What's the stink about Noah?

Husband/Wife Movie Review

I really love when John gets excited about one of my upcoming blog posts.  He knew how I felt about the movie Noah and he wanted to share his point of view also.  And being that he's awesome, and my better half, I totally let him.

John's View

Thoughts on the movie “Noah”

My opinion of the movie as it pertains to a film:

Fantastic actors and acting, amazing cinematography, awesome special effects.  I would highly recommend it.

Thoughts on the controversial aspect:

I do believe that in an attempt to be faithful to Jesus the conservative zeal of conservative Christians (of which I am one of) can lead us in the opposite direction Jesus might be going.  (You see this often in the Gospels when Jesus ate with “sinners.”  I think this may be the case here with the criticism Noah has faced.

I’m pretty sure every biblical movie that has ever been made had its own dose of artistic embellishment by the writers/directors.  For example, the 1956 10 Commandments with Charleston Heston.  Um, where was Aaron?  Didn't he do all the talking to Pharaoh for Moses?  Or how about the Passion of the Christ.  Which verse was it that little demon children were haunting Judas?

The greater issue than artistic embellishment to believers should be theological truths, what the theme of the movie communicates and the intention of the director to either highlight or degrade the Biblical accounts.   I think Noah certainly tried to highlight and appreciate the Biblical account with some creative imagination.  In contrast a film like the Di Vinci Code clearly tried to tear it down (with some horrible historic amnesia might I add).  

Here are some of my favorite theological themes and truths the movie Noah communicated:

1. There is one creator of heaven and earth who made all things by His power and might and should be worshipped by humanity.

2.       Mankind sinned in the garden of eden, a perfect place where God, man and animal communed together in a perfect world.  Man sinned by disobeying God and sin entered through our disobedience.

3.       The creator is loving and merciful yet also is holy and the righteous judge of mankind who hates unrighteousness. 
4.       Sin is in every man, even those who live righteously (Noah).
5.       Man deserves God’s judgment but also provides a way out of that judgment. 

The one effect Noah had on me was that it inspired me to go back and read the story of Noah.  The creative areas that were not mentioned whatsoever in the Biblical account were to me, fantastic imagination that inspired my faith (even though I knew it wasn’t accurate).  The angels that were banished to the earth because they loved Adam and wanted to help him, crash landing from being cast to the earth,, hitting it and becoming encrusted with rock and mud and looked like deformed rock creatures with a glowing core – come on! - Fantastic imagination!

If you never went to seminary you may not know that ancient believers told stories about biblical powerhouses with their own twists to inspire faith (i.e. Testament of Abraham).   Gnostic Gospel writers on the other hand tried purposefully to corrupt the faith with their stories of a false Jesus.  Two very different positions in antiquity.  Here with Noah we have a mixture.  A non-believer appreciating the Biblical account. 

I’m glad an atheist found such an interest in the account of Noah and he portrayed it in an exciting way and also stayed completely true to theological themes the Bible communicates.  I am thankful that a non-believer took a step towards us with his work.  He gave us a great bridge to conversation we should be happy to dialogue about.  I think Jesus would have had dinner with the director and encouraged him in the longing of his heart towards God’s Word and righteous character.  Jesus did this all the time in the Gospels, I think we should follow His lead. 

Kristi's View

After reading John's movie review all I wanted to type was DITTO.  But here's a more wordy answer:

First of all, I do not understand what the "stink" about the movie is?  It's a movie about Noah made in Hollywood by an atheist.  Did Christians think it was going to be a totally accurate portrayal of the Bible?  And why would Christians not want to see a movie that was inspired by the bible and may have used some creative licensing...the bible does not tell us everything that happened in the story of Noah.  Some things are left unsaid. 

The director (I watched an interview on Friday with him) wanted to make this movie since he was 13 years old.  How cool is that?  He has been wanting to make a movie about Noah since he was 13 and was able to reach that goal and have Russell Crowe star in the movie as Noah...AMAZING!

As a believer, I was so excited that this movie was out and even put into the theaters!  I see movies like this as an opportunity to talk about God even more to all my friends.  Isn't that what we are told to do in Matthew 28?

The movie was beautifully done and it was SO COOL to see the ark! (The Director used the actual cubits and sizing from the Bible) It was AMAZING to see the animals on the ark.  The whole movie is about how God loved man, and how wicked man got, and how God had to punish that sin because he is holy.  Ummm, that is all biblical.

Throughout the movie I just kept marveling at the directors imagination and at God's workmanship of the earth.  And the common theme that is so prevalent in my every day life that rang true throughout the whole movie: God always provides.  Noah was constantly amazed at how God always provided all along the way as he built the ark and how God preserved his life and his family's life on the ark.  This was all portrayed clearly in the movie and beautifully done.

Should young children see this movie?

I would not allow my children to see this movie because of the violence portrayed and the wickedness of man.  I can read them the story in the Bible and leave it at that.  But when my children are teenagers and can see past black and white issues and not take everything literally because the director used creative license...absolutely I would let them see it.  And I would love to talk and dialogue with them about it and answer any questions they may have.  As parents we need to talk to our kids, explain things to our kids, and teach them how to differentiate between real and Hollywood.

The movie made we want to re-read the account of Noah in Genesis 5

I am confident in my faith and the integrity of the Bible that I could see this movie and see past the creative licenses.  I totally enjoyed the movie and I am so excited for the conversations I can now have with friends who have seen it.  Any movie that makes me want to dig deeper, read the Bible more, and love my God and marvel at his love and provision for mankind, is a great movie to watch in my opinion, plus I got to see it with a really handsome guy whom I love dearly.