Escape to the Movies: Noah - Brave, Bold, Bizarre and Kind Of Brilliant

[pearcinator]

Sorry Bob but I'm still pretty sceptical of this movie's intentions. Shit like this:

My favourite scene was probably the one where Noah was recounting the creation of the world in 7 days using each day as a metaphor for different stages of time and evolution.

Leads me to believe this film is far closer to being "Christian/Christian-sympathetic" propaganda rather than a mere visual retelling of the Genesis narrative.

Had this film been about the Greek, Egyptian or Norse mythos and began with a reading of their creation mythology I very much doubt they would have tried to equate their creation narratives with modern scientific understandings of the origin of the universe or pass off their creation narrative as some kind of intended metaphor. All a scene like this does pander to Christian audiences and attempt to portray one religion's mythology as somehow equal to, and just as legitimate as, modern scientific understandings of the universe.

Edit: More controversially, despite hating pretty much everything about the new Spiderman movies I actually don't mind that Green Goblin design.

What are you on about? How come science and religion have to be bitter rivals? Can't we all just get along instead of labeling people as either 'men of science' or 'men of God' with no in-between. This movie took aspects from both science and religion and intertwined them together to make a new interpretation. It's not pandering to the Christians, nor is it a propaganda film.

I just see it as what it is. A person's re-imagining of the classic biblical tale. You don't have to agree with the proposed idea but it shouldn't offend you because I don't think it's insulting anyone's beliefs, or lack thereof.

 

[Reynaert]

If they do a Samson film anytime soon, they better include the Regina Spektor song. I would go to the theater just to see how that plays out.
I always thought of Samson as the bible's Hercules so maybe Kevin Sorbo should play him.

On topic, this movie looks interesting but I think I'll wait for it to come to tv. It looks like the story is just there to support the spectacle.

 

[Eddie the head]

I just got back form the movie, and I think god had a point. Some of those clothes looked like mixed fabrics to me.

On a more serious note. Did anyone else think that the forbidden fruit was meant to be meat? I mean in a metaphorical sense I could kinda get that, but on the same note that's kinda iffy. Whatever, It was ok.

 

[Verlander]

The "Passion of the Christ is antisemitic" argument is pretty old and stupid. Have you read the bible? That's how it's written. To not include it would be like filming Oliver Twist and omitting the negative portrayal of street urchins. Hate the film all you want, but use a legitimate criticism already

Have you ever then considered that some stories are dated, and by today's standards, bigoted? Even if that was how the story was written, that movie treats every single ethnic jew in it like a god-damn animal, and it enforces countless negative stereotypes about them.

But, if that's not good enough for you, then trust me, I have more 'legit' criticisms.

I have no problem with legitimate criticism. I do however disagree that the film portrays that - Jesus himself is a jew. It portrays the Pharisees like animals, sure, but not "jews". Even if it did though, the film was marketed as a literal interpretation of the passion - hence the title of the film. Does it cast certain people in a negative light? Sure, because that's what happens in the source material. I have no interest in an adaptation where plot and portrayal is altered to suit a film maker's political opinion, one way or the other.

When you change aspects of a story to suit sensitivities, or to exaggerate the plot, you end up with disappointing contrivances, like 12 Years a Slave did with their "rose tinted goggles" approach to the situation of African Americans in the northern states. The sheer fakeness of it all ruined the film for many, and inadvertently offended people.

 

[Monsterfurby]

So... this is actually a viewable fantasy adaptation? Well color me surprised!

 

[GamerFromJump]

2:40

Am I the only one who's sick of the "industry/science/technology is bad, nature is good" idea that pops up in movies/games/books/etc.?

I think that is why Bob was like "GEEZE, I wonder who the good guys are" so sarcastically. It is certainly becoming a very tiring trope. Too bad the reverse would get skewered in today's overly charged political climate :/

No. No you are not. I too am thoroughly fraking sick of extreme anti-humanist (because that's what they ARE) writers trotting out their "humanity is a plague on the earth" crapola. They're basically the same creature as the evangelicals Bob riffed on, just of a different religion. Of course, that doesn't stop them from using Gulfstreams and limos, because actually ACTING environmentally sound is for the peasants.

 

[Gerishnakov]

No Cap 2 yet Bob? Oh wait, didn't it open in the UK before the States? BOOM.

Anyway, it's good. My second favourite MCU movie after Avengers; that being number 1 just because.

 

[Hellfireboy]

Someone help me understand this. The descendants of Cain are evil meat eaters and that is why God wants to wipe out humanity? Let's rephrase that. The descendants of a FARMER who killed his brother over the fact that God chose lamb chops over salad are the bad guys because the discovered lamb chops are tasty and God wants to kill them for it?

 

[KiramidHead]

I saw the movie yesterday, and I definitely enjoyed it. However, I'm much more in love with the final act after the Flood with all the tense drama on the ark than I was with what came before. The previous stuff was all pretty good, but I connected with the latter portion of the film more.

Spoiler

The fact that humanity's ultimate survival was dependant on Noah's choice and faith in humanity was a downright brilliant idea, IMO.

 

[Jennifer Salk]

You might think this is a pretty stupid complaint, but I also found the casting rather, concerning for lack of a better word. It seems like Noah and co were all WASPy, while the bad guys weren't. Looking at the cast page, they're all English, so it could have been my imagination, but the whiteness of the cast certainly stood out.

No, you obviously didn't look at the casting page. If you had, you would have seen that the movie co-stars Logan Lerman, a Jew from the United States (and for the record, the only people carrying this surname are Jews). You would have also seen that it co-stars Jennifer Connelly, who is also American, and whose mother is Jewish.

I have no idea who the "bad guys" are since there is practically only one "bad guy" with a speaking role, played by a white English actor.

 

[kindredalt]

Sorry but I have to STRONGLY disagree. I came to this movie reluctantly after hearing many good reviews and recommendations from friends. As the movie started I liked the direction and interpretation of the source material, but about half way I felt it lost it's focus and worked way to hard to generate forced conflict and hammer in it's not so subtle massage. I was afraid I was going to watch a preachy bible movie but instead I got a movie who was preachy and SO pretentious, in a whole other way, the likes of which I've not seen since Avatar. Huge bore fest with so much missed potential. As a none believer I found myself wishing they would've stuck more closely to the original story as it felt like it would've made a much better movie.