Noah (2014) Review

Noah (2014) Review

 (3.5/5)

"I'm more concerned about getting non-believers into the theater or people who are less religious. A lot of people are thinking, 'Oh. I don't want to go see a Bible movie, but we completely shook up all expectations and people will see that as soon as they sit down and watch the movie. That is kind of what this art show is all about."

-Darren Aronofsky

The 2014 biblical drama is as experimental as we came to expect from the one and only auteur Darren Aronofsky. Noah (Russell Crowe), the man commended by God is destined to save the animals of Earth from the flood that will wash away all evil. As the story continues, we see how Adam and Eve's sins have passed down to their descendants.

Noah's Creation Myth

Unfortunately, blockbusters are really the only sources of entertainment where we truly get to see the full potential of clean, frame-by-frame CGI. This is because the medium is so damn expensive and can only be achieved with an entire studio of artists working on it. However, for the first time ever there was a film that came out this year that completely decimates it. It took a hell of a lot of time animating this and then it was animated on top of that in the post-production. Although this film is said to be one of the auteurs weakest works, I would defend this clip by claiming it to be one of the best sequences he’s ever directed.

"In the beginning, there was nothing." The creation myth is hands down the most successful scene and, perhaps the most powerful tonal montage we’ll see all year. This is an incredible sequence combining Aronofsky’s style with mainstream action.No visual effects were necessary.

Overall, you could tell when Aronofsky was at his best and when he struggled. His work is extreme enough to look at even without the effects. Just look at "Requiem for A Dream" (2000)—no visual effects were necessary. He’s been renowned as one of the best independent film directors for rhythmic montages and split screens. But in 2006, he directed his first mainstream film, “The Fountain” which didn’t receive much positive acclaim. The biggest flaws in Noah are the extreme-close-ups of uninteresting subjects that would have normally done well in his independent work. That isn’t to say he isn’t improving. Noah is much better than the Fountain, and will even please the non-believers as well.