I wasn't that big a fan of Bruce Almighty, but at least that movie contained some funny bits. Evan Almighty doesn't even manage that. It has to be one of the flattest, unfunny comedies that I've seen in a very long time. Honestly, the best I could manage was a weak smile here or there.

This time around, instead of giving his powers away, God is harassing poor Congressman Baxter by forcing him into being Noah and making him build an ark. It's all in a good cause, as it turns out, but in the meantime he humiliates him by forcing him to not only act like Noah, but also look and dress like him. He nearly loses his job, his family and his sanity, but hey, he's God, and everybody knows he works in mysterious ways.

Lately Hollywood can't seem to get away from pushing an over-simplified environmental message and this one is no different. Humanity is evil, spoiling the beautiful valley where Evan lives by their mere presence. (I guess we're only supposed to live in the ugly places of the world.) Also, according to this movie, progress, congressmen and working hard at your job are also all evil. Apparently what's not evil though is accepting a product placement for a gas guzzling Hummer. No big deal normally, but when a movie touts itself as being so environmentally friendly, seeing them show what amounts to a five-second advertisement for one, provided me with the biggest smile I got from this movie.

The cast tries to make the most out of a bad situation, but there's only so much they can do. Carrell is game as the put upon Congressman, but is given so little to work with that there's virtually nothing he can do with the part. Freeman is given next to nothing to do, probably appearing on screen less than 10 minutes in total. As for the other supporting players, the Baxter family is simply bland, Goodman plays an over-the-top stereo-typical congressman, and Wanda Sykes' schtick has grown tired.

You ever notice how watching a good movie makes you feel energized? Well, with me it does. After walking out of this movie, I felt absolutely exhausted.

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According to Evan Almighty, God is a liberal Environmentalist? That's hardly surprising coming from Hollywood, but the fact that they make him a hypocrite as well, just shows how religiously ignorant this movie is.

Freeman, as God, says to Evan, "Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?"

His point being that "God" merely presents an opportunity to man, who then has the free will to do with it what he wants. In Evan Almighty, "God" does not present Evan with an opportunity. He forces it on him. "God" buys the land next to him. He has the wood delivered to him. He makes his beard grow. He forces him to wear the robe. When Evan prays for a giant, yet ancient, piece of construction equipment, "God" instantly gives it to him. "God" even provides Evan with a book, Ark Building for Dummies. "God" does not allow Evan to prove his faith. He forces it upon him.

None of this crack pot hypocrisy is surprising, considering that the writer, Steve Oedekerk, previously wrote the politically correct screenplay for Barnyard, which featured a Vegan farmer.

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