Finding Noah (Film) Review
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“An adventure of faith” Noah’s Ark. It’s the great equalizer as far as ancient history is concerned. Across continents, over oceans, through varying cultures and religions, the legend of a great flood and an ark that saved our species and others has prevailed. And what is truly fascinating about it is how very similar the […]
“An adventure of faith”
Noah’s Ark. It’s the great equalizer as far as ancient history is concerned. Across continents, over oceans, through varying cultures and religions, the legend of a great flood and an ark that saved our species and others has prevailed. And what is truly fascinating about it is how very similar the stories are. All signs, even geological, point to a major flood event in our past, and for followers of the Bible, it’s a vivid reminder of the power of God. So it’s no surprise that many have dedicated their life to finding the remains of the ark. What may come as a surprise to you is how many people have claimed to have seen it.
Finding Noah is a documentary that really tells two different stories. Ostensibly, it is a film about a team of skilled professionals and their expedition up Mount Ararat as they search for the ark. Various texts and accounts of ark sightings all point to this treacherous mountain range and it’s enormous glacier as the final resting place of the ark. And the fact that it could have lain incased in ice all these centuries gives hope that it may have actually been preserved mostly intact. It is this hope that keeps the adventurers going as they brave harsh weather, treacherous terrain, and strict government constraints in their quest to uncover the ark. To them, finding the ark would change everything, and plenty of screen time is given to their thoughts on and hopes as they work their way up the mountain.
The expedition itself is really quite fascinating – who knew such untamed and largely unexplored lands existed in our increasingly overpopulated world? Though the film covers the expedition itself, it feels like a film that is more about the search for the ark – past and present. To this end, viewers are given detailed looks at the history behind searching for Noah’s Ark. Starting with the Bible story of course, but going on the show the various religions and cultures who share a story of the great flood, the percentages with which the stories agree, and pretty extensive history on those who have searched for the ark, as well as those who have claimed to see it or pieces of it, throughout history. Much of it was completely new to me, and it provided a reasoned look at why Mount Ararat seems to be the most likely place to find it.
Finding Noah is an unique look at Noah’s Ark. From providing history of the ark as well as the flood story, to offering a variety of interviews with professionals of all sorts on the various issues associated with it, it gives a well rounded look at the search for Noah’s Ark, past and present. Though the expedition team certainly runs on faith, it’s more a look at history than a religious film, and it really does make you look at the issue in a new light.