[46] The film was number one in 13 markets. Exodus: Gods and Kings Is a Terrible Movie - but You Should See It Anyway. I think this is because despite the minimization of divine intervention in what is foundational and arguably one of the most significant and vivid stories in the Bible, inspiration does emerge from the story and the Moses character. Take the cord that Nun presses into Moses' hand. In the text, God carves the Ten Commandments into stone himself, and then gives Moses the tabletsforpresentation to the Hebrews- while also demanding thatthe Levites (a tribe within theHebrews) kill all of the calf-worshippers. "[10] Author Brian Godawa responded, "It's accurate to portray Moses as an imperfect hero, so Christians won't take issue with that, but to be so extreme as to call him one of the most barbaric people in history, that sounds like he's going out of his way to distance himself from the very people youd think he wants to appeal to. He responds to the cries of people, not to his LinkedIn popularity profile. As nobody has firsthand experience from a story told over 4000+ years ago there is no possible way to actually make a movie based on the life of Moses and those around him, historically accurate. I use the word "attempt" because the film is an artistic extrapolation of the scriptural texts that shows the obvious and makes up or simply leaves out what the filmmakers don't seem to be able to grasp or think is important. The boycommissions Moses to free the Hebrews; but later, Moses doubts whether his vision was real - or simply a hallucination caused byhis injuries. Drew Goddard adapted the screenplay from the 2011 novel The Martian by Andy Weir.The film depicts an astronaut's lone struggle to survive on Mars after being left behind and the efforts of NASA to rescue him and bring him home to Earth.It also stars Jessica Chastain, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig . [36] It was released in the United Kingdom on December 26. Costume designer: Janty Yates Shortly after, hestandsatop Horeb once again, watching withGod asthe Israelitesbuild a Golden Calf to worship. 2 Hours 30 Minutes. You shall speak all that I command you, and your brother Aaron shall tell Pharaoh to let the Israelites go out of his land. Moses leads the Hebrews back to Midian, where he reunites with Zipporah and Gershom. The hypocrisy is self evident to anyone being truthful to themselves and others. He looked this way and that, and seeing no one he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. Hegep, the viceroy reveals Moses's true lineage to Ramesses, but Ramesses is unconvinced. Written by Adam Cooper, Bill Collage, Jeffrey Caine, Steven Zaillian. Moses is appalled by the horrific conditions the slaves must toil in. This tortured family drama was performed much more persuasively in Gladiator by Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenixand Richard Harris. Excruciating Exodus Movie Exudes Errors Exodus: Gods and Kings reeks with wretchedness Ellen White Biblical archeology 12/18/2014 Colossal expense equals colossal waste for the new Ridley Scott movie Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014). As for how Moses comes to be banished from Egypt, the scriptureneverpinpoints a specific moment whenhis true heritage is revealed to him, whereasthe film inserts an entirely fabricated intervention - specifically a meeting with Hebrew slave, Nun (Ben Kingsley), who outright tells Mosesthe backstory. Starring: Ben Kingsley, Ben Mendelsohn, Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Sigourney Weaver. Although The Ten Commandments won the Oscar for its visual effects, the parting of the Red Sea in DeMilles film was laughably tacky. [34], The film was released on the first weekend of December 4 and 5 on 6,462 screens and in markets such as South Korea, Mexico, Hong Kong, India. Unfortunately for Moses,a pair of spies overheard themeeting with Nun and report back to the corrupt Viceroy HegepofPithom (a character that does not appear at all in Hebrew scripture). Meanwhile, a priestess predicts that someone will save the leader's life and will become the leader. Exodus shines in its magnificence. See more Hollywoods 19 Most Dramatic Big-Screen Transformations, Cast: Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Ben Kingsley, Sigourney Weaver, John Turturro, Ben Mendelsohn, Maria Valverde, Golshifteh Farahani, Indira Varma, Hiam Abbass When Ramses finally commands the people to go, they slowly plod forth, by now 400,000 strong. The film was dedicated to director Ridley Scott's brother Tony Scott, who died on August 19, 2012. Secondly, a lot of choices he makes in the details of the story will not go over well with the a large part of the target audience. He has been raised as a prince of Egypt, a brother to the future pharaoh, Ramses (Joel Edgerton) and he is a general of the Egyptian army. In June 2012, Ridley Scott announced that he was developing an adaptation of the Book of Exodus, tentatively titled Moses. During the battle, Moses saves Ramesses's life, leaving both men troubled. [30] The Red Sea scene was filmed at a beach on Fuerteventura, one of the Canary Islands off the northwest coast of Africa. This drives a wedge between the couple, but Moses leaves anyway. The cults of the gods of Ramses are attested sporadically . Scott's film plays out similarly, as Ramses chases the Hebrews with over 600 chariots in his wake- though the catalyst for Ramses' change of heart is different. But on its own grand, imperfect terms, Exodus: Gods and Kings is undeniably transporting, marked by a free-flowing visual splendor that plays to its creator's unique strengths: Given how many faith-based movies are content to tell their