Russell Crowe's Controversial 2014 Movie Is Getting A Second Life On Netflix

"Noah," Russell Crowe's controversial religious drama from 2014, is lighting up the Netflix charts. Crowe joined acclaimed director Darren Aronofsky for a cinematic adaptation of the life of the titular figure, who is revered in several religions, including Abrahamic faiths. Upon release, the film was mired in controversy for its subject matter and interpretation of Noah's life story, which is contested and debated amongst followers from different faiths. Each religion has different views on Noah as well as his actions, which require him to build an ark in the wake of a great flood. 

Critically, the film was a success, as suggested by its 75% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences on the platform largely detested the picture, awarding it a 41% audience score. Opening night viewers gave it a C CinemaScore, further solidifying how controversial the film was. But despite the hoopla it caused in 2014, audiences in the United States are enjoying Aronfosky's take. On March 8, 2024, it was the 7th most-watched film in the United States on Netflix, per FlixPatrol. This shows how viewers keep on watching Crowe's underrated films on Netflix.

Aronofsky has largely been a divisive filmmaker, so it's interesting that he assembled a cast filled with heavyweights like Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, and Emma Winston for a religious epic. But this isn't the first time the lead actor has taken on a faith-based film — Crowe starred in "The Pope's Exorcist," which was based on a real person.

While Noah's story appears in several different cultures and is part of a number of key religious texts, Russel Crowe's film is a Biblical interpretation of the core material. But this is a Darren Aronofsky film first and foremost, which means that he took certain creative liberties. Perhaps the most obvious is the inclusion of the "Watchers," a race of giant rock creatures who work on behalf of God. Aronofsky also makes some bold decisions, such as showing Noah in a drunken stupor and depicting Tubal-cain (Ray Winstone), an individual who didn't come across Noah in the Bible, as its villain.

Decisions like these may have come across as controversial to certain audience members. Upon release, the film received both positive and negative reception from Christians. Ray Comfort, a Christian filmmaker and evangelist, was notably critical of the creative liberties taken by "Noah." Kevin Ham, the president of Answers in Genesis and the future Ark Encounter, called the movie an "insult to Bible-believing Christians, an insult to the character of Noah and, most of all, an insult to the God of the Bible" in an op-ed written for TIME. 

The film was banned in several countries despite being watched by so many. China and several Muslim nations such as Qatar, the UAE, and Bahrain banned the picture. People from these Muslim countries were particularly concerned about how the prophet Noah was depicted. It should be noted that the Bible and Quran, the holy text for Muslims, have different interpretations of Noah and his Ark. 

"Noah" is streaming on Netflix in the United States.