Darren Aronofsky’s biblical story of Noah’s Ark caused a stir, which, unfortunatley, distracted critics from discussing its considerable artistic merits.
The gifted indie filmmaker (The Wrestler) had famously fought with Paramount over the final cut.
The studio decided to add a disclaimer to the film’s promos in order to appease Christian groups since it departs from the source material.
Then the film was banned in China and some majority-Muslim countries for religious reasons.
Despite all of this, Aronofsky’s film is beautifully shot by acclaimed DP Matthew Libatique (Black Swan), and boasts a powerful lead performance from Russell Crowe in the title role (far superior to his Oscar turn in Gladiator)
It also promotes an urgent environmentalist message.
