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For the week of February 9th-15th, Noah was the seventh-most-watched film on Netflix globally. During that time frame, it accumulated 3.6 million views and was watched for 8.3 million hours. It beat out movies like Twisters and Homefront to secure its place on the streamer’s chart. This is the sixth overall week Noah has ranked in Netflix’s top 10 in its history; a couple of years ago, Noah was a hit on Netflix in the United States, a turn of events that seemingly surprised none other than Crowe.
Why Noah Is a Streaming Hit on Netflix
It’s surprising to see Noah rise up the Netflix charts again, but there are explanations for this turn of events. Noah is the type of film that typically does well on streaming. Critics gave it mostly positive reviews back in 2014 when it premiered (75% on Rotten Tomatoes), but audiences weren’t nearly as kind (41% audience score). The mixed word of mouth might have discouraged some people from checking it out in theaters, feeling the film wasn’t worth the time and cost of a trip to the theater. Now that it’s on Netflix, it’s easier for those same people to give the film a chance.
It’s been a while since Noah was in the headlines, but movie fans likely remember the discourse surrounding the picture when it was originally released. Noah generated multiple controversies, ranging from accusations of a white-washed cast to criticisms over its handling of the main narrative. Whenever a film is divisive like this, there are viewers who become more interested in watching it — if only out of morbid curiosity to see where they stand in the debates. Rather than rely on reviews and think pieces from others, there are those who’d like to form their own opinions.
