'Noah' Director Darren Aronofsky Responds to 'Environmental Wacko' Accusations (Video)

"It was very clear to us that there was an environmental message," the director says of his interpretation of the Old Testament as it related to Noah.

Noah director Darren Aronofsky on Tuesday responded to critics who have called his version of the biblical character an "environmental wacko."

Speaking to CNN's Christiane Amanpour, the director was asked if he believed that label to be accurate.

PHOTOS: 'Noah's' Berlin Premiere

"It's in Genesis," he replied. "Noah is saving the animals; he's not out there saving innocent babies; he's saving the animals, he's saving creation."

Aronofsky added that he "studied every word" in the Old Testament as it related to Noah.

"It was very clear to us that there was an environmental message," the director said. "To pull that message out of it, we think, would have been more of an editing job than just sort of representing what's there."

STORY: Darren Aronofsky Opens Up on the Biblical Battle to Woo Christians (and Everyone Else)

Referring to a United Nations report released this week about how climate change is affecting the world, Aronofsky added: "The water is rising, and we already saw it once. We are living the second chance that was given to Noah."

The controversial biblical epic opened to a stellar $44 million in North America over the weekend.

Amanpour airs weekdays at 2 p.m. ET and 5 p.m. ET on CNN International. Watch an excerpt from the interview below.