Fridae

Tom Shadyac hit paydirt in 2003 with Bruce Almighty, a comedy starring Jim Carrey imbued with the power of God. The film was well received by mainstream audiences (though it was not so favoured by critics), which is probably why the sequel, Evan Almighty, was greenlit. This time, God does not imbue anyone with His powers; instead, he tells someone to build an ark. Surprisingly, though, Evan Almighty is really low on laughs, and anyone who assumes that this sequel is a comedy may feel slightly underwhelmed.

Evan Baxter (Steve Carrell), a news anchor turned congressman, has just begun his new career and trying to make good his campaign slogan of "Change the World", when he's visited by God (Morgan Freeman, reprising his role in Bruce Almighty). The purpose of visit? To command Evan to build an ark.

Initially disbelieving, Evan is soon convinced of his higher purpose by a series of unfortunate events, including an ever-increasing menagerie of animals that are drawn to Evan like bees to honey. However, not everyone around him is as convinced � this includes his wife (Lauren Graham) and his staff, but Evan forges ahead, "encouraged" every once in a while by God. Will Evan succeed in his grand venture, or will he be written off as a madman, his ark destroyed before its purpose is clear?

The biggest flaw in Evan Almighty lies not in the movie itself but in the marketing of the film. Sold as a comedic follow up to Bruce Almighty, Evan Almighty is actually not a very funny movie. Sure, there are scenes that would make one smile or titter, but nothing actually comes close to being laugh-out-loud funny. This is particularly surprising considering the number of comedians that are found in the film, ranging from Steve Carrell to Saturday Night Live alumni Molly Shannon and famous comedienne Wanda Sykes, who are all given very little content to work with.

The CGI that is found in Evan Almighty is also possibly the worst we have seen this year, and the final climactic sequence on the ark looks so amateurish that it's unintentionally funny. There's also a few gaping plot holes in the movie, and the film never makes an effort to explain itself, which works against its favour. However, for those who like sentimental, schmaltzy moments, you will get more than your fair share in the film, and surprisingly Evan Almighty does manage to pull off some rather positive, life-affirming scenes. It may seem a little out of place, but it does save the movie from being a total washout.