If you still think the premise is downright ridiculous and totally unsuited to blockbuster fare, then there's a good chance that Noah will remain a mystery to you, no matter how often anybody tells you it's absolutely worth the ride. Despite the fact that Darren Aronofsky's latest film was predicted to be an unmitigated disaster, both critically and financially, it somehow made it through rough waters in one piece; what we're left with is a movie that is fascinating in its bombastic retelling of the infamous Bible story, imbued with a sincerity that rings true. Which is to say, Noah is flawed, and yet through these flaws it somehow thrives; this is helped by a fantastic Russell Crowe performance at the centre of the movie, but also because director Aronofsky has thrown himself into the picture with an obvious craziness. This is an insane vision of a movie, one that will provoke sniggers in more jaded circles but in fact deserves genuine respect. There might have been other, "better" pictures released this year, but Noah has something the others don't; it is strange, daring, twisted, ridiculous and brilliant all at once.
Sam Hill is an ardent cinephile and has been writing about film professionally since 2008. He harbours a particular fondness for western and sci-fi movies.
