Thursday
Nov142013
Yes No Maybe So - Noah
Thursday, November 14, 2013 at 12:14PM .
JA from MNPP here, taking a look at the first trailer for Darren Aronofsky's bible-epic Noah, giving us the titular tale of one man, one god, two of every animal, and a whole bunch of water. There have been whispers of a battle between the studio and the director over the film's tone - they want it to play straight for the church crowds and that Passion of the Christ money, while Darren Aronofsky, well, is Darren Aronofsky, and I think he probably doesn't have a lot of interest in not complicating Ye Olde Tale a little bit. Well now we've got an inkling, two and a half minutes of inkling, what's what.
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So let's break that sucker down into Nat's patented three-tiered system.
YES
-- Darren Aronofsky, of course - I might be more pro-Aronofsky than a lot of you, so perhaps you should take my opinion on this knowing that fact; I've loved deep in my bones every single film he's made (yes including The Fountain). His last film Black Swan might be my favorite even, but it was shamelessly playing right to my wheel-house so I could hardly help myself.
-- Emma Watson and Logan Lerman reunited! Let's hope they stick their heads out of the sunroof of the Ark while a David Bowie song plays.
-- You can already see the magic touch of Matthew Libatique all over it - some of that quick flashing nature photography is stunning. Speaking of...
-- Whatever this guy is! He's a big creepy plus. Do you think he's supposed to be Satan in the Garden? There's also a flash of an apple being picked, so I think I might be onto something. Anyway I hope there are all kinds of fanciful creatures mixed in with the usual elephants and giraffes and zebras we see in Noah stories.
NO
-- The CG animal stampede is kind of cheesy here in our first glimpse of it. Of course I don't know how you play that without it coming off cheesy. Hopefully by the time the movie's out in March they'll have made the CG a little bit more convincing, at least.
YES
-- Darren Aronofsky, of course - I might be more pro-Aronofsky than a lot of you, so perhaps you should take my opinion on this knowing that fact; I've loved deep in my bones every single film he's made (yes including The Fountain). His last film Black Swan might be my favorite even, but it was shamelessly playing right to my wheel-house so I could hardly help myself.
-- Emma Watson and Logan Lerman reunited! Let's hope they stick their heads out of the sunroof of the Ark while a David Bowie song plays.
-- The flaming sword scorching the Earth is kick ass!
NO
-- Similarly that shot of the Ark rocking in the waves at the end is some 2012 slash The Perfect Storm cheese. And way to give away the ending!
-- The fight scenes all look really monochromatic and good god we've seen that enough by now haven't we?
-- I never thought I'd be sick of Anthony Hopkins, but I'm sick of Anthony Hopkins.
MAYBE SO
-- Jennifer Connolly hasn't worked with Aronofsky since she gave that wonderful performance in Requiem For a Dream, which kind of kicked off her serious career. (Hey I love Labyrinth as much as the next guy.) - let's hope that the role of Noah's Wife is more than just the noble suffering "I'm With Stupid tee-shirt" role and she's got something to play. I've missed her lately.
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Reader Comments (40)
"Gladiator 2: God's On His Side Now" made me laugh so hard I choked on my coffee. I think it's a pretty apt description though. I loathe Russell Crowe and Aronofsky's hit or miss for me, but I know I'll see Noah because Aronofsky movies *always* generate a lot of buzz, and I don't want to miss out on the crazy discussion.
I was disappointed to read this is Darren's dream project. A revisionist Bible story is a shortcut to boredom for me. And after seeing the trailer my disappointment and apprehension is very warranted. Paramount wasted their money on this.
I'm with 3rtful. I'm not big on Biblical epics to begin with and this looks like something that could have been made in the 50's with better FX. All beatific smiles, rousing music and one (chosen) man against the (unchosen) world. It will probably make a lot of money but not from me.....at least not on the basis on this trailer. I'm a No.
I wonder what mpaa rating this will get? Pg13???
Female co-worker right now: "wow, I didn't know Russell Crowe was still that hot"
What's wrong with you people?
Despite the fight scenes (WTF?), it looks like the studio won the battle with Aronofsky.
so they had polo shirts BC? plus the connolly/crowe chemistry was one of the weakest I've ever seen for a lead couple in a beautiful mind, doubt it'll work here either as aronofsky movies are (excessively) lead-character centred (with the obvious exception of requiem for a dream, coincidentally his best movie by FAR)..
Yeah count me among the ticket to sleepytown crowd. I can't think of anything less interesting to me than a brown and gray apocalypse movie starring Russell Crowe. Maybe if the whole movie were just Logan Lerman and Emma Watson falling in love on a boat while they play with cute animals? Jennifer Connelly could be the hot vet or something because she certainly is not old enough to play their mom, which it looks like she's doing here.
