Noah

Watching 'Noah' I half wished that I had paid better attention at Sunday School so that I could gauge how accurately this film reflects the biblical story. I suspect it has a passing resemblance but I'm not certain about 'The Watchers', rock creatures with spooky lights for eye holes, who have been captured by the descendants of Cain and are featured here like 21st century intruders from 'Star Wars'.

As biblical epics go 'Noah' is miles away from the 1950/60s lot. There are no sandals or sackcloths to be seen, indeed by historical standards the biblical garb worn by Russell Crowe and company is stylishly formfitting. And there are no booming voices from an unseen Creator.

Crowe delivers his lines in eight word sentences but otherwise is convincingly driven as the Creator's vehicle for cleansing the planet of the naughty people. Apparently some of the rock creatures were voiced by very distinguished performers but they needn't have bothered as I didn't understand a single word of their dialogue.

Some images, I guess the scenes filmed in Iceland, are spectacular but as you'd expect from rain and flood sufficient to engulf Earth many scenes are filmed in near, or close to near, darkness.

I have made light of the film but despite moments of unevenness it is in the pantheon of biblical cinema epics an interesting example and better than the average.
★★★1/2