Noah Director: There’s a Very Clear Environmental Message in Book of Genesis

The movie Noah has come under fire for a multitude of reasons, including charges that it leans heavily on environmentalist themes. Director Darren Aronofsky responded in an interview with CNN’s Christiane Amanpour, arguing that there is a clear and present theme of environmentalism in the Book of Genesis that is merely reflected in the film.

Amanpour observed how people have reacted to the movie by branding Noah an “environmentalist wacko.” Aronofsky said the Bible has messages about tending the earth and taking care of all living creatures that he thought needed to be in the movie.

“Noah is out saving the animals. He’s not out saving innocent babies. He’s saving the animals. He’s saving creation. In Genesis 2:15, the first thing that God tells Adam to do is to tend and to keep the garden. It’s right there in Genesis. So it was very clear to us that there was an environmental message, and to pull that message out of it, we think, would have been more of an editing job than just presenting what was there.”

Aronofsky also spoke of the dangers of climate change in the modern era, bringing up the U.N.’s recent report and telling Amanpour, “We are living the second chance that was given to Noah.”

Watch the video below, via CNN:

[photo via screengrab]

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Follow Josh Feldman on Twitter: @feldmaniac

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