I'm going to choose to see this as Aronofsky evening out his karma so he can make something as fun as Black Swan again. Isn't his next project about a Russian ballerina prostitute turned spy? That sounds much more in my wheelhouse.
I'm a no. It looks so drab and looks like any other recent retelling of classic stories. If I didn't know it was directed by Darren Aronofsky I would have thought it was just another Paul W.S. Anderson film.
Seems like a period version of 202 to me,why is Connelly wasting her talents,hope she doesn't bump into Keith David.
I worship Crowe, so I'll see this, but I kind of hated the trailer...
Your breakdown has me wanting to watch it again though.
I'm a yes, obviously, because I will give Aronofsky enough leeway, but I'm also a bit nonplussed by much of it. I have such doubts, as Meryl would say.
This looks like quite the leaky dingy. Aronofsky is far from reliable, biblical movies without Chuck Heston don't usually work, and Life of Pi already did the animals on the boat thang. Could be good if the animals can talk. Will Russell sing Talk To the Animals?
I liked "The Fountain" waaaayyyyy more than "Black Snooze", but I will always be interested in seeing a true "auteur" work. Let's face it he can not make "Requiem for a dream" every time!
Is it possible to be too atheist for a movie?
Is it weird that I'd be more interested in this if it was a CHILDREN OF EDEN adaptation? Not starring Russell Crowe, obviously.
stjeans, thank you! I thought I was the only one here who thought Black Swan was a turkey LOL. Talk about sound and fury signifying nothing.
march 28, 2014... not 2015
No.
3rtful is right again.
Hopkins & Crowe = Green Eggs and Ham.
This is painful only because it has Aronofsky's name attached.
Brian Z...I'm certainly too much of an atheist for this movie!
This does NOT look good, although Darren Aronofsky does give me pause - I don't think he's above abysmal mistakes, but him being director doesn't sit well with the impression the trailer gives (which actually IS the playing-it-straight-bible-epic), so we'll see.
Also, Logan Lerman and Russell Crowe reuniting!
Even though I'm now worried, it seems possible that this trailer could be an attempt to build a commercial audience for the film, yes?
I think Aronofsky may be able to do a lot with this. I imagine it'll really challenge religion and ideas of god, not unlike Last Temptation of Christ, which I love.
And the lack of news from Russell Crowe for at least a few years may mean he's gotten serious about acting since the plum roles started to dry up. He was a decent actor circa 2000.
It looks more like a science fiction epic than the usual Biblical film.
@TB This might make you feel old (I know I do), but Connelly is totally old enough to play Watson and Lerman's mother. Probably even an older mother, considering the period.
Anyway, I'm hoping this is one of those cases where the studio edits a difficult film's trailer to make it seem as mainstream as possible (see, as just one example, Spring Breakers).
I was interested in seeing this when it was first announced, but this trailer is leaving me seriously bummed; it looks ridiculously lame and like it's going to be 90% CGI.
It would have to get world-beating reviews to get me to watch it now.
yes because Darren Aronofsky (and the cinematography looks awesome)
agnostic but i'm really hoping this is your standard example of trailers downplaying auteurial signature because wow does it look generic/un-aronofsky like.
Black Swan is probably my favorite movie of the last 5 years, but I've never liked Russell Crowe, and this trailer is awful. Honestly I'll likely go for Aronofsky, as long as the reviews are decent.
I miss when Crowe played people much more conflicted or messed up emotionally. American Gangster was the last time he did something that felt like he sunk into past his innate gruff persona.
Yes: I like Russell Crowe, and Darren Aronofsky, and I liked The Fountain. But this isn't going to use any of the things I like about them.
No: When I was in enforced Sunday School, I was bored by the story of Noah. I hated the boring animals, the stupid flood, the dull boat, and the overbearing know it all Noah. I hated all the Biblical patriarchs, although I didn't know to call them that then, and I certainly never expressed my opinion aloud. I liked the clever young Biblical characters who were smart and went other places, like Joseph, Daniel, Esther.
Overall: Never.
god no
- or rather -
god? no.
Doesn't this cast feel so 2002?
Im sorry, but as a Aronofsky fan I am 110% YES
But it looks like the studio won the battle here and the trailer is very very commercial
Because it's Aronofsky, this gets an automatic "yes" from me, even though it looks like a throwback to the early 2000s, and not in a good way.
Aronofsky is all the reason i need to see it.
I'm an unabashed Crowe fan, but this is a big screaming NO. It's borderline campy but there's no glitter.
Oh those drab, drab, drab colors. Amen to Deborah Lipp for denouncing the lack of glitter.
Looks like a pretentious ,slow-moving slag heap. Some critics may champion it but I predict audiences will exit grumbling.
Exactly