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VeggieTales: Noah's Ark
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Upbeat faith-based musical about grim Bible tale.
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VeggieTales: Noah's Ark
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Based on 3 parent reviews
The BEST :)
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PLEASE WATCH AND PRAISE JESUS
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What's the Story?
God is fed up with the violence and corruption of man and the earth and warns the one good man he knows, Noah, that he plans to wipe out humanity with a flood. Noah, who was around 500 years old at the time, has 120 years to build a big ark and gather up his family and two of each of the world's animals into safety so God can start over after the waters subside. It's a grim story made more upbeat by catchy songs and goofy-looking vegetable characters brightening it enough to make it more child-friendly. A "Silly Songs with Larry" segment features Larry in a safari outfit searching for a golden chocolate egg.
Is It Any Good?
As with all VeggieTales, the animation achieves beautiful cinematic effects. Many VT episodes revolve around metaphorical stories to illustrate virtues and vices, as well as hardships and life strategies for overcoming them. VT customarily presents the stories in a knowing tone, recognizing that the fantastical stories on which religions are based may seem like fairy tales to young modern-era ears. Usually even stories directly from the Bible, such as the VeggieTales' David and Goliath retelling, feel modernized to suit the humor and attention span of small kids.
This time Noah is taken straight from the Bible without much modern leavening, and references to God are sprinkled heavily throughout. It feels as if loyalty to the original text has stifled the usual creativity at the heart of most VeggieTales. Non-believing parents who feel comfortable setting the kids in front of many VT episodes may hesitate at the onslaught of admonitions about the need for belief and bowing to "God's plans." With that said, Wayne Brady voices Shem, Noah's son, well, and Mike Nawrocki and Phil Vischer are wonderful voicing various characters.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how long it would take to build a ship large enough to carry a family and two each of all the animals on earth. Would it even be possible to build such a vessel?
According to the story, Noah, his family, and the animals lived aboard the ark for around a year. What are some of the supplies you would bring to take care of animals for that long?
What do you think rainbows mean?
Movie Details
- On DVD or streaming: March 3, 2015
- Cast: Wayne Brady , Mike Nawrocki , Phil Vischer , Jaci Velasquez
- Director: Mike Nawrocki
- Inclusion Information: Pansexual actors, Black actors, Latino actors
- Studio: Big Idea Productions
- Genre: Family and Kids
- Run time: 48 minutes
- MPAA rating: NR
- Last updated: February 24, 2023
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