Exodus: Gods and Kings Movie Poster Image

Exodus: Gods and Kings

age 14+
(i)

 

Moody Biblical battle epic about Moses is gory and dull.
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  • Review Date: December 12, 2014
  • Rated: PG-13
  • Genre: Action/Adventure
  • Release Year: 2014
  • Running Time: 150 minutes

Exodus: Gods and Kings gallery

What parents need to know

Positive messages

Moses overcomes enormous challenges, solves problems, and learns empathy. But some of the messages get muddled/conflicted in the movie's action sequences and because of parts of the story that were cut out.

Positive role models

Moses is usually a clear hero, but in this version he seems uneasy with God's help, and the use of the seven plagues seems rather gruesome. (You almost feel sorry for the bad guys.) He can also be violent and sullen and quarrelsome. Still, he's heroic enough to rescue hundreds of thousands of slaves and bring them a new life and new freedom. 

Violence

Heavy fantasy-style action violence. Gruesome "seven plagues," with strong terror, blood, death, destruction, and chaos. Fighting. Lots of blood and death. Dead children. Dead bodies. Bird entrails. Dead horses. Slave whipping. Several people hanged. Falling from cliff. Tidal wave and drowning.

Sex

A married couple kisses; sex is indicated.

Language
Not applicable
Consumerism
Not applicable
Drinking, drugs, & smoking

The pharaoh appears to drink wine with his meals.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Exodus: Gods and Kings is an epic retelling of the Biblical story of Moses freeing the Jewish slaves from the evil Egyptian pharaohs. There's lots of gruesome violence, particularly in the depiction of the seven plagues, with shocking amounts of blood, death, destruction, chaos, and terror. Dead children and animals are seen. There's also lots of fighting, hangings, slaves being whipped, and a terrifying tidal wave. On the other hand, sex and drinking/drugs are minimal, and language and consumerism aren't an issue. The film has drawn some criticism for "whitewashing" history by casting Caucasian actors in the roles of Middle Eastern characters. Teens who are on the fence about seeing a Biblical epic may be swayed by the movie's action factor, and Moses' story is still there -- and still worth telling and discussing, even though he's not portrayed as a saintly hero. But kids and tweens are strongly warned away; stick with either The Ten Commandments or The Prince of Egypt instead.

What's the story?

As kids, Moses and Rhamses grew up together in the palace of Rhamses' father (John Turturro). As adults, Rhamses (Joel Edgerton) rules Egypt, with Moses (Christian Bale) as his trusted counsel. While inspecting a division of Jewish slaves, a wise man (Ben Kingsley) informs Moses that he, too, is Jewish. When Rhamses finds out, Moses is banished. He meets and marries Sefora (Maria Valverde) and starts life anew ... until God contacts him (in the form of a boy) and tells him that he must free the 600,000 people enslaved under the pharaoh. God assists by sending seven deadly plagues, but then Moses must lead the people across the Red Sea and into the promised land.

Is it any good?

QUALITY

Director Ridley Scott has made some great films, but he seems drawn to huge battle epics, like Kingdom of Heaven and Robin Hood, which he doesn't seem particularly suited to. Like those films, EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS has a somber, dreary quality, punctuated by a thrumming, droning music score. The mood doesn't invite anything in the way of an emotional or spiritual connection.

Nor does it allow many of the actors much of anything to do. Bale is both serious and battle-ready, and several other recognizable actors appear as window dressing. Only Edgerton as Rhamses brings a little heart to his under-confident villain. Some choices, such as God appearing as a creepy kid, are simply strange. Only the plagues sequence offers a kind of distraction, but even that quickly turns disturbingly dark. Earlier Moses films (The Ten Commandments, The Prince of Egypt, etc.) were at least campy or funny, but this one isn't even entertaining.

Families can talk about...

  • Families can talk about Exodus: Gods and Kings' violence, especially during the "seven plagues" sequence. Does the movie go too far, or is this violence necessary to convey the movie's story and themes?

  • Is Moses a hero in this story? What does he achieve? What does he learn? Is he a role model?

  • What's the appeal of Biblical epics like this one? What is the Moses story about, ultimately?

  • Why do you think the filmmakers choose to show God as a child? Is God fair? Wise? Cruel? What is his motivation in freeing the slaves?

Movie details

Theatrical release date:December 12, 2014
DVD release date:March 17, 2015
Cast:Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Ben Kingsley
Director:Ridley Scott
Studio:Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
Genre:Action/Adventure
Topics:History
Run time:150 minutes
MPAA rating:PG-13
MPAA explanation:violence including battle sequences and intense images

This review of Exodus: Gods and Kings was written by

Jeffrey M. Anderson
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are conducted by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

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Educator and Parent Written bymathest December 20, 2014
age 13+

Biblical Inaccuracies

This movie portrays many biblical inaccuracies. As a Christian, my husband and I thought we were going to see an inspirational Christmas movie only to be disappointed in how the movie was so far from the true Word of God, that we left saddened instead of inspired. The movie portrayed natural occurrences in the place of the supernatural. The movie featured God as a young boy who constantly argued and competed with Moses to see who best could get Pharaoh’s attention to free the Hebrews. Moses carried a sword instead of a staff and killed 4 men. There was no parting of the Red Sea of which Pharaoh survived the Red sea instead of drowning. Crocodiles were used to turn the water into blood. This was a scene similar to the movie “Jaws” in which the crocodiles were launching out of the water and biting men. The bloody water caused the frogs to leave the water, which then caused the flies to come once the frogs started to die on the land. One scene after another displayed the accounts in the bible so different than what we read in the Word of God that I pray that if you do not know the truth, find out for yourself and pick up the bible and read the truth instead of believing what you see in this movie. It is a false account and should not be taken seriously.
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Written byAnonymous December 12, 2014
age 13+

Pretty lifeless Greek tale is violent but no blood

My rating: PG-13 for violence,sexuality and disturbing images
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Parent Written byMae December 15, 2014
age 17+

Exodus gods and kings Review !!!

I was so excited to see this Movie, I saw the trailer looks awesome. Plus, it's been a long time. And it's Christmas coming so I though this will be a great Movie. I'm a Catholic, & also Served As a Christian. Sometimes, when I'm with my Dad , he read Bible for me ,and now I'm a woman still read that stories, Im familiar the real Story of Moses. I've seen most popular Bible Movies. But this it's Horrible Movies I've Ever seen EXPERIENCED!!!. Yes, children will enjoy this movies if they don't know the real stories of Moses. However, most families known the stories of Moses will definitely will be disappointed. Because everything it's opposite, alot missing, if weren't for my friend, I will definitely will not finish the Movie at all!!! I will give this -1 STAR. Goodluck parents, this is not good for families Movies for the holidays. I prefer->Big Hero 6 , fury, horrible bosses 2,Interstellar, Penguins of Madagascar,the hobbit marathon 3D,
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