Movie · 2014 · Adventure, Drama, Action · 2h 30m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 0.8/10 (279.6K ratings)
When men ruled as gods, one was chosen to change the world.
Overview
The defiant leader Moses rises up against the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses, setting 400,000 slaves on a monumental journey of escape from Egypt and its terrifying cycle of deadly plagues.
Ratings
Curator score: 0.8/10
IMDb: 6.0/10
Letterboxd: 2.50/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 29%
Metacritic: 52
TMDB: 5.9/10
Director
Ridley Scott
Production
20th Century Fox, TSG Entertainment, Chernin Entertainment, Babieka Films, Volcano Films, Scott Free Productions
Cast
Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Ben Kingsley, John Turturro, Aaron Paul, Golshifteh Farahani, Ben Mendelsohn, Sigourney Weaver, Hiam Abbass, María Valverde, Isaac Andrews, Indira Varma, Ewen Bremner, Ghassan Massoud, Tara Fitzgerald, Dar Salim, Andrew Tarbet, Ken Bones, Hal Hewetson, Christopher Sciueref
Curator Review
Verdict
A visually polished but dramatically thin biblical epic that often feels bloodless, sluggish, and oddly detached from its own scale. It has a few strong images and moments of tension, but the film’s ponderous pacing, uneven performances, and controversial casting choices make it hard to recommend except to viewers specifically curious about Ridley Scott’s take on a familiar story.
Best for
Viewers interested in large-scale biblical epics and production design
Fans of Ridley Scott’s grand historical spectacle, even when the film misfires
People who want to compare a modern, darker retelling of a classic religious story
Skip if
You want an emotionally engaging or spiritually resonant adaptation
You’re looking for brisk action or consistently thrilling set pieces
Whitewashing and historical authenticity issues are a dealbreaker
You prefer biblical films with stronger character focus and momentum
Overview
Exodus: Gods and Kings has the look of an expensive prestige epic, with Ridley Scott leaning into dust, scale, and severity. The Egyptian court material has some life, and the movie occasionally delivers striking imagery, but it rarely builds real dramatic heat around Moses, Ramses, or the plagues that should be its engine.
Worth noting
The film’s biggest problem is that it feels strangely drained. What should be a sweeping conflict between faith, power, and liberation plays more like a series of dutiful plot points, with long stretches of exposition and a muted emotional register. Even the action tends to feel constrained rather than overwhelming.
Bottom line
There is craft here, but not enough vitality to overcome the film’s flatness and the distracting controversies around its casting. For viewers who like their epics grim and polished, it may be worth a look; for most audiences, there are stronger, more stirring biblical and historical spectacles elsewhere.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Josh Lewis (2★) · 569 likes
A dark and gritty reboot of the Old Testament.
Milez Das (2★) · 312 likes
When I hear the name Ridley Scott, I have a image of Blade Runner in my mind with the atmosphere of Alien and the epicness of Gladiator.
But for the last few years Ridley Scott has lost his way in the imagery of movies. His recent movies are a visual treat but when we think of the content he is presenting it isn't what he was showing 10 years back.
Exodus Gods and Kings is a story about Humans and… more
David Sims (2★) · 237 likes
it's clear what interests Ridley, or at least feels different--the first 30 mins at Egyptian court actually have some juice--but boy does this get sluggish as it yadda yaddas the Haggadah.
for an actor I like, Bale has a lot of star vehicles that's just him with a beard grumbling at folks
matt lynch (2★) · 202 likes
technically only the second most boring movie called EXODUS. wants very much to be KINGDOM OF HEAVEN crossed with 2012 but is both insufficiently thoughtful and insufficiently bonkers. a whitewashed cast is the least of its problems.
Tylot Lantern (2★) · 193 likes
Ramses II has the most punchable face I’ve ever seen.
2000 · Action, Drama, Adventure · 2h 35m · R · Curator 8.4/10 (3.8M ratings) · Where to watch: Hulu, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Kanopy, AMC, Philo
Ridley Scott at his most propulsive in a historical epic about power, vengeance, and spectacle.