Noah, directed by Darren Aronofsky is based on the biblical story of a Noah’s Ark. Though it is based on the story in the Bible there are many changes in terms of story and events that many people with a religious background will find uncomfortable and even insulting. The film stars Russell Crowe as Noah, Jennifer Connelly as his wife, Logan Lerman as the Han the second son of Noah, Emma Watson as Ila, Ray Winstone as an evil King, and Anthony Hopkins as Methuselah the grandfather of Noah.
The story is a loose adaptation of the story in the Bible, with many changes that either add unnecessary drama or to add more visual effects to the film. The movie has several changes that go against the story in the bible. The story of Noah is the story of God sending the flood to wash away the evil corrupting the world at the time and Noah and his family must build an ark to save two of every animal and their family from the destruction.
Russell Crowe gives a powerful performance and gives it his all to convey the emotions and characteristics of Noah. The problem is his character does a dramatic character change half way through the film with a choice that he makes. Crowe demonstrates the change well enough but his character becomes unlikeable in the later half of the film. He portrays the character that the writer and director of the film created but in the later half it doesn’t fit the Noah from the Old Testament.
Jennifer Connelly plays her character really well and she gives the emotions that a mother in the situations would have real well. Connelly gives it her all and it shows in the film. Emma Watson gives her performance as best as she can. She conveys her characters love for the eldest son and her sorrows for not being able to conceive a child. She manages to portray her character very well and is very sympathetic throughout the film. Logan Lerman did an ok job with his performance but his character was not likable for the first half of the film but he manages to make his character sympathetic in the later half of the film. He plays the character well enough. The eldest and youngest of Noah’s sons are not properly developed which is a shame seeing as the eldest son had more to do with the second half of the film.
Ray Winstone played a ruthless king and a deadly threat to Noah and his family. He was intimidating and dark in his performance. He does it well. Anthony Hopkins was one of the better performances as a grandfather and a mentor to Noah. He was entertaining, serious, and a good character in the film.
The special effects were very well done. The only CGI that didn’t seem to work out as well was some of the animals that boarded the ark. The cinematography was very well done. The changes to the story made the film both more dramatic and uncomfortable in many areas which was the intent but it is not for those who are looking for the biblical story brought to the big screen. If you are looking for just basic entertainment and dramatic story then go ahead and watch it, but if you want the biblical story then I suggest you skip the movie and just read the Old Testament in the Bible.
