'Evan Almighty' - Tom Shadyac (2007)

In this timely sequel to 2003's box office hit Bruce Almighty, Steve Carrell reprises his role as news reader Evan Baxter.

Newly elected to Congress, Evan must save the animals from an impending flood. With an epic budget of $175 million, no one can argue that this faith-based family comedy is awash with cash but Evan Almighty suffers from a severe drought of laughs.

Following the Almighty's move to the Virginia hills, Evan's prays to God to "Change the world.".  Asked to co-sponsor a bill by Congressman Long (John Goodman) Evan accepts the offer believing his prayers have been answered.  When tools and timber turn up at the family home, he starts to think he is losing it, only to be visited by God (Morgan Freeman) who tells him to build an ark in preparation for a flood, and with seemingly divine intervention Carell's character leap-frogs from narcissism to altruism with alarming ease.

Steve Carell's standout performance as the confident, preening, news reader in Bruce Almighty might have marked him out as an obvious successor to Jim Carrey's original star turn, but you can't help but wonder why he would sign up for such a lacklustre affair. After the success of The 40 Year Old Virgin and Little Miss Sunshine, Carell deserves better material that plays to his own comedic strengths.

There are many elements to Evan Almighty that simply don't stand up under closer scrutiny.  Why, in the small suburban town of Huntsville is Evan able or required to gather animals from outside of the continent he lives in? Equally, when Evan begins to sprout facial hair, that he cannot remove, does he not show anyone what happens? Rather than face mass rejection from family and friends.

Every time the film stumbles, director Tom Shadyac remains true to his Nutty Professor roots and rolls out another batch of animals to crap, spit or crotch-grab any cast member at hand. As with the Nutty Professor and Bruce Almighty, Shadyac aims for a moral centre, shifting from Bruce's debate on where power comes from to Evan's struggle with the relinquishing of power for the sake of others, but ends up faltering as the films sails towards an all too obvious conclusion.