Director Darren Aronofsky’s “Noah” is on pace to outperform this weekend with a $40 -$45 million haul at the box office, but moviegoers are giving Russell Crowe’s epic a deadly CinemaScore rating of C. Deadline Hollywood called that “very bad news for word of mouth and next weekend’s drop.”
For some perspective, studios get nervous when a film only scores a B.
Critics overall gave “Noah” a 76% Fresh Rating over at Rotten Tomatoes but the Tomatoes’ audience score is a withering 57%.
Next weekend “Noah” will not only have to deal with deadly word-of-mouth but also the Captain America sequel, which is wowing critics and audiences alike with scores unlike anything since the first Avengers movie.
My thoughts on “Noah” were divided. Overall, the film is a sinister piece of anti-religious filmmaking that is obviously meant to lead people away from God. Admitted atheist Aronofsky intentionally tries to fool people into believing God wiped out humanity for their wickedness and evil, but only as it pertains to how man treats the environment. Moral and sexual degradation have no part in the equation.
Aronofsky is hoping to lead people to believe that by saving the planet they are right with God and saving their souls, when we all know that the Ten Commandments later handed down by God had nothing to do with tree-hugging.
As I said in my review, Aronofsky is the anti-Michelangelo using his brilliant artistic talents for a wicked end.
The film itself, though, is fabulous. As far as pure entertainment, I thought it was a near-masterpiece, and if asked would have given it an B+. I will certainly see it again.
More good box office news arrives for a movie that actually is biblical. “God’s Not Dead” amazed Hollywood last weekend with a $9.2 million haul on just 780 screens. Another miracle occurred this weekend: the low-budget story of a Christian student pitted against an atheist teacher could reach $8 million, an incredible hold.
The left-wing Muppets are toast.
Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC