Evan Almighty or Ras Noah An Di Hawk?
Ras Noah An Di Hawk Outshines Evan Almighty
Ras who? Ras Noah An Di Hawk! This 2005 Jamaican play had far more depth than the recent Hollywood movie Evan Almighty.
Glen Campbell as “Ras Noah” in Ras Noah An Di Hawk
Steve Carrel as Evan in Evan Almighty
Just in case you are wondering, my review is just coming because I only saw the movie Monday night. Yes, it took that long for the Ark to reach Panama! Seems Evan or the Almighty didn’t pay the necessary fees to transit the Panama Canal.
So my ratings are a little late in coming; nonetheless I still wanted to record my thoughts and observations and share them with you.
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Flogging Old Plots
Old plots, can sometimes be hazardous territory. It’s like writing about an old play and an already past unremarkable movie. Or kinda like trying to preach a sermon from a well known text. In an effort to find something fresh, we preachers do all kinds of exegetical acrobatics that would give a champion Olympian gymnast a run for their medal.
So how did Evan Almighty fare in re-telling the story of Noah and the Ark? Snooorreeee..(loud power saw ones). As far as re-reading of scripture and the re-telling of a bible story goes, this movie is great for Sunday School or Junior Church. The smart peoplized animals added to the Genesis mythology brought some laughter to what would otherwise be one very dull story.
Tom Shadyac, Director of Evan Almighty and a Christian, decided to play it safe. He simply rehashed the story, keeping God in a respectable neighborhood and at least making some Christians happy. Christianity Today reports Shadyac as saying that he wanted his movie to “show that God not only loves us, but wants us to share that love with others and make a difference in the world.” His re-hashing of the Noah story was supposed to do that.
On the other hand, Patrick Brown, the playwright of Ras Noah An Di Hawk showed a lot of courage. I do not know what religion he is, nor does it matter, but he ventured into risky waters and delivered something far more meaningful. True, he threw in some ideas that were clearly post-Noah ( during Jesus’ time to be exact) but it worked and made the production side-splittingly hilarious yet at times deeply moving.
Balford Henry in a review in the Jamaica Observer reported Brown’s thinking behind what he wrote and quotes the playwright as saying – “It is a question of what if. What if God is at the same stage now, as when he sent the flood? What if he believes that the level of decadence is a good enough case to start the earth all over again? What if he chooses the most unlikely person for his messenger: a humble Rastafarian building an ark in the middle of Cross Roads?”
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Aiming For Contextual Relevance
From the time I watched the Trailer of Evan Almighty I wanted to see if Hollywood had done something better than the 2005 Jamaican theatre production. Both the movie and the play were obviously done for entertainment not for conversion purposes. Nonetheless as a theologian “of sorts”, I find it difficult to disengage my mind when reading/viewing material that carries some religious or moral meaning. Thus in both play and movie the following things stood out for me:-
The Title of the Jamaican Play – Ras Noah An Di Hawk is absolutely real and true to life. Anyone knowing a little about the Jamaican language knows the importance of the sound of words to the final (mis) spellings you sometimes see on Signs for example. The play fused this reality, with the possibility that Divine messages are not always received with clarity. So add one confused angel with the Jamaican penchant for mispronouncing words and you end up with a most creative title Ras Noah An Di Hawk (the story of a boat not a bird)
Image/Character of God – Evan’s God was concerned about saving a neighborhood of wealthy folk who would be killed in a community with “Prestige” in its name, when a nearby dam collapsed. Or was the concern for the once pristine environment ravaged by the greed of corrupt human beings politicians?
A friend told me that her girlfriend was upset after watching Ras Noah, because she felt they disrespected God in the play when God was beaten by an angry mob. She missed the point. So too did reviewer Michael Edwards in the Jamaica Observer . Edwards reported that in the play God “comes across both authoritative and wimpy” and implied that this was a failing of God’s character. I believe that the Jamaican playwright and director got the image of God right.
What does this say about Shadyac’s image of God in America? Perhaps it says that God is on the side of the wealthy who makes unfortunate purchases and investments? A fitting image for a consumerist mentality. For me, this God would have been more real than just being an African American. Shadyac’s God would have made more sense to me located among the Hispanics, the African-Americans, and other such dispossessed peoples. Since I’m already warming up here…God as a black woman would certainly grab my attention.
Ras Noah’s God was concerned about the poor, destitute and desperate of downtown inner-city Kingston, Jamaica. Noah was a Rastafarian an image oftentimes linked to one having a prophetic word against ‘Babylon’ (oppressive individuals, systems and structures). And based on the twists and turns of the re-teller’s acrobatics mentioned earlier, Brown wove in a scene where an angry ghetto-mob beat God right along with Ras Noah.
That scene sealed the play for me. It showed me that the playwright was thinking theologically and was struggling with the most realistic image of God to project in the midst of the struggles of the Jamaican people. What most people experience is a God who appears to be missing and not involved in our affairs on the one hand, and the God they believe to be in the midst of their pain on the other. The lyrics of the song Mister Man spoke of the people asking God where God had been all along, and telling God they did not need him in their community now.
Patrick Brown, deliberately or unwittingly chose to portray the “Suffering God” rejected in word and presence. This God is the one that is closer to what marginalized and oppressed people’s experience in real life; God who suffers right alongside us. Shadyac went for the familiar comfortable God who we talk about but whose image does not match our reality. Shadyac calls that God his ‘personal God’. Hmmmm…no wonder.
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So Evan Almighty was disappointing and I hold on to the memories of Ras Noah An Di Hawk. Thankfully God challenges us to embrace kindness and love of neighbour. This theme was consistent in both productions. We were reminded of God’s love even in the midst of divine wrath. Thanks to Patrick Brown and his team for keeping it real!
