Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Evan Almighty (2007)
Director: Tom Shadyac
Synopsis
This sequel to the hit comedy ‘Bruce Almighty’ sees the spotlight shift from newsreader Bruce to his arch enemy Evan Baxter. Now a Congressman, Baxter and his family relocate to Virginia, where Evan’s life is turned upside down by a visit from God. The big man tells him to build an ark in preparation for a great flood, a request that’s easier said than done.
Movie review
From Time Out London
One of the funniest things about ‘Bruce Almighty’ was Steve Carell’s uptight newsreader Evan Baxter – but don’t expect this sequel to be wall-to-wall laughs. Here, Evan has been elected as a congressman and trots off to Washington DC with his wife and kids in tow. Everything looks rosy for the super-slick Evan: there’s a big new house, a fantastic office and a healthy pay packet. But he wasn’t banking on God (Morgan Freeman) making an appearance and asking him to build an ark, thereby exposing him to ridicule from all comers. Gradually, Evan is forced to submit to God’s request and ends up a long-haired laughing stock – but possibly the one man who could save the city from an impending flood.
So, wife, kids, animals coming two by two: this is family-friendly comedy, more ‘Cheaper By The Dozen’ than the relatively grown-up ‘Bruce Almighty’. Evan’s attempts to avoid God’s message are initially amusing as pairs of animals start to pop up everywhere and he find himself unable to shave off his sprouting beard. But moments like the latter will have both theologians and believers frowning: surely looking like a Biblical character isn’t the point? This is, in theory, about the environment, political corruption, one man standing up to the establishment – and the Christian faith. But it’s done with such a safe, cautious hand that it fails to deliver many laughs past the obvious. There is a flash of excitement when the flood comes, despite the dodgy CG. And peripheral characters such as John Goodman’s corrupt congressman and Jonah Hill’s research nerd intermittently amuse. But ‘Evan Almighty’ misses so many tricks, it ultimately misses the mark. Anna Smith
Author: Anna Smith
Time Out London Issue 1928: August 1-7 2007
User reviews of this film
-
- Sarah said...
- Posted on Aug 27 2007 22:54 A really entertaining film. True, it's not Bruce almighty, but then it's lead isn't Jim Carry. I'd advsie anyone to go and see the film.
- Report as inappropriate
-
- ezi said...
-
Posted on Aug 27 2007 09:42
if people stopped leaving comments on how people should spell lots more people would have gone to see the movie!
and i think the movie was brill but the rewiews are abit over rated but thats my opinion xxx - Report as inappropriate
-
- ffffffsd said...
- Posted on Aug 25 2007 13:06 sd
- Report as inappropriate
-
- gemma said...
- Posted on Aug 25 2007 11:17 i'm 11 and me and my mum are thinking of goin watching it is it worth it ?? or is it a wast of money??
- Report as inappropriate
-
- scotti said...
- Posted on Aug 25 2007 00:13 i think the film is very funny so i dont no wot all the other ppl are saying its fantastic! it is worth the money :D
- Report as inappropriate
-
- sharon said...
- Posted on Aug 24 2007 14:27 i thought it was funny. message within the film. loved it. enjoyed the music. would see it again.
- Report as inappropriate
-
- rhianna said...
- Posted on Aug 23 2007 20:15 dis is well kewl in it mush ting i is hard l8taz
- Report as inappropriate
-
- Joseph said...
- Posted on Aug 22 2007 10:15 An excellent film for the kids
- Report as inappropriate
-
- Stevo said...
- Posted on Aug 22 2007 10:14 yabo yabo combo dimby fonkle sinky plonky donkey poofy dumpy crumpy crimble bumble pango dingo jingo bongo bongo. And thats putting it mildly
- Report as inappropriate
-
- erasmus said...
-
Posted on Aug 22 2007 01:58
Enjoyed this film more than most that I have seen lately.
Luckily I am not infected with a desire to appear "with it" or sophisticated, and I watched the film for what it was, a jolly good laugh. - Report as inappropriate
-
- aimie said...
- Posted on Aug 21 2007 21:28 Hey anon dude, of corse its going to be the same as Bruce Almighty its the follow on to the film .. Le Duhh !
- Report as inappropriate
-
- doughnut head said...
-
Posted on Aug 21 2007 11:24
helloooooooooooooooooooooooooo
the film is welll bad . lol. if u wanna watch it dont. waste of time .
HONESTLY
bubi then xxx - Report as inappropriate
-
- des said...
-
Posted on Aug 20 2007 23:02
sanctimonious garbage.
my 8 year old loved it - I didn't! - Report as inappropriate
-
- Stacey said...
- Posted on Aug 20 2007 15:41 Personally I thought this film was not bad, funny but yet at times it did get a little boring. Overall I was glad that I watched this film as I think that it is worth going to see. I did think that Bruce Almighty was a better film though and would not go out of my way to buy this film.
- Report as inappropriate
-
- starly said...
- Posted on Aug 19 2007 13:48 funny
- Report as inappropriate
Cast & crew
Director: Tom Shadyac
Producer: Tom Shadyac, Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Neal H Moritz, Michael Bostick
Cast: Lauren Graham, Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, Wanda Sykes, Molly Shannon, John Goodman, John Michael Higgins, Jimmy Bennett, Jonah Hill, Graham Phillips, Johnny Simmons full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Rated: PG
Duration: 95 mins
UK Release: Aug 3 2007
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Time Out's 101 Films of the Decade
Ten years, thousands of movies and millions of dollars in international box office, and it all boils down to this
Martin Provost discusses 'Séraphine'
Trevor Johnston talks to the director of 'Séraphine' about bringing a little known French painter back to life
Our verdict on Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones
Peter Jackson ends a triumphant decade with a sentimental misfire with this lush Alice Sebold adaptation
On the set of Ken Loach's 'Route Irish'
Dave Calhoun meets Ken Loach on the set of his forthcoming Iraq war movie
Stephen Poliakoff discusses 'Glorious 39'
Stephen Poliakoff’s ‘Glorious 39’ is his first film for cinema since ‘Food of Love’ in 1997. Dave Calhoun met him
Is 'Paranormal Activity' the new 'Blair Witch'?
How does a film go from DIY experiment to box-office smash? 'Paranormal Activity' director Oren Peli explains
Steven Soderbergh on 'The Informant!' and 'The Girlfriend Experience'
We talk to Steven Soderbergh about his two forthcoming films: one featuring a porn star, the other a chubby Matt Damon
A gateway to all things 'New Moon'
In anticipation of 'The Twilight Saga: New Moon', Time Out is offering the chance to pick up a limited edition pack with three exclusive magazines and a free poster.
The films that deserve a TV spin-off
With Roland Emmerich suggesting he'd like to make a '2012' TV spin-off, we propose some more movie-to-TV serialisations
Time Out's 50 greatest animated films with commentary by Terry Gilliam
In celebration of the release of Pixar's 'Up' and Wes Anderson's 'Fantastic Mr Fox', read our rundown of fifty classic feature length animations














What do you think?
Post your review now