Review of Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014) by Victor D — 02 Feb 2015

When one imagines director Ridley Scott in combination with a historic (or Biblical) epic, sky-high expectations are always evoked. Exodus: Gods and Kings makes no exception to this. Beautifully shot, epically told and with solid leading performances, Exodus fails to even get near to the level of initial expectations. With is unevenly paced development, lack of emotional load and so many interesting opportunities to develop the story missed, it feels as a partially kitschy big budget Christmas release that has no soul.

Too many movies have been made about Moses and one of the most fascinating Biblical stories. The presence of Ridley Scott as the movie director and Christian Bale (Moses) and Joel Edgerton (Ramses) as implies that the audience would be watching a true epic. Indeed, Exodus is huge, visually stunning and with a grandiose approach towards the story. Its beginning is more than impressive, depicting Moses as part of Egypt's Aristocracy, favorite of Seti and a soul brother to Ramses. With an opening battle that would please the many, shining Bale and sharp Edgerton the first 30 minutes of the movie seem as we are going to watch a true cinematographic delight.

Unfortunately something happens and for no particular reason, director Ridley Scott stumbles in the mid-part of his delivery with the period concerning Moses' marriage and Moses' finding of God. When he returns to Egypt and becomes the leader of the Jewish people everyone could expect to see an escalating and gripping tension between Christian Bale and Joel Edgerton. Sadly none of the potential for an ideological, faith and "brotherhood" clash happens. Ridley Scott limits himself to making Christian Bale an observer of God's wrath. At that point the special effects surely make Exodus a beautifully shot epic, but the story loses all its sharpness. Nothing changes during the actual exodus and even the tension that is supposed to erupt at the shores of the Red Sea gets washed away by the sea's waves.

There is no doubt why Exodus: Gods and Kings turned out also to be a real financial flop. The movie is surely beautiful in terms of its technical aspects, has a wonderful cast and so much potential, but the story is simply not told in a way that would captivate the audience. Instead of focusing on the fascinating chemistry between Bale and Edgerton, Ridley Scott decides just to tell a story that has been told countless times. Give it a try, enjoy its effects and battles, but do not approach it with expectations for an award-worthy delivery.