Darren Aronofsky’s "Noah" (2014) offers an inventive take on the familiar narrative from Judeo-Christian Scripture. As someone known for his artistic vision, Aronofsky delivers a visually impressive film; the production boasts high quality, with a strong cast and striking locations in Iceland, along with a palpable sense of reverence throughout. The story is generally engaging, though I personally felt it dragged somewhat during the middle section when the characters are confined to the ark. Aronofsky, who describes himself as not religious but having once practiced Judaism, was drawn to the Noah story, particularly its environmental themes and other aspects. He incorporates imaginative elements into the film, such as large rock creatures seemingly based on the “sons of God” and Nephilim mentioned in Genesis 6. While I found these additions interesting, they aren’t part of the original biblical account. A significant departure occurs with the portrayal of Noah (Russell Crowe). The Bible describes him as a righteous man who had fellowship with God; while acknowledging that he wasn't perfect and committed sins throughout his life, the latter portion of the film incorrectly depicts him as an extreme hater of humanity intent on destroying all people. Meanwhile, Tubal-Cain (Ray Winstone) firmly believes that humans were created in God’s image and have authority over animals. He also maintains the right to hunt them for food, even though this was forbidden before the global flood, which serves as the film's backdrop; therefore, according to the movie’s depiction, Tubal-Cain was acting against divine law on this point. (The fruits of the earth were supposedly more nourishing and better suited to human sustenance prior to the flood, becoming less effective at supporting the body's declining health afterward.) Ultimately, “Noah” should be viewed as an artistic film drawing inspiration from the biblical story; it contains fantastical elements and numerous departures from the source material. Nevertheless, important truths from Scripture are present, including God’s existence, the purposeful design of creation, humanity’s inherent flaws, divine judgment, the global flood itself, the ark that saves a selection of people and animals, and love triumphing over righteous anger to offer another chance. The film has a running time of 2 hours and 18 minutes and was filmed in southern Iceland, including locations like Dyrhólaey, Fossvogur, Reynisfjara, as well as a set representing Noah’s Ark at the Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park on Long Island. "Noah" proved to be financially successful, grossing $359.2 million worldwide against a production budget of $125 million. GRADE: B-/C+

Source on TMDB