audiences what to think or feel, it's satisfying to see one whose images alone are enough to compel awestruck belief. This is why so many poor reviews have made it to the light of day because so many people out there take the story of Moses (from The Bible) to be a factually accurate account of his time on Earth. That is not what God is about, nor the story. The opening scene of the film sees the Egyptian Pharaoh Seti consulting the High Priestess (played by Varma) about aspects related to omens, portents and also . She tells the two men of the prophecy, in which "a leader" (either Moses or Ramesses) will be "saved" and the savior "will someday lead." Director: Ridley Scott Alligators attack people in the river, which causes the river to run with blood. Sweeping shots of the Egyptian cities take advantage of 3D immersion but . After ending Season 3 with a shocker, fans . Add the fact that, in both versions, God was actively "hardening Pharaoh's heart" and it's clear that Ramses wasn't just evil,hewasbeing pushed deeper intomalevolence, for the purpose of an especially painful comeuppance. Other articles where Exodus: Gods and Kings is discussed: Christian Bale: in Ridley Scott's biblical epic Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) and then portrayed an eccentric money manager in the black comedy The Big Short (2015), about the 2008 financial crisis. "[56] On Metacritic, the film has a score of 52 out of 100, based on 42 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". He talks to Malak again, who tells him that if he truly believes in what he's writi. We'll breakdown any differences betweendepiction of the actual plagues on the next page, but in scripture and on the big screen, Ramses finally grantsthe Israelites their freedom - afterthe loss of his own son (along with hundreds of other Egyptian children) during the "Death of the Firstborn" plague. Aaron also appears in the film (played byAndrew Tarbet) but his role is greatly reduced - serving as one of Moses' generals rather than his voice. He explained during an interview while promoting Exodus: Gods and Kings: . "Ramses has more compassion than this character," Adlerstein said. This oracle creates tension between them -- you know, sibling rivalry. Exodus 3: 10,11: "O my Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor even now that you have spoken to your servant; but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue. Then the Lord said to him, Who gives speech to mortals? The Film: Hebrew slaves are freed, but racial controversy surrounding the . Nowhere do we see singing Jews celebrating their freedom as in the song of Miriam. The film features a number of visually stunning scenes, but above all else, Scott's Exodus movie is still a straightforward drama - meaning that the primary focus is on its human characters. Angered, God commissions Moses to carve the Ten Commandments -as guidelines and principles for the Hebrews to follow going forward. [26] Bale also defended the casting of the film, suggesting audiences need to support big budgeted films starring people of color and stating, "The change will come from independent filmmaking, but audiences have to be there. The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left. The character Malak makes piles of small stones throughout the film, and Adlerstein did not know the significance from the perspective of Orthodox Judaism. Exodus has the added kick of 3D technology, and it has enough eye-popping set pieces to please adventure fans. Nun gives Moses a cord that was on him when he was found floating in a basket as a baby. [21][22], More so, Forbes' Scott Mendelson said that the film did not need to be "whitewashed" and stated that "Even if we accept the argument that Moses had to be played by a world-renowned movie star and that in all likelihood that meant a white actor, I do not accept the idea that the rest of the main cast needed to be filled out with Caucasian actors of varying recognizability. Visit Ben Kendrick's website for info on his fiction work, follow him on Twitter @benkendrick, or check out what he's doing now over at Rise at Seven. The religious culture of the Greeks has come to an end. Following the death of King Seti I,Hegep spreads rumor ofMoses' Hebrew parentage to Ramses in the hopes of earning favor with the new king. Exodus: Gods and Kings is this century's answer to Cecil B. DeMille 's The Ten Commandments, but it already looks to be more controversial than that pious 1956 opus. In keeping with the film's more humane portrayal of Ramses, it isn't until the king's grief turns to rage, during the mummification of his dead son, that he decides to hunt Moses and the freed slaves down. Screenwriters: Adam Cooper, Bill Collage, Jeffrey Caine, Steven Zaillian Ben Kingsley adds gravitas as the elderly Jewish leader, but most of the other actors are stranded with far too little to do. A High Priestess divines a prophecy from animal intestines, which she relates to Ramesses's father, Seti I. Since the waters are at God's command, not Moses (and his staff), a tidal wave of formerly withdrawnsea appears - threatening to kill the Egyptians, Ramses, Moses, and any Hebrew stragglers. [19] Christian Today reported that an online petition was underway. But the long middle section is a rousing good show. [17] Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley, and John Turturro were then still negotiating about joining the cast. Exodus tries to be "Gladiator" and "The Ten Commandments" at one time, failing because one demands an aggressive main character and the other needs a person who loves and obeys God. Going east symbolizes going away from God. The film portrays both Seti and Ramses in a slightlymore positive light. . Yet, when elements of the vision begin to appear in his real life, Moses becomes convinced that he truly has been entrusted with the responsibilityof liberating the Israelites - and leaves his son and wife behind, promising to return once the task is accomplished. Here, Scott conflates these elements into Moses' persona. If "The Prince of Egypt" was the happy Exodus movie (and best) then "Exodus: Gods and Kings" is clearly the darkest and most depressing. [57] Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "B" on scale of A to F.