|
You are Here » Reviews » Exodus Gods & Kings: The Impressive Epic Scope Is Safe for Christians, General Audiences
December 12, 2014
Share
2
Exodus Gods & Kings: The Impressive Epic Scope Is Safe for Christians, General Audiences
— Posted by
Kenny Miles
 Genre: Action | Adventure | Drama
Both epic in scope and ambition, Exodus: Gods & Kings concludes 2014 as the year of the faith based resurgence that had plenty of movie choices for believers yet an inconsistent track record for Hollywood to figure out. Ridley Scott’s latest is a rousing, old fashioned movie that my father and grandfather enjoy the most. Thankfully, this wasn’t Batman Moses in Gladiator Bible like I was worried about. However, if Noah incited a memorable, daring reaction, Exodus: Gods & Kings re-tells an old story in a familiar way. Safe for the intended, conservative audience, it is rather tame for our imaginations. The portrayal of God as a child was the most edgy, interesting choice that will leave more orthodox audiences feeling uncomfortable.
From cinematography to costumes to special effects, the technical aspects in Exodus: Gods & Kings was quite impressive and the highlight of the movie! The Plagues were gripping and looked great on the big screen! I found it interesting how The Plagues from this story were introduced. They were ecologically connected implying that God created the environment and the dominoes fall into place with man’s interference. It is more “pro-environment” than a typical conservative evangelical would give credit for. Also, I consistently noticed that the budget is clearly on the screen.
 From cinematography to costumes to special effects, the technical aspects in Exodus: Gods & Kings was quite impressive and the highlight of the movie!
Some things didn’t work for me in Exodus: God’s & Kings. It seemed bloated and ran longer than I wanted. Joel Edgerton resembled Billy Zane with a tan. I didn’t recognize him. I really didn’t care for Sigourney Weaver at all. Her presence made Exodus feel like a Cleopatra-caliber turkey. Thankfully, she was barely there. Other than casting, Ridley Scott captures an authentic feel of the Old Testament. I didn’t realize so many people were accidentally caught on fire back then until watching this movie.
It is interesting the debate this has garnered. Filmmakers don’t have a lot of Middle Eastern actors to work with. Heck, liberal comedian Jon Stewart cast a Latino actor to play an Iranian in Rosewater not that long ago. It is a cyclical issue. Is it the filmmakers who should cast more diverse actors or should an industry already have more? This is a chicken or egg situation. And Ridley Scott was vocal in admitting this was what he had to work with. Though I support diversity and wish the industry would do so more often, I wonder when studios will cast diverse actors. If this movie sparks those conversations that bring about change then it is worth it.
This post was written by :
who has written 299 posts on The Movie Blog Whether something is overlooked by Hollywood or whatever business trend has captured the Entertainment Industry’s attention, Kenny Miles loves to talk about movies (especially the cultural impact of a film). He covers various aspects of movies including specialty genre films, limited release, independent, foreign language, documentary features, and THE much infamous "awards season." Also, he likes to offer his opinion on the business of film, marketing strategy, and branding. He currently resides in Denver, Colorado and is a member of the Denver Film Critics Society critics group. When he isn’t writing, Kenny channels his passion for interacting with moviegoers (something most movie pundits lack) as a pollster for the market research company CinemaScore and working as floor staff/special events coordinator in the film community. You can follow him on Twitter @kmiles723. visit author's website | Contact the Author
Around the Web
ZergNet
|
|