In the meantime, someone help me with Evan’s message.
I am confused about the RAK? I mean, the ARK. God told Evan that he is to change the world with ‘one Act of Random Kindness’ at a time. Which is correct? I keep saying one ‘random act of kindness’ and so end up with a RAK instead of an ARK. At least my RAK is a clothes hanger and not a HAWK.
Whether a RAK or an ARK there is a neat site associated with the movie called The Ark. It’s an online church resource that helps members in congregations connect with each other based on needs and skills/talents/gifts.
Want to make your own biased review of Ras Noah An Di Hawk? Watch the DVD which can be purchased from the Jambiz website. * This is not a sponsored recommendation as I have no connection with Jambiz except to confess that I am a fan of Patrick Brown, Oliver Samuels, Glen Campbell, Dhalia Harris and all idiotic fine actors and actresses from and in Jamaica.
Do let me know what you think. It doesn’t matter if you have only seen one or both – still leave a comment about what you have seen.
Peace,
Marvia
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August 13th, 2007 at 1:22 pm
Well I’ve only seen Ras Noah An Di Hawk and i liked it. I’ve always wondered what the response would be if Noah was in our time and had to deliver the message of the world’s demise. I seriously think i would be one of those who would have to rely on my swimming skills ( R.I.P.)
For me the production showed people’s current reaction to God and their frustration with his seemingly lack of intervention in ameliorating their condition. Of note to me was the way that people look for the sensational side of religion with its ‘signs and wonders’. If the angel hadn’t messed up the message Noah would have had hoards of wagonists.
The major thing that stood out for me is the way that Jamaicans believe they can weasel their way out of every troubling situation, even where it concerns God’s punishment. This is shown when all the people get smuggled onto the Ark escaping God’s judgment. I’m not sure if it was just there for dramatic effect or if it was really to reflect this Jamaican belief that is perpetuated through the many jokes especially those about Jamaicans taking over hell and heaven.
It was a good show with a good cast and some of the songs were great. Hopefully I’ll get to see Evan Almighty soon.
Bless
August 13th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Derri,
You have said it well!! If this were to happen today – many of us would be either fish, fowl (not ground fowl either!) or definitely dead. And I thought the same thing while watching Evan Almighty.
With a much bigger budget than JamBiz Productions Shadyac could have done better than trying to compete with Disney with all those (albeit really cute) animals and pay attention to the rich possibilities in the story.
About the Jamaican propensity for evading rules and punishment. I was struck by that scene too – when Ras Noah’s own father smuggled on board the very people under judgment, and not to mention eating the animals to stay alive. So true to form!!
In addition, true to God’s own style – in the end the people accepted the power and reign of God in their lives. Sounds like a real Jonahish ending….no wonder Jonah got upset and complained that he knew God was going to save the people so why bother?? Seems Patrick Brown thinks we are not beyond redemption afterall:-)
Marvia
August 20th, 2007 at 12:20 pm
I have seen both the productions. However, my memory of the Ras Noah Production is quite gray, so I will not comment on that until I brush up. I have the DVD, jus finding it amongst my stuff is the thing.
So to Evan Almighty….I rather enjoyed the movie but I do agree that in some areas it did fall short. Marvia as for your theological reflection, I do think you were not very objective on the issue of Shadyac’s image of God. (though later on you do admit that your views are indeed baised, which is only fair cuz it is ur blog!) My take on it is that he was not doing anything new by having God as a black man. He was just continueing from the Bruce Almight tale. However, his portrayal of God depicts his understanding that God will go at great lengths to get a person attention. In other words, a God that is long suffering, giving grace to those that don’t even pay God much attention. Wasn’t that the case in Ras Noah, when he got the message mixed up?
Another thing I appreciated about the Evan’s story is the new approach that was taken to the biblically recorded story of Noah and how they related it to family life.
Lastly, I think of the ARK acronym. I think it is catchy in a simplistic way but with the state that America is in now perhaps that is what they need, Just one ‘Act of Random Kindness” at a time. Pay it Forward
August 20th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
Thanks Bjorn,
I admitted to being biased in favour of Brown’s interpretation of the image of God over Shadyac’s. I’m not sure you got correct the part about Shadyac’s interpretation of God as African American.
I know it’s a continuation to Bruce Almighty. The point I tried to make is that Shadyac by simply changing God’s colour still did not do enough to re-tell the story in this time.
You saw Shadyac’s ‘long-suffering’ God – I saw Brown’s ‘suffering and rejected God’. There is nothing biased about that – watch Ras Noah again and see; then tell me where in Evan that was brought out. No bias there.
My bias is my preference in terms of location of God’s salvific actions. Look at Biblical history again – we see consistency in God being on the side of the oppressed. I knocked Shadyac’s choice of ‘oppressed’ peoples as those wealthy folks who were jacked by corrupt politicians.
I am more in favour of God being located among the masses of poor and disenfranchised peoples. That is not lack of objectivity toward a movie you heard coming out but my Christian beliefs about God in Jesus Christ. {Read Mary’s Song of Praise/The Magnificat Luke 1:46-55}. I take a dim view of any other portrayal of God especially for commercial purposes.
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I weighed that point regarding family and to me it was not a major feature of the movie- maybe if it were I’d give it a higher rating. I could have also highlighted this family feature in Ras Noah – because it shows how close Noah and his father were in an interesting father-son relationship.
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And you still have not clarified for me what is ‘random kindness’ in the sphere of things that God recommends to humanity. Does God exercise ‘random kindness’ toward us? Is this something to espouse?
Thanks for sparking the debate
Marvia