I got the chance to attend an advance screening of Evan Almighty, the sequel to Bruce Almighty. Now, I ain’t no highfalutin movie reviewer, so this is from an Average Mike. (The movie opens on 6/22.)
The movie stars Steve Carell of “The Office” and The 40 Year Old Virgin fame (there were several funny references to both in the movie). There was also a bevy of stars: Morgan Freeman, reprising his role as God (who beats the heck outta George Burns’ version), Lauren Graham (“Gilmore Girls”), John Goodman, Wanda Sykes, Molly Shannon, Jon Stewart, and more.
The most significant thing to know is that this is a very different movie from its predecessor Bruce Almighty (which I loved). The first was an adult comedy (PG-13), and this is a family comedy (PG). (And that should set your expectations on the quality – not a cinematic masterpiece, but a fun, 90some minute flick.)
What it shares, though, is some great belly laughs. It is very funny – and quite poignant, maybe more so than BA. And Carell proves what a great physical comedian he is.
Quick summary: Former TV news anchorman, Evan Baxter, is elected to the US Congress. A simple prayer seeking help to change the world results in a divine visitation and the call to build an actual ark in his back yard. The process of Baxter accepting the call and then the building of the ark makes for some great entertainment, including some impressive special effects.
In terms of potentially offensive content – especially for conservative Christians – there is some occasional bathroom humor, a handful of mild swear words (although the overwhelming absence of cursing is refreshing), and an overall emphasis on the conservation of God’s creation, which may ruffle some dyed-in-the-wool conservatives. (Hint: Check your cinematic and political critiques at the door. Just have some fun.)
But it also makes for some pointed observations about life and faith. For instance, when Baxter explains his plans to God, He just laughs and replies, “Your plans?” Funny. Ouch.
It’s also an insightful look into what it might have been like for biblical characters like Noah – dealing with neighbors, coworkers, family, etc. (How would/do we treat those who say they’ve heard from God? Hmmm)
Freeman/God also makes the statement: “Whatever I do, I do it because I love you” – an ongoing theme in the movie.
There are some lessons on obedience in this Hollywood movie. And I loved the portrayal of God, similar to BA – fun, sarcastic, caring. And Carell’s final encounter with God is absolutely perfect. Definitely recommended for just about any age.
Also, some ministries have developed a program for churches called ArkAlmighty, a good deeds program that matches up the needs in congregations and communities with the talents and skills of the members of churches. I heard there are almost 7,000 churches participating. Pretty cool.
BONUS: Some fun trivia (from IMDB) about the movie’s title progression: Bruce Almighty 2 (working title), Bruce: The Second Coming (working title), The Passion of the Ark (original script title).
UPDATE: To answer Eric’s question below, I didn’t catch anything ridiculing any part of the biblical story or faith in general. Quite the contrary. My understanding is that the Producer is an evangelical Christian, who had to agree to some questionable stuff in Bruce Almighty, but with its success, was able to make the family film he wanted to this time. Maybe someone can share links to interviews with him that would shed light on that…?
