Movie Review
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Detrimental Upshots of Noah
For anyone wishing to learn more about the Old Testament, Noah and the History of our salvation, the movie Noah is not what he should see. There is no resemblance to biblical truth in any part of the movie. It’s not unexpected as the director, Darren Oronofsky, is an atheist and dabbles in Kabalism, a form of the occult. Of this movie he said, “I have made the least biblical film ever made.”
One reviewer , David Denby, of the New Yorker said, “In a single sequence there was creationism, Darwinian evolution, original sin, end of days and radical environmentalism.” Donald Clarke of the Irish Times said: “There is, in this singular film, enough crackpot philosophy, apocalyptic violence, environmental evangelism and portentous dialogue to inspire a whole new religion.”
In an interview with Ari Handel, the scriptwriter with Darren Oronofsky, he said he decided not to use the word God, but creator, so that his story can be accepted by all religions, sort of “the god of your choice” mentality. Creator calls to mind the “demiurge,” the sinister lesser divinity who, according to the Gnostic cosmology, fashioned the material world.
The character of Noah is represented as a violent man, a radical environmentalist, willing to kill himself and his family so that mankind will end. Then the world could revert to the animals that alone are innocent. In one scene, when hordes of barbarians are rushing the ark, the son on Noah asks him if they can take on a few people. He replies: “No, men are to be punished for what they have done to the world – only the innocent will be saved – the animals.”
In Genesis , Noah is said to have “found favor in the eyes of the Lord, … Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time. Noah walked with God” (Gen 6-9). If Noah and his family were to be the only ones in the world to be saved, wouldn’t he have to be an extraordinarily virtuous man?
What a different picture is painted in this movie with a dazed, confused and often violent man, ranting about the great sin of mankind, which supposedly was to injury the planet. There is no mention of sin being an offense against God. There is no mention actually of God at all.
There is a scene with marauding, screaming barbarian types dressed in black with hoods and evil eyes. Then a series of chaotic, flashing pictures show bloody animals being eviscerated by these vicious people. Noah’s son sees this scene and asks what is happening. He answers: “They eat animals.” The son replies: “But why? “It isn’t hard to catch the intentional “labeling” or profiling with these horrid looking people being evil “animal eaters.”
The fallen angels are moving rocks that talk with guttural, gravely voices. There is some dialogue about how they tried to help man and they were punished. They lost heaven. However, they helped Noah to build the ark and defend his family from the people rushing the ark when the rains start falling. Then, because they had done a good deed and ask the creator for mercy, they are whisked back to heaven, totally forgiven.
When the flood waters recede, the Bible tells us that Noah built an altar and sacrificed to God in thanksgiving for the cleansing of the earth and the miracle of their safety. “And Noe built an altar unto the Lord: and taking of all cattle and fowls that were clean, offered holocausts upon the altar.”(Gen 6: 20) In the movie, there is no altar of sacrifice, but a banner on the top of a mountain, and Noah, with a dried snake skin wrapped around his arm, blesses his family and the “new beginning” of the world.
Initially, religious leaders were saying this movie was controversial. The National Religious Broadcasters admitted it was not 100% biblically accurate. After an early viewing and a panel discussion with John Snowden, a biblical consultant for Noah, along with filmmaker, media consultant and writer Phil Cooke and Dr. Jerry Johnson, President and CEO of NRB, it was decided to include in the movie presentation a type of disclamer:
“The film is inspired by the story of Noah. While artistic license has been taken, we believe that this film is true to the essence, values, and integrity of a story that is a cornerstone of faith for millions of people worldwide. The biblical story of Noah can be found in the book of Genesis.”
Slowly as the Paramount marketers began airing personal interviews with Darren Oronofsky and his scriptwriter Ari Handel, public opinion began to change. From then on they have been portrayed as sincere, even religious men.
Much more could be said about the “artistic license” taken with the real story of Noah. It’s very hard to find any point that is faithful to biblical history. However, it is faithful to other messages:
Since most people now, especially the very young, have no knowledge of the Bible, this movie will probably be in their memories forever as the true story of Noah. With the use of the big screen, intensely loud music, fantastic cinematography, it’s hard to imagine that the audience will say, “this is only a fantasy.”
This dark, depressing movie with blaring music carves these false messages into the emotions and memories of the audience.
An invented story, not the one from Scriptures
In an interview with Ari Handel, the scriptwriter with Darren Oronofsky, he said he decided not to use the word God, but creator, so that his story can be accepted by all religions, sort of “the god of your choice” mentality. Creator calls to mind the “demiurge,” the sinister lesser divinity who, according to the Gnostic cosmology, fashioned the material world.
The character of Noah is represented as a violent man, a radical environmentalist, willing to kill himself and his family so that mankind will end. Then the world could revert to the animals that alone are innocent. In one scene, when hordes of barbarians are rushing the ark, the son on Noah asks him if they can take on a few people. He replies: “No, men are to be punished for what they have done to the world – only the innocent will be saved – the animals.”
In Genesis , Noah is said to have “found favor in the eyes of the Lord, … Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time. Noah walked with God” (Gen 6-9). If Noah and his family were to be the only ones in the world to be saved, wouldn’t he have to be an extraordinarily virtuous man?
What a different picture is painted in this movie with a dazed, confused and often violent man, ranting about the great sin of mankind, which supposedly was to injury the planet. There is no mention of sin being an offense against God. There is no mention actually of God at all.
Noah flees for the ark, chased by the hooded ‘bad guys’
The fallen angels are moving rocks that talk with guttural, gravely voices. There is some dialogue about how they tried to help man and they were punished. They lost heaven. However, they helped Noah to build the ark and defend his family from the people rushing the ark when the rains start falling. Then, because they had done a good deed and ask the creator for mercy, they are whisked back to heaven, totally forgiven.
When the flood waters recede, the Bible tells us that Noah built an altar and sacrificed to God in thanksgiving for the cleansing of the earth and the miracle of their safety. “And Noe built an altar unto the Lord: and taking of all cattle and fowls that were clean, offered holocausts upon the altar.”(Gen 6: 20) In the movie, there is no altar of sacrifice, but a banner on the top of a mountain, and Noah, with a dried snake skin wrapped around his arm, blesses his family and the “new beginning” of the world.
Writer Handel, left, and director Oronofsky offer the ‘god of your choice’ in Noah
“The film is inspired by the story of Noah. While artistic license has been taken, we believe that this film is true to the essence, values, and integrity of a story that is a cornerstone of faith for millions of people worldwide. The biblical story of Noah can be found in the book of Genesis.”
Slowly as the Paramount marketers began airing personal interviews with Darren Oronofsky and his scriptwriter Ari Handel, public opinion began to change. From then on they have been portrayed as sincere, even religious men.
Much more could be said about the “artistic license” taken with the real story of Noah. It’s very hard to find any point that is faithful to biblical history. However, it is faithful to other messages:
- Radical environmentalism and animal rights;
- God is violent and cares nothing for His people;
- Hell is only temporary etc. etc.
Since most people now, especially the very young, have no knowledge of the Bible, this movie will probably be in their memories forever as the true story of Noah. With the use of the big screen, intensely loud music, fantastic cinematography, it’s hard to imagine that the audience will say, “this is only a fantasy.”
This dark, depressing movie with blaring music carves these false messages into the emotions and memories of the audience.
Posted May 21, 2014
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