'Noah'

In the story of “Noah,” what’s thrown underneath the flood is not only humans but also humanism. What hopped on the ark is not only selflessness but selfishness. Thus, instead of depicting how Noah builds the giant boat, director Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan) lays particular emphasis on how Noah makes his decisions — a man’s moral intensity, his struggle against God’s will and man’s will.  

After the first murder, mankind developed into two collateral lines: the wicked line of Cain and the virtuous line of Seth. As the Cainites embrace their vices, God decides to purge them. Noah (played by Russell Crowe), the last line of Sethians, is chosen by God to save the innocent animals by squeezing them into a ship. This is the point where you can witness the naissance of a huge, jubilant zoo containing birds, amphibians and reptiles.

Along with the animals, there are some people struggling to join. Noah’s mission is simple — trying to keep everything alive but the human beings. You can tell Tubal Cain (the King of Mankind, played by Ray Winstone) is desperate to pay anything for admission to Noah’s arc, but a ticket on Noah’s ark is priceless because of his genuine motivation.

“Noah” mirrors Aronofsky’s idiosyncratic style, alongside his staunch commitment to sumptuous cinematography, his master play is to showcase his story by sharpening the conflict between characters.

The conflict between Noah and Tubal Cain serves as a concealed analogy to reflect the dialectic between God and humanity. Noah’s pious conviction drives him to the brink of isolation. As he found out the weakness registered in mankind, including his family and himself, he takes some extreme measures to ensure the extinction of the human race. His action incandesces the dialectic between obedience of ruthless creator and kindness of his human heart.

Juxtaposing CGI spectacle with the narrative embroidery Aronofsky composed, “Noah” sings most vibrantly for the all-encompassing fetishism of the camera. Within Aronofsky’s cinematography, the environments are not merely subjects to be grappled with. Therefore, we see the pathos woven into the close-ups of the catastrophe, human’s fear and desperation crystallize in extravagant imagery.

More flamboyant than the scenery is the electrifying performances in the film. Crowe is at his most meticulous, fusing himself with Noah’s paradoxical personality. Even a blink of his eyes oozes with mercy and compassion. Yet his faith in justice is never punctuated by sentiment. Jennifer Connelly truly infuses the feminine and maternal instinct into her role as Naameh. Her voice and tone pinpoints the beauty of origin back at that time.

Aronofsky’s vision of this biblical epic is sincere and delicate. He embarks the audience on an ethereal trip embellished with his grotesque fantasy. If you are a fan of his style or simply want to see many veterans of the screen perform together, welcome aboard.