Noah – WISE Score & Parent Review | Screenwise

Noah

Name: Screenwise
Author: Screenwise

movie2014

48%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Darren Aronofsky's biblical epic is visually stunning but brutally dark—less Sunday school, more existential nightmare.

5.8/10

75%

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Noah

movie

PG-13, 2014

48%

WISE Score

Avg. Tomatometer

Darren Aronofsky's biblical epic is visually stunning but brutally dark—less Sunday school, more existential nightmare.

5.8

75%

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5.8/10

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Screenwise Verdict

Noah is a fascinating mess—ambitious, visually arresting, and philosophically interesting, but also punishing, divisive, and about as family-friendly as a horror film.

Aronofsky made a big-budget art film that treats the Noah story as environmental parable and psychological thriller. If you're expecting Charlton Heston-style biblical epic or anything remotely appropriate for family movie night, you'll be deeply disappointed. The 5.8 IMDb rating tells the story: critics respected the ambition (75% RT), but general audiences found it too dark, too weird, or too unfaithful to the source.

For the right audience—older teens and adults interested in challenging, unconventional biblical interpretation—there's value here. But most families looking for "Noah" content should probably stick with the VeggieTales version.

Age Fit

This is strictly for older teens (16+) and adults who can handle dark, violent, psychologically intense material. The violence, disturbing imagery, and heavy themes make it inappropriate for children and younger teens. Faith-based families should know this is a highly interpretive, non-traditional take on the story.

WISE Breakdown

Wholesome

Darren Aronofsky's Noah is a dark, brutal reimagining of the biblical story that leans heavily into violence, despair, and moral ambiguity. The film depicts graphic battle sequences, animal violence, and Noah's descent into near-madness as he interprets God's will in increasingly disturbing ways. The tone is bleak and unrelenting—this isn't a family-friendly Sunday school retelling. The emotional weight is heavy, with themes of genocide, infanticide contemplation, and humanity's inherent wickedness taking center stage. Not exactly the warm, cooperative vibe most families expect from a Bible story.

Imaginative

Visually, the film is stunning—Aronofsky creates a fantastical, almost mythological world with massive stone 'Watchers' (fallen angels), apocalyptic flood sequences, and a massive ark that feels genuinely epic. The creative liberties taken with the source material are bold and inventive, whether you agree with them or not. The environmental themes and philosophical questions about humanity's purpose add layers beyond the straightforward narrative. It's imaginative in scope and ambition, even if the execution divides audiences sharply.

Safe

This is decidedly not safe for younger viewers. The film features intense battle violence with people being killed by swords and arrows, disturbing scenes of masses of people drowning and clawing at the ark, animal attacks, and a scene where Noah nearly murders infants. The psychological darkness—Noah's trauma, his willingness to let humanity die, his near-breakdown—is heavy stuff. Parents expecting a Veggie Tales vibe will be shocked. Common Sense Media notes significant parent disappointment with the divergence from biblical narrative and the mature content. No MPAA rating is listed in the data, but this film received PG-13 for violence, disturbing images, and brief suggestive content.

Enriching

There's intellectual meat here—questions about environmental stewardship, the nature of divine justice, moral absolutism versus compassion, and what it means to follow a calling you don't fully understand. The film asks hard questions about faith, obedience, and the cost of righteousness. For older teens and adults willing to engage with a challenging interpretation, it can spark meaningful discussion. However, the relentlessly grim tone and controversial departures from the source material limit its enrichment value for faith-based families seeking spiritual growth. The critical reception (75% RT critics, 68 Metacritic) suggests it's respected but divisive.

Parent Info

✓

Why It Might Be Great

Visually spectacular with epic scale—the flood sequences and ark design are genuinely impressive
Bold creative vision that treats the story as mythology rather than literal history
Raises challenging questions about faith, justice, environmentalism, and moral certainty
Strong performances, particularly Russell Crowe as a tortured, conflicted Noah
Respectable critical reception (75% RT, 68 Metacritic) for those seeking serious, adult biblical interpretation

⚠

What to Watch For

Intense violence including battle scenes, drowning masses, and animal attacks—definitely not for kids
Psychologically dark themes: Noah contemplates infanticide and struggles with near-madness
Major departures from biblical text have disappointed many faith-based viewers expecting traditional storytelling
Relentlessly grim tone with little levity or hope until the very end
The 5.8 IMDb rating suggests general audiences found it heavy-handed or unsatisfying

Conversation Starters

"What do you think about Noah's interpretation of God's command? Was he right to assume all humanity should end?"
"How do environmental themes in the film connect to modern concerns about climate and stewardship?"
"Do you think taking creative liberties with religious stories is respectful exploration or problematic revisionism?"
"How did the portrayal of the Watchers (fallen angels as stone giants) change your understanding of the story?"
"What does mercy mean when you believe you're following divine orders?"

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