Will ‘Noah’ offend religious moviegoers?

Director Darren Aronofsky’s Biblical epic “Noah” finally hits theatres this week, but the big-budget retelling of the Old Testament tale has been stoking controversy since it was first put into production.

Despite an A-list cast that includes Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, and Emma Watson -- not to mention the fact that it’s helmed by the critically-acclaimed director of “The Wrestler” and “Black Swan” -- studio Paramount seems very concerned about the potential flood of complaints against the film from religious moviegoers. In fact, the studio is so worried about how the film will be received by devout viewers they have started attaching the following disclaimer to trailers and other marketing materials:

"The film is inspired by the story of Noah. While artistic license has been taken, we believe that this film is true to the essence, values and integrity of a story that is a cornerstone of faith for millions of people worldwide. The biblical story of Noah can be found in the book of Genesis."

It’s all part of a wider outreach campaign by Paramount to not only assuage the concerns of religious groups, but also to get them to engage with and even endorse “Noah.” Star Russell Crowe has been closely involved in the effort, reportedly meeting with the Pope Francis and receiving the blessing of the Roman Catholic church for the film. A number of high-profile American evangelical leaders have also expressed their support for the movie, collectively praising its interpretation of Biblical scripture in a recent video.

But despite all that high profile support from religious leaders, there’s still a big question mark around “Noah”: Will some more devout moviegoers be offended by Aronofsky’s creative interpretation of Biblical flood story?

We saw "Noah" earlier this week and identified three controversial elements of “Noah” that might irk some viewers.

Noah the action hero

At the outset of the film, Noah is a man of peace, only concerned with the well-being of his family. He's subsists on a vegetarian diet and literally wouldn't harm a flower if he didn't have to. But after he is chosen by "the creator" to build an ark in advance of the apocalyptic flood, things change: He has to fight.

While the film never glorifies any of Noah's kills by lingering on them in "300"-style super slow motion, it can't really get around the fact that the titular Biblical patriarch kicks a whole lot of butt to protect the ark from the army of the villainous Tubal-cain (Ray Winstone). This warrior Noah is not a depiction that everyone will be happy with.

Fallen angels

One thing not seen in any of the trailers for "Noah" are the so-called Watchers: fallen angels who find themselves encased in bodies of stone and earth by an angry God. According to the film, these angels were the ones who taught the descendants of Cain (the film's baddies) to make weapons of war out of iron and bronze.

Eventually cast out to the wastes, these stone angels attempt to redeem themselves by helping Noah build the ark and defend it against the onslaught of Tubal-cain and company. This concept of fallen angels is not unique to Aronofsky’s film -- in fact, there are numerous mentions of beings like these Watchers in Judeo-Christian books. However, their depiction as giant rock monsters in the movie is sure to ruffle some feathers.

The Old Testament being the Old Testament

Anyone who has read or heard stories from the Old Testament of the Bible knows that things can get pretty violent and brutal. This is the world of Cain and Abel and Sodom and Gomorrah. "Noah," which is derived from a story in the Book of Genesis, is no exception to this. The climax of the film revolves around a rather unfortunate religious dilemma that Noah must face, specifically in how he interprets what God wants him to do. Many Christians who are more familiar with the New Testament may be shocked by just how violent the story of "Noah" is at times.

No matter which religious figures endorse "Noah," elements of the film are sure to cause controversy. There's no question that some religious moviegoers will be offended by certain portrayals in the film, but it's important to remember that this is an artistic interpretation of a story that is just a small part of a very big book. There are only so many details available, and thus there are only so many details that Aronofsky can draw from. It's a movie, not a Bible passage. Like an film adaptation, liberties need to be taken to bring the story to the screen.

"Noah" is in theatres now.