Noah Movie Review

I was very skeptical going into this movie mainly because I wasn't sure how well this biblical epic would be adapted on the big screen. What ultimately convinced me to see it was the great cast. I figured how bad could it be with Russell Crowe, Emma Watson, Jennifer Connelly and a couple of other good familiar faces. To top it off the CGI looked really impressive so I figured it was worth the watch. Noah was directed by Darren Aronofsky the man who brought us Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler, and Black Swan. 

This review may be slightly different in nature than the rest just because I feel like everyone is familiar with the story of Noah's Ark. It's a story that most of us have heard as children or sometime growing up, about a man who has a personal connection with God himself. God warns him of an impending flood that will kill all life on Earth and he is tasked to build an enormous ark. This ark will be utilized to save Noah, his family, and two of every creature on Earth, small or large for the new world that is to emerge after the flood.

So that's pretty much everything you need to know about the story. Now for the actual movie review. To start off, the cast did not disappoint. Although Russell Crowe as Noah is obviously the main protagonist, or maybe antagonist at points, the supporting cast really did shine as well. Logan Lerman continues to show that he really has talent and I always look forward to seeing him in films. Emma Watson, sexy as ever, proves that she can really break out of the Hermione shell which I honestly think she has already done. And I can't forget good old Anthony Hopkins who definitely added some much welcomed comedy to the table.

The CGI was pretty fantastic from the flood and destruction of Earth, to the animals entering the ark, to the creation of the universe. Some scenes were really beautifully crafted. Seeing all the animals enter the ark in different phases was really cool and was one of my favorite parts of the film! I also was not expecting some of the more graphic scene. I know a big part of this story is death itself and the cleansing of the Earth, but there were some scenes that were particularly brutal that I didn't see coming.

My major complaint would have to be the length of the film. At almost 2 1/2 hours it wasn't unbearable but I think some parts could have been definitely cut down a bit shorter. The first half of the film drags on much more than the second half but it does make up for it. Also I was initially not a fan of the mystical/fantasy aspects of the film, but they did grow on me. Overall it was decent film with a strong cast and was beautifully put together. I give Noah a 7 out of 10.