Exodus: Gods and Kings

****
UK Release Date: December 26th 2014

The defiant leader Moses rises up against the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses, setting 600,000 slaves on a monumental journey of escape from Egypt and its terrifying cycle of deadly plagues.

Director: Ridley Scott (Prometheus, Blade Runner, Alien)

Starring: Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, John Turturro, Aaron Paul, Maria Valverde, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley

Some will see Exodus: Gods and Kings as Ridley Scott's redemption after the 'love-it-or-hate-it' Prometheus in 2012. It contains the grandness and spectacle we like to see in an epic disaster/action movie, yet never amounts to more than a soft boil when we would love a full on explosion. There are morals to the biblical tale of Moses and the Hebrews. No matter the odds, there is room for hope. With a little belief, anything is possible. Christian Bale is Moses, cast out by his brother Ramses (played by Joel Edgerton, in very fine form) after finding out he's Hebrew, one of the very people he enslaves. Bale and Edgerton are sublime; the latter's act of evil will be his downfall (morals to be learned here) and the former's personal demons are akin to God, who takes the form of a young child. One plays with God, the other think he's God. The middle seciton of Exodus is wrought with the deadly plagues. These acts of God are benevolent to watch but also feels like watching a documentary. Characters sit back and relax whilst events unfold. Thankfully this two and a half hour film doesn't feel stretched because the acting is tough and the scenery is impeccable. The ending, however, may leave you with mixed emotions.

4/5