Noah the Movie

Noah, the movie, is a Biblical story retold by writers Darren Aronofsky and Ari Handel.  Darren Aronofsky is also an amazing director.  The story is not exactly true to the Biblical tale I read in Sunday School, but really, close enough.  The story of Isaac gets mixed up in gender and time but otherwise it's all Noah.  This is a courageous suspenseful epic of the first order.  It truly captures the holy as well as Hollywood has ever done given its love of Caesar.
The first world is so corrupt that God brings a flood to cleanse it. Noah is advised by God to build an Ark. Two of every kind of living animals and bird and reptile comes aboard.  Noah wants to leave behind the corrupt. He and his family flee.  A new world begins.  I don’t think I’m ‘spoiling’ this once universally known western tale.  There are many other creation stories of floods and survival but this one is my favourite.  The movie mercifully does it justice.
Russell Crowe stars as Noah. Move over Charleston Heston when it comes to historical portrayal.  Jennifer Connelly stars as Noah’s wife Naameh.   Watching the two at the peak conflict I was reminded of the greatest duo performances of all time, Burton and Taylor and  Bogart and Bacall.  Jennifer Connelly matches the power and performance of Russell Crowe whose Noah is truly Shakespearian.  Anthony Hopkins plays Noah’s grandfather masterfully.  He’s a Gandalf type character and divinely human.Emma Watson brings wisdom and depth to the role of Ila, mother of the new world, wife of Shem. Ray Winstone’s portrayal of Tubal-Cain, the evil king, was masterfully human.  Logan Lerman captured the adolescent vengeful Ham to perfection.  Leo McHugh was a delightful young Japheth.  
I loved the whole movie. I couldn’t help but feel how we all would be better off if our movies were more real and inspirational as this one, rather than the too often propagandistic and distracting.  This is not a reality show. Thank God, the Kardashians aren't in it. The only Ducks are the quacking variety.   I would recommend this to everyone who wants to be touched by the greatness of theatre, the marvels of story and the best of directing and acting at it's finest.