So I saw the Noah movie, and it is definitely a complicated and difficult film. It is an imperfect film, but also very thought provoking, reverent, frightening, and challenging. Not everything works in the movie. The Watchers, fallen angels whom some have dismissively called the rock people, are not very successfully realized, though their story fits well with the themes of the film. It is not a straight telling of the Bible story, but it uses the Bible story as a platform to meditate on the questions of justice and mercy. C. S. Lewis famously wrote that mercy, detached from justice, grows unmerciful. This film portrays the flip side of that. Justice, detached from mercy, grows unjust. And unhinged. Noah starts out the movie listening to Gods commands and following them to the letter. But along the way, he loses track of Gods intentions, and forgets that God is motivated by the love of the people He created in His image. He goes almost over the brink into madness and guilt, and almost does the unthinkable. But in the end, he listens to the voice of love and mercy, and winds up passing on Gods blessing to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth, and with that, the clouds part, and burst forth in a spectacular rainbow. The criticism I cannot understand is why some have called this movie pagan. I cant see that. The world of this movie is a world in which God - the Creator God who made humanity in His image - speaks, judges justly, intervenes miraculously, commands nature, forgives, loves, blesses, curses, and heals. There is no hint of polytheism or nature worship. This is the God of the Bible, reverently portrayed. While Noah goes off the rails for a bit, God never does. I was impressed. Again, not perfect. And not for everyone. Some disturbing images of sin, including murder, cannibalism, suggestions of rape, violence of all sorts. The section on Creation is beautiful, but suggests an evolutionary process guided by Gods hand, which many people will disagree with. But it presents humanity as special creations, not as evolutionary products, which is interesting. I agree with the critics who point out that the lack of dark-skinned people is a glaring problem. And as I said before, the Watchers, while reinforcing the themes of the movie, are poorly realized. But there is a lot in this movie that is worthy of praise and of reflection. I am glad I saw it.
Posted on: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 00:39:44 +0000
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