[58], Stephen Farber of The Hollywood Reporter gave a positive review and said, "Scott did a great job reviving the Roman sand-and-sandals epic when he made the Oscar-winning Gladiator. CLICKon any topic to jump directly to it: Despite some significant changes to Moses' adult life, the basic setup for Exodus: Gods and Kings remains the same. Later, Moses volunteers to go to the city of Pithom in place of his cousin to meet with the Viceroy Hegep, who oversees the Hebrew slaves. He's not into freedom, compassion or justice -- just into forcing compliance through demonstrations of power. Moses becomes a shepherd, marries Zipporah, and has a son, Gershom. Using state-of-the-art visual effects, this spectacular adventure brings new life to the story of Moses (Christian Bale) as he defies the . [37], Exodus was banned in Egypt. In fact, Moses and Aaron are directly involved inkicking-off the first plague -when they turn the Nile into a river ofblood (killing all of the fish within itswaters). 1. Edgerton is competent, but we miss the hammy exuberance of DeMilles Ramses, Yul Brynner. [19][20] Four white actors were cast to play the Hebrew and Egyptian lead characters: Christian Bale as Moses, Joel Edgerton as Ramses II, Sigourney Weaver as Queen Tuya, and Aaron Paul as Joshua. "[63] Justin Chang of Variety said, "Some may well desire a purer, fuller version of the story, one more faithful to the text and less clearly shaped by the demands of the Hollywood blockbuster. When they return from battle, Seti tells Ramses to go to Memphis to check out a corrupt viceroy (Ben Mendelsohn) in charge of the Hebrew slaves building the city. It is inspired by the biblical episode of the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt led by Moses and related in the Book of Exodus. __________________________________________. (:1-6) Evidence of God's Hand of Blessing Qualifying Ezra as a Leader. Exodus 7:1-4:The Lord said to Moses, See, I have made you like God to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet. Spectacularly filmed and . The Comfort Zone: Christian Bale's "Exodus" Movie. Moses walks for a long time until he comes to an oasis, where he encounters Zipporah (Mara Valverde), daughter of Jethro (Kevork Malikyan), who are shepherds. The movie should have ended there, but Scott and the writers seem to have felt obliged to include a few of the later parts of the story, including the delivery of the Ten Commandments and a scene of an aged Moses finally arriving near the land of Canaan. In Egypt, Moses reunites with Nun and Joshua, as well as meeting his brother Aaron for the first time. He meets a young Joshua (Aaron Paul) and his father, Nun (Ben Kingsley), who tells Moses what he has suspected all along: Moses is not who he thinks he is. Similarly, the 2014 movietakes a number of liberties with Moses' calling - as well as his overarching relationship with God. We breakdown the story of Moses in 'Exodus: Gods and Kings' and compare any differences in Ridley Scott's 2014 movie to its source material - Hebrew bible scriptures. Moses returns home where soon after Seti dies, and Ramesses becomes the new Pharaoh (Ramesses II). If that title doesn't give it away as a bad movie, I don't know what else will . The film opens with Pharaoh, or Seti (John Turturro), giving almost identical swords to his son, Ramses (Joel Edgerton), and his nephew, Moses (Christian Bale). Leviticus forms a natural sequel to the book of Exodus, since it explains several aspects of religious life the Israelites were to practice at the tabernacle they built (recorded at the end of Exodus). Exodus: Gods and Kings grossed $65 million in the U.S. and Canada and $203 million in other territories for a worldwide total of $268.2 million. Ramses doesn't want to go, so Moses does. [31], In an interview for Access Hollywood, Scott claimed there is a "final" version of the film 4 hours long. It is all based on a translation of documents (books) passed down through generations of re-writes and embellished stories written in a time where true knowledge was scarce and the lack of a print press meant everything was written by hand by man. 1. Inseveral occasions, Moses outright argues with the boy, calling God out for not being involved enough as well as questioning the severity of key plagues that God inflicts upon the Egyptian people. Following a journey into the desert, Moses comes to Midian where he meets Zipporah and her father, Jethro. Exodus: Gods and Kings is a 2014 American biblical epic film directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by Adam Cooper, Bill Collage, Jeffrey Caine, and Steven Zaillian.The film stars Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, John Turturro, Aaron Paul, Ben Mendelsohn, Sigourney Weaver, and Ben Kingsley.It is inspired by the biblical episode of the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt led by Moses and . The final 'Exodus: Gods and Kings' trailer is an anomaly because it's the first piece of marketing for the film that doesn't make us shake our heads in disbelief. However, this isn't a direct endorsement of the NRSVover other versions (or religious overnon-religious beliefs).