to and after the flood. And much as I expected, he embellished with great imagination.
Instead of just simply starting with Noah (Russell Crowe), the audiences are given a narrative on the different paths taken by the sons of Adam and Eve, with Cain eventually building industrialized cities under the guidance of the Watchers or angels who fell out of God's grace after murdering his brother Abel, and with Seth passing down to his descendants teachings that were more faithful to God's will. In doing so, we gain a picture of what marked Noah different from his distant cousin, descendant of Cain and self-professed king Tubal-Cain (Ray Winstone), and why he and his family were chosen to be saved from the coming flood.
What unfolds is the journey that Noah takes with his family after a prophetic dream, gaining a little bit of help from his grandfather Methuselah (Anthony Hopkins) to help him get started in his task of building the Ark that would house God's creations as the world is cleansed of the destruction wrought by Cain's descendants. By his side are his wife Naameh (Jennifer Connelly), their sons Shem (Douglas Booth), Ham (Logan Lerman) and Japeth (Leo McHugh Carroll), and their adopted daughter Illa (Emma Watson).
The more familiar elements of the story, such as the construction of the Ark and the arrival of the animals it would be protecting along with Noah's family, were well executed and any twists to the execution are nothing to scoff at. But it's the unknown elements that Darren Aronofsky brought in and embellished upon that made the film a must-watch for me. The threat of Tubal-Cain, the rebellion felt by Noah's second son Ham, and the infertility of Illa who has gained Shem's affection gave the movie additional layers that gave the characters more dimension, instead of just rote players in a familiar story we have heard time and again. Even the very much CGI-rendered Watchers have valid reasons for existing in the narrative, despite the fact that they were cause for much head-scratching in the beginning of the film.
But what ultimately made this film a human one, despite its epic storytelling leanings, is Noah himself. His initial worries about the task placed upon him and his eventual resolve on how he would carry out God's plans warrant your empathy as an audience member. He is, after all, human, and after seeing what other humans are capable of, one has to wonder if cracking a little under the pressure isn't an inevitable outcome.
No, Noah is definitely not conventional in its telling of a familiar story. And no, I won't be detailing much more on how it is unconventional in that regard. While the film's early release during the year would mean that it might not be a contender during the awards season, I do believe that it's worthy of praise. The cast was great (even if Douglas Booth deserved more screen time that would have highlighted his acting and not just his pretty face), the scenery was alternately bleak and lush as the story called for it, and the storytelling was indeed epic in its proportions. It's a retelling of a familiar story that you should watch (and form an opinion on) for yourself.
Happy viewing!!Labels: Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Epic, Film, Must-Watch, Noah
