"Exodus: Gods and Kings" Gets Mixed Reviews (Watch Trailer Here)

By Timothy Yap Dec 08, 2014 04:28 PM EST

Ridley Scott's "Exodus: Gods and Kings" will open in theaters in the US on December 12th. In some foreign cities, the film has already already been showing a week earlier than the US. The reviews are already in: most of which are mixed. Many critics have praised the movie for its special effects, the lavish production and its less deviant Biblical storyline in contrast to the movie "Noah." However, there are those who have reserved criticisms for the movie's use of its prevalent use of white actors, the inevitable additions to the Biblical narratives, the movie's length and undeveloped characters.

'Exodus: Gods and Kings' stars Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, John Turturro, Aaron Paul, Ben Mendelsohn, Sigourney Weaver, and Ben Kingsley. According to the film summary, the movie is set to retell the biblical account, found in Exodus, of Moses- a prophet who stood up to Pharaoh Ramses and helps free more than 600,000 slaves. Moses will then lead those people through the desert away from Egypt. It was filmed in Almería, Spain along the Mediterranean Sea, in Fuerteventura, and on one of the Canary Islands.

Christianity Today lauds the film for its visual effects: "This film is a visual feast. There are some absolutely breathtaking shots and the set pieces are done with relish. The Ten Plagues are aesthetically lavish, the panoramic views of ancient Egypt are spell-binding, and of course the closing (rather than the parting) of the Red Sea leaves you, along with the Egyptian army, gasping for breath."

Sydney Morning Herald, on the other hand, is more reserved in its review of the movie: "When it comes to action and spectacle, to depicting plagues of locusts, swarms of frogs, rivers of blood, the fury of battle and the unpredictability of the Red Sea, it's energetic and striking; it's a vivid, imposing evocation of the world of Egypt, and Scott uses 3D to good effect, albeit discreetly. Yet it falls flat in certain areas; several characters are underwritten, the narrative drags at times, and scenes such as the delivery of the Ten Commandments are surprisingly perfunctory."

Rocking God's Horse website praises the movie for sticking closer to the Bible than the movie "Noah:" "The Exodus story is such a critical core to cultures - from the Ten Commandments in our judicial system to Judaism and its memorializing of the Exodus story every year during Passover - that it would, in my estimation, be much harder to get a script through Hollywood that desecrates the Exodus account. Noah, however, does not have the same place in our culture's conscious of Political Correctness. People in non-Christian communities are more protective of the Moses story than they are of Noah - at least, that's what I've seen in my friendships and associations with non-Christians over the years."

So, what's the final verdict? According to Christianity Today: "Should you go and see Exodus? If you are looking for classic Ridley Scott movie along the lines of 'Gladiator' or 'Alien' then sadly, no. 'Exodus: Gods and Kings' is nowhere near as innovative. And if you're hoping for a biblically faithful retelling of the book of Exodus - then again, no. Scott plays fast and loose with the scriptures, making some huge deviations for artistic effect. But, if you want a talking point movie that will make you gasp, think and wonder then this film is a real treat."

Rope of Silicon: "Exodus is a bad movie. It's an uninteresting and boring movie fit to be made fun of and otherwise ignored. It will be forgotten before the year is over and perhaps, by me, even sooner."

"Exodus: Gods and Kings' hit 10 foreign markets last weekend, a week before its U.S. release, and grossed $23 million showing no sign of a boycott but following in the footsteps of other popular well-grossing Biblical films.

Watch the trailer below: