Stowaways on the Ark

A joint production of German and British animators, this interesting gloss on the story of Noah will raise more than a few eyebrows in the hoi polloi, and mayhaps a few complaints from Christian fundamentalists. Told from the point of view of a woodworm recalling his ancestors perilous trip on the high seas of the Flood, the film flashes back to the building of the ark. God, whom Noah calls "Boss," pays a visit to the imminent captain, and feigning a parched throat, immediately requisitions some wine. Once the finishing touches to the ark have been applied, God christens the ship--bouncing two bottles ineffectively off the bow, before winding up like Gaylord Perry and putting a little Righteous Indignation on the throw. In short order, the animals come marching two by two, until the ark is ready to set sail, whereupon a lone mother dragon bearing an egg comes bouncing up the gangplank. Tripping on the top step, she breaks the egg, and wailing sends out a few flickers of flame. Good Christians that they are, Noah's sons immediately kick the poor dragon's butt off the ark. Then the story really begins: Willie and Alice, a woodworm couple, are stowaways on the ark who are eventually blamed for all the holes popping up in the bottom (actually it's the termites), and must defend their honor as well as save their hides by stopping the real culprits. Above average animation and charming characters can't quite offset the occasional zingers which pop up throughout (as a way of ridding the ark of the woodworms, one of Noah's sons tells the woodpeckers to get busy procreating "and not just for fun"). Granted there's more sex and violence in the Bible than you'll find in a whole festival's worth of feature films, but drunkenness, smoking, and pitching woo in a children's adaptation of a biblical tale is probably not a real smart move. I enjoyed it, but I'm not the intended audience. Not recommended. (R. Pitman)