Christian Review of “Noah” Movie

It’s exactly as it purports, “a film inspired by the story of Noah.” They say they took “artistic license.” Did they ever. For those familiar with the Genesis account, the movie has several, “You’ve got to be kidding,” moments.

For example, key to the first half of the film are what I’m assuming were the mysterious Nephilim of Genesis 6, the hero offspring of “sons of God and daughters of humans.” The writers’ imaginations go wild. These creatures who help Noah protect the ark seemed to be Lord of the Rings middle earth characters who wondered onto the wrong movie set.

The most significant departure from scripture involved Noah’s sons. In the movie, Ham and Japheth enter the ark single, with no hope of finding a spouse. In the Biblical account, all three sons are married and all three wives are on board.

But the movie also gives Bible students some things ponder. It depicts Noah going to his grandfather, Methuselah, seeking counsel. I thought, “That can’t be right,” but I went home and did the math. Scripture says Methuselah was 187 years old when, Lamech (Noah’s father) was born; Lamech was 182 when Noah was born; Noah was 600 years old when the flood came. Methusalah was 969 when he died. I had never noticed that. Methuselah most likely died in the flood. He missed the boat, exactly as depicted in the movie.

Below is a trailer of the movie, “Noah.” The review continues below.

More significantly, the movie depicts Noah and his family as Godly people living in a world that was totally corrupt and “full of violence.” What would it have been like to live in a world so dominated by evil? The movie’s answer doesn’t lend itself very well to gentle Bible class flannel board stories. It makes real a world so evil, a good God chose to cleanse it.

Worth seeing? I think so. It’s an exciting, suspenseful story. But don’t skip Sunday School and head to the theater expecting Biblical enlightenment.

by Doug Bush

If you’ve seen Noah, please provide your review and thoughts in the comments below.