My Take on "Noah"

I Saw Noah tonight...and you know when movies like Harry Potter came out or The Hunger Games screen writers and directors wanted the content to be as close to the book's story as possible because the story in itself is what captivates people. The story matters because stories that are timeless are guarded. They are guarded by those who love the story.

That's why when I saw the first "Hunger Games" movie and I saw how they adapted Katniss getting the mockingjay pin I turned to a friend and I said "this is not the way that happened!" I said it with outrage because it was such a simple thing and an important moment in the book. You know...the story matters.

But as I have come to know it this movie Noah is directed by the same person who directed The Black Swan which is fine in and of itself except for a major difference; the latter movie is not held up by a book it is simply made for film therefore whatever abstract or nonsensical thing happens is fine because it was firstly created for film.

But a book is a book and the author meant it to tell a story, real or fictional. However, the author of the book that Noah's story resides has long since passed away from this earth but the story still has many adoring fans. I understand that Hollywood is also Hollywood and to expect anything less than theatrical addition is ignorance. Many movies made from the Biblical stem have theatrical addition but it is at least coherent. This movie Noah is not the story of Noah his wife, three sons (and their wives and children). This movie is about rock monsters, magic snake skin, ancient bazookas, dastardly people who only eat meat, almost killing babies, and much much more.

I don't find it absurd that Hollywood changed it into an agenda piece, but I do guard Noah's story, and from the moment I saw glowing snake skin and women wearing pants I knew this piece would not reflect the story I know, or the culture in which it is written.

Let me get my point across before you think something that I'm not saying. I am not holding the makers of this film up to any of the Biblical standards I hold as my own standards. What I am saying is just as a consumer standpoint (not the fact that I do follow Jesus) is that I am guarding the story I know. All I have to say as a follower of Jesus is....the book is definitely better than the movie.

We all walked out of the theater laughing because of the insane adaptations. We made jokes like it was Lord of the Rings: Battle of Will at Sea or that the twins Shem's wife had will have to go find their uncles when they are older to repopulate because they had no wives in the movie. It's also interesting how Noah and his family seem to be vegetarians yet...there was no sign of fruits or vegetables in the beginning of the movie. The list goes on, the movie served it's purpose as an agenda, and now we can all move past it.

The best thing to remember if you are a person who is outraged by this adaptation of Noah's story is that God has already blessed us with his written Word and that story prevails no matter what man might make of it.

All to God.