EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS (D)

Bottom Line: Train wrexodus!  In the form of this 142 minute, goofily envisioned yawnfest, Director Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner, Gladiator – good Lord this guy used to be brilliant!) adds another loathsome plague to the already existing biblical ten.  The story – nothing if not cinema reboot ready – is given tons of room to breathe but little in the way of creative oxygen as it plays things a little too safe and a little too uninteresting – with the occasional awkward flourish that’s sure to toe the line of the faithful.  Uninspired direction, uneven dialogue, underdeveloped, big name performances (Weaver and Kingsley are useless) and unbelievably cheesy special effects (for the most part) – this is a master class in how to effectively make an audience shrug their shoulders and forget your movie the second they get home…  Exodus: Gods and Kings doesn’t have the balls to be bonkers (like this year’s NOAH) nor the brains to be bold.  It may feature a solid turn from the guy who played The Dark Knight, but the grand scope of this movie is still nothing more than an epic Christian fail.

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

Directed by: Ridley Scott (ALIEN, BLADE RUNNER, GLADIATOR and PROMETHEUS)

Rated: PG-13

Running time: 142 minutes

Studio description: From acclaimed director Ridley Scott (Gladiator, Prometheus) comes the epic adventure "Exodus: Gods and Kings," the story of one man's daring courage to take on the might of an empire. Using state of the art visual effects and 3D immersion, Scott brings new life to the story of the defiant leader Moses (Christian Bale) as he rises up against the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses (Joel Edgerton), setting 600,000 slaves on a monumental journey of escape from Egypt and its terrifying cycle of deadly plagues. (c) Fox

Official site: www.exodusgodsandkings.com