Evan Baxter (Steve Carell) is moving up in the world. No longer a television news anchor, he’s just been elected to Congress, moving his wife Joan (Lauren Graham) and their three kids to Washington, DC so they can begin their new lives. And at first things look great. The giant house in a brand new development is spectacular, Baxter’s congressional staff, including trusted aid Rita (Wanda Sykes) and campaign manager Marty (John Michael Higgins) are in love with their new offices and influential Congressman Long (John Goodman) has decided to take the new freshman under his wing and show him the ropes.

But God (Morgan Freeman) has other plans for the wannabe politician. Evan had run on a platform claiming he was going to “Change the World” and that is exactly what he wants the man to do. The Heavenly Father wants him to build an Ark, to have it done by the end of September, and considering he’s The Lord he’s not exactly going to take no for an answer.

Now everyone thinks the new Congressman is going crazy. Prone to dressing in robes, featuring a new beard that would make both the Bee Gees and ZZ Top jealous, being followed by pairs of animals constantly and moving around piles of wood in his backyard with medieval equipment, Evan may not want to be the new Noah but it’s not like he has a choice in the matter. All he and his family can really do is try to keep faith, and knowing God they’re pretty sure he wouldn’t have it any other way.

For what is reportedly the most expensive Hollywood comedy (an estimated $200-million, not including marketing), Evan Almighty has got to be one of the most laid back and absolutely non-confrontational big budget enterprises I’ve ever seen. Unlike the Jim Carrey/Jennifer Aniston original Bruce Almighty, this sequel doesn’t ever get in your face, doesn’t take chances and does everything it can to not rock the boat in regards to its family-friendly PG rating.

Bad puns aside, this film kind of just sits there. It has its amusing moments, and Carell is certainly good for more than his share of hearty belly laughs, but for the majority of the picture’s 90-minute running time the humor never rises any more than above the level one would find in the average ABC sitcom. More, while I certainly don’t have a problem with the strong pro-environment message and the heartwarming morals at the center of the Baxter family’s struggles, I can’t help but think there are better ways to push them over on an audience than this.

Still, I never hated sitting in the theater. Freeman, his smooth and congenially commanding presence pretty much the best thing about the 2003 original, is the best cinematic God this side of George Burns, while star Carell is quickly making the transition form television personality to movie star look far too easy. Graham has a typical throwaway female role yet somehow still manages to make the most of it and of the rest of the supporting players gifted comedian Sykes nearly steals the entire picture right out from under everyone in the cast.

I just wish the film made me more excited than it does. For me, the most telling thing here is that the moment I left the theater and got into the front seat of my friend’s car neither one of us could remember a single stand-out moment or bit from the motion picture. The thing had no staying power, and with that much money on the line I can’t imagine that’s a thing making Universal Studios comfortable probably meaning Evan Almighty is going to need divine intervention in order to turn any sort of profit.

Film Rating:  êê  (out of 4)