Noah

****
Release Date: April 4th 2014

A man is chosen by his world's creator to undertake a momentous mission to rescue the innocent before an apocalyptic flood cleanses the wicked from the world.

Director: Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, The Wrestler, The Fountain)

Starring: Rusell Crowe, Jennifer Connolly, Ray Winstone, Anthony Hopkins, Emma Watson, Logan Lerman

We all know that it's a telling of Noah and the Ark and sources have said that it has stayed true to the bible. I only know this very loosely; that Noah builds an ark to save the animal kingdom (two of each) as an imminent flood rids the world of humanity. The details and what comes after I've never known, until now.

Darren Aronofsky, most famous for his Oscar-nominated films Black Swan and The Wrestler, has taken a dive in to the action epic instead of sticking to the favoured drama. He's pulled it off exceptionally well with a visual spectacle that comes from a story that's open to interpretation.

There's little else to mention, as most of you will be familiar with Noah and the Ark. It's what comes after the purge that's not well known. A brave move is made placing the catastrophic flood in the dead centre rather than ending with it. It's a bold one that's paid off well.

The disaster is grand in design and a sight to behold. The Watchers, who are the guardians of The Creator, defend Noah (Crowe) and his family from taking over the ark. The battle between The Watchers and the humans is as spine tingling to watch as the flood.

Seeing the humans clinging on for dear life and hearing their cries will demoralise the hardest of audiences. This is sombre and difficult to take in, just as the rest of the film continues to be.

Russell Crowe puts on one of the best performances that's been seen in years. Crowe's conquest is more powerful than the film itself. It rubs off on the others (Emma Watson, Logan Lerman and Jennifer Connolly all chipping in well) as the family struggles to maintain its bond due to Noah's conscience.

Overview: An impressive blockbuster with a obviously strong storyline and acting talent. Crowe is back to his best and Aronofsky thrills again.