Comments on: Evan Almighty or Ras Noah An Di Hawk?

By: Marvia

Marvia — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 21:32:34 +0000

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

By: Bjorn J.

Bjorn J. — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 17:20:11 +0000

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

By: Marvia

Marvia — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 21:53:59 +0000

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

By: dberry

dberry — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 18:22:04 +0000

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