Exodus: Gods and Kings - review: 'Christian Bale's Moses lacks any kind of coherence'

Joel Edgerton plays an interestingly sympathetic Ramses II that Christian Bale's Moses just can't measure up to in this Old Testament melange from director Ridley Scott
War cry: Christian Bale is Moses, on a mission to free his people from the Egyptians
Charlotte O'Sullivan19 December 2014

Jesus Christ! No, wait, He’s not in this one. Ridley Scott’s take on Old Testament favourite Moses (Christian Bale) has been mocked for many things: its clunky dialogue, mainly Caucasian cast, heavy use of eye-liner, confusingly choreographed battle scenes and an Almighty (played by a 10-year-old boy) who’s so hoity-toity that you’ll want to biff him on the nose.

Biblical blockbusters often manage to be both conservative and camp. What’s unexpected is that the character with the most interesting arc is Moses' nemesis, Ramses II (Joel Edgerton; impressive). The Pharaoh is a bald schlub in a short, gold dress. He should be a creepy joke, like 300’s Xerxes. Yet, increasingly, what he provokes is sympathy.

Ramses, raised to view Moses as a brother, knows that the latter is his superior and is ultimately undone by insecurity. It’s not Bale’s fault that Moses himself lacks pulling power (though his fidgety accent — a bit English, a lot American — doesn’t help).

Blame the scriptwriters, who want to please everyone — Christians, atheists, fans of the film Noah, even the Life of Brian crowd. The result: a main man whose personality lacks any kind of coherence.

Having been outed as a Hebrew, the erstwhile Egyptian general is sent into exile, settles down with a nice girl, has a kid. And meets God. From this point on, he and the Lord engage in a verbal wrestling match.

Moses tries to free his people (he amasses weapons, makes strategic attacks on Egyptian supplies) only to be told that the war of attrition is taking too long. Says Moses: “After 400 years of slavery, NOW you get impatient.” It’s a funny line but our guy is a scowler extraordinaire.

Famous for his epic visuals, Scott ensures that there are plenty of money shots. Savage crocodiles, rivers of blood; this stuff will make your eyes spin. But if you’ve seen his early work, you’ll surely feel that the 77-year-old Brit isn’t fully engaged.

The presence of Aliens’ Sigourney Weaver (honking like an angry tourist, as Ramses’ mother) reminds us that great films last for ever but talent can fade. She and Scott once seemed divine. Look on their latest work, ye mighty, and despair.

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