Review of Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) by Erick K — 07 Mar 2015

Since Christian Bale is in this thing, let's just call it "Moses Begins/The Prophet Rises:" a gritty, somber take on the Exodus saga filled with monochromatic earth tones, abrupt fast-forwards, that Daggett weasel who tried to buy out Wayne Industries, and lots and lots of backstory.

After a slow first half that sets Moses and Ramses against one another as bromantic frenemies for life, the second half is when "Exodus: G & K" turns into the movie promised in the trailers as the Plagues descend on Egypt and it's as visceral, painterly and terrifying as you'd expect from Ridley Scott and 200 million plus dollars.

There was some bad press around this thing for using white actors for the lead Hebrew and Egyptian roles, but I think using authentic North African actors to play oppressors of authentic Jews in the current political climate would've been a whole other Pandora's Box of problems.

But Scott doesn't skimp on the feel-real details elsewhere so the sets, costumes, and photography make for some choice eye-candy throughout. And hiring a bratty-looking pre-teen boy as the messenger of God during Moses' "Joan of Arc(adia)-style" one-on-ones is kind of ingenious and reinforces the idea of Old Testament God/Jehovah as both creator of all and arbitrary killing machine.