Evan Almighty -The Almighty Series

“Evan Almighty” is a 2007 comedy film, and the stand-alone sequel to the 2003 “Bruce Almighty”. The main plot of the film is a modern-day retelling of Noah's Ark. God, played once again by Morgan Freeman, contacts Congressman Evan Baxter, played by Steve Carell, and tells him to build an ark in preparation for a great flood.

Now to start off, there are a few features that you just can’t deny about “Evan Almighty”. It was definitely silly: very abnormal actions in which you can find entertainment. Although it did not give the same feeling as a Jim Carrey film, it did succeed creating an aura of silliness. It might not induce side splitting laughter, however it does a great job at distracting from some of the serious issues we might face day to day. This is due to overall lightheartedness and lessons taught throughout the movie that everyone can learn and grow from. Within the movie, there was a virtuous central message, one about the value in family, trust, and faith. Evan Baxter was going through many hardships, and could eventually rely on his family even when it got assuredly tough. Evan also cemented his faith in God and what he was being asked to do. And to tie both those together, there was a lot of trust present. One of the best upsides to this movie is it not a repeat of “Bruce Almighty”. For the most part, it stays separate to its prequel, with the only continuity being Morgan Freeman and Steve Carell's roles. One thing that is widely complained about in sequels is they are usually too attached to the previous movie, are said to ride on both the previous films fame and plot to elevate the movie, and usually lack the storytelling to make a decent and original film. “Evan Almighty” avoids this completely by focusing on a different main character who moves to a different setting but all within the same universe as the previous movie. This allows it to escape expectations and be its own film while still holding continuity.

On the other hand, there are other undeniable aspects to these movies that may not be as well received. First off, it is widely recognized and agreed upon as a comedy film, however, that can be easily debated due to the lack of wit.The few “jokes” that are present are a shot in the dark that completely misses the audience, and eventually just leaves us to cringe. Hilarious, jovial, comical -few words that could not and should not be associated with this movie at any moment. Furthermore, there was clear evidence of lazy screenwriting with a plethora of scenes that are just too foreseeable and commonplace. Coupled with the indolent screenwriting, the plot was extremely slow paced, and many of the scenes could’ve been cut down, or simply taken out, because it added next to nothing to the actual plot. The final critique, similar to the one I had with “Bruce Almighty”, was that there a lot of comedic talent yet no actual comedy. The comedic potential with the actors and actresses was tremendously high, yet they all underperformed and seemed to give minimalistic effort. This is in part due to the lackluster writing on the film itself, which hindered the actors’/actresses’ ability in bringing their natural sense of humor.

My rating for Evan Almighty is 4/10. The low rating is well deserved, nonetheless and surprisingly, I would still recommend this film. Even though it might not be one to talk about for months, even days, to come, it is a great movie to pass the time (guilty pleasure at most).

Fun Fact #1: Muslim’s in Malaysia's called for a ban on the film, claiming it is offensive to Islam. Both depicting the great flood as comedy and characterizing God with the portrayal of a human are considered blasphemous in Islam.

Fun Fact #2: Several visual effect companies were used to provide CGI for the numerous animals and the climactic flood scene. By the time the film had completed production, it had become the most expensive comedy film ever made at the time.