Exodus: Gods and Kings

While sporadically stirring, and suitably epic in its ambitions, Exodus: Gods and Kings is uneven and lacking in emotion. The real shame is watching famed British director Ridley Scott, the visionary behind such classics as Alien, Blade Runner and Gladiator. In a creative dead zone. The movie hits all the major points, like checking off boxes on a list, yet tells its tale at an arms-length with paper-thin characters. I would actually suggest watching DreamWorks, The Prince of Egypt to get a more nuance and emotional oomph then Exodus.

Exodus is one of the most telling examples of storytelling mediocrity .Which is completely overshadowed by amazing  production values. The visual are clearly lavishly splurged upon . From the monuments through to the slums of the slave's right down to the extra clad streets, Exodus brims with life and a detailed and often incredible visual palette. What’s the point to all these amazing production values if the script never engages it’s characters. Feels like Scott has become more concerned with spectacle than story.

Before seeing the movie, the media were making a lot of noise around the casting of actors in Exodus. I honestly don't care, Hollywood been making biblical movie with high profile actors since forever. What’s more important to me is if the cast can turn that performance into something. That’s their job. Christian Bale fairs the best, only because he’s imitating Russell Crowe from Gladiator. His incarnation as Moses is unbalanced, they’re moments of

humanity but he feels more a like BC batman. You never really feel the weight of Moses actions and as a audience you don't care what he does. Because you are never given a reason why Moses care about his people. Bale is also the only character in the film that looks like he ages or gets hurt. Everyone else just seems to get sand or dirt on themselves.

Joel Edgerton general looks confused. Like he not sure what to do with his character. The performance is decent but lacking. He plays Rhamses like a confused child with

eyeliner and grizzled looks. It would have been better to just do full over the top villain. The rest of the cast is sadly mis handled. Signorine Weaver is in this movie. She literally does nothing. Then disappears into the background never to be seen again. Aaron Paul's Joshua and Ben Kinglsey's Nun do nothing memorial. They occasionally get to make a face between angry, confused or battle mode. The film has a few genuine moments of memorability, that being all largely related to the onset of the plagues. 

These really are the set piece for seeing the movie. The impressive visuals, stunning sets and genuinely wow moments concerning the plagues lift the movie up. Shows off Scott’s masterful direction of his production department. Like a conductor of biblical mayhem. It’s not enough to save this emotionally void epic from a giant wave of the mundane. 

I hope he can break his slump and remember how to portray his characters actions. Rather than relying on visual effects.

2 out of 5  confused actors with eyeliner and grizzled looks.