Russell Crowe plays the titular character in this arty version of the tale. Anyone looking for a flood epic will be disappointed. About 10 minutes is devoted to the actual deluge and it’s pretty cool. Much of the rest of the time is all about drama and family conflict. Darren Aronofsky (“Black Swan”) is known for his singular, dark vision and it’s manifest in this imaginative adaptation (the evolution of Earth and the montage of violence are standout moments). Like so many epics these days, this one could lose about 30 minutes and be a more compelling film. As it stands, it’s a moderately involving drama that puts a pretty unique spin on the Bible story.
(3.5 / 5)