Going To The Movies: Noah
Ever since it hit the cinemas few weeks ago, Darren Aronofsky's Noah have received anything but praise. Superlatives about the movie were raining from everywhere and I was excited to see for myself this acclaimed masterpiece. I was even more enthusiastic to watch Emma Watson in movie that everyone said is her best so far. Vanity Fair's website even had a story about a month ago how her Ila is an Oscar-worthy performance. It's fair to say that I had high expectations.
Unfortunately for nothing. The story goes slowly, and somehow painfully. It's epic, that's granted, but not in the right way. I didn't feel fearful of the great storm or any bit moved by the supposed great dramatic moment. Jennifer Connolly's performance was bland and her expressions somewhat dull, her tears failed to move me. And although Emma Watson's overall performance to be not bad at all, her young mother scenes were mediocre in best case. All the tears in the world couldn't create something that is just not there - Emma to experience on screen something she have no clue about in real life - being mother. Her emotions seemed more like the ones of big sister rather that loving caring mother.
Oh, and not to mention Logan Letterman and Douglas Booth - neither of them looked as having any clue what they are doing and how should they act. Painful to watch. The children who played their younger selves did much better job, maybe because they weren't so concerned with their looks and they actually concentrated on the acting part of being actor.
However, Russell Crowe did an excellent job in making me hate him in the guts for being so prime-deterministic. Yes, I am atheist so maybe I can't relate to the struggles of a man who receives faxes from God, but this Noah seemed as an asshole, if you ask me. Or just crazy man, the choice is yours. Also, I must admit than besides the motherhood scenes Emma Watson was actually really good, pleasant to the eye and all. She did good job portraying someone who struggles between what they think is right and what their heart wants. Good performance, overall, for the young Miss Watson.
One thing that I see as a huge plus for the movie is their rather evolutionary side. Or more like "not-creationist evolutionary" side, if that makes any sense. Although is a Bible movie the G-word was never mentioned. Nor huge hand from the sky was shown to guide the building of the ark. It was as ungodly as such movie can be. And that was definitely a good thing for the long run. Oh, yes, and the movie ends with a huge rainbow on the screen, which reminds to the gay pride flag too much not to be on purpose. Thumbs up for all of this.
Noah is not for all tastes and is not a movie I would recommend but if your up for huge waves and signs from above, maybe you'll appreciate this movie more than I did.
Grade: 4/10
You can't get lost if you don't know where you're going...
