Noah’s Ark: A Musical Adventure Cinema Review

4 star humorous and endearing take on a classic tale.

Noah’s Ark is a 2024 children’s musical comedy adventure. It is a Brazilian and Indian co-production, written by Sergio Machado (River of Desire, The Violin Teacher), who also directs alongside Alois Di Leo.

Inspired by the poems of renowned Brazilian composer Vinicius de Moraes, this uplifting and thought provoking musical is in UK cinemas from 23rd August 2024, courtesy of Dazzler Media.

“I’ve tried my best, but what’s a God to do? I’m just going to have to shake it all up and start all over again from scratch…I’m sending a rainstorm that will last 40 days and 40 nights.”

Vini (Rodrigo Santoro – 300, Love Actually) and Tom (Marcelo Adnet – Party Crashers 2) are a couple of bohemian mice who are trying to earn a living making their music, with little success. Barred from every establishment in town, they are running out of options, until one night they accidentally overhear an important conversation.

That conversation is between God and Noah and reveals that a great storm in approaching. Noah must construct an ark and preserve one male and one female of every species. He is understandably perturbed by the logistics of this operation, as are Vini and Tom, who are of course both male. They begin to plot a way for them both to get aboard, you can’t break up the band!

They enlist the help of Noah’s granddaughter Susana (Laila McCann), but when that fails to pan out they are separated by the storm. Tom makes it on with female mouse Nina (Alice Braga – I Am Legend, The Suicide Squad) but Vini is left to fend for himself. He enlists the help of dodgy cockroach Alfonso (Christopher Corey Smith – Starfield) and his pals, but when they finally make it aboard, they realise that the lion Baruk (Keith Silverstein – Sand Land) has taken charge of all the predators on board and is holding the boat to ransom.

The two plucky mice and their new friends must use what they know best to save the day, their music.

“Look, I can try, but wouldn’t a more useful animal make more sense, like a dog, or a horse, even a cow maybe? I’m sorry. I’m so sorry guys.”

Noah’s Ark: A Musical Adventure is a really good fun film to watch. The animation is excellent, lots of detail and very colourful and packed with quirky characters. Although everyone knows the story of Noah’s Ark, this takes a humorous look at the obvious holes in the story to great effect.

There is an opportunity here to start a serious conversation regarding climate change, prejudice and tolerance with youngsters, or alternatively just a great afternoon out for the family. The music is also far better than anticipated, catchy but not as repetitive and annoying as films of this kind often are.

All in all, sure to delight your little ones but enough humour for adults to enjoy the experience too. Well worth a trip to the cinema.

“Two males of the same specimen? Wherefore such preferentialism for such useless beings? I hereby declare that the first creature to be devoured shall be the extra mouse. 

Dazzler Media presents Noah‘s Ark in UK and Irish cinemas from 23 August