Why Did Ridley Scott’s ‘Exodus’ Fail with Critics and Audiences?

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  • What Is ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’ About?
  • The Critical Response to ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’
  • Audience Response to ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’

As a longtime admirer of Ridley Scott’s work, I must admit that watching “Exodus: Gods and Kings” was a disappointing experience for me. Coming from a background steeped in Biblical stories, I had high expectations for this epic tale. However, the movie seemed to be more about visual spectacle than delivering a compelling narrative.

On December 12, 2024, marks the 10th anniversary of Ridley Scott’s controversial historical epic “Exodus: Gods and Kings.” Making its debut on Tubi on December 1, it’s worth revisiting why this movie failed to strike a chord with critics and viewers. Given that the narrative is derived from the Christian Bible, the best-selling book of all time as per the “Guinness Book of World Records,” one might wonder why Scott’s directorial prowess, substantial budget, and stellar cast couldn’t save the film from critical failure.

Instead of Exodus: Gods and Kings, one of Scott’s least popular historical dramas from a critical standpoint, it’s worth noting that Scott has bounced back with the latest release of Gladiator II, a successful sequel to the 2000 Best Picture winner, Gladiator. However, considering history repeats itself, it might be wise for Scott to heed the advice that audiences left Exodus in droves instead of embracing it. Yet, as a seasoned and rebellious filmmaker at mid-80s, Ridley Scott has consistently demonstrated that he doesn’t let others’ opinions dictate his cinematic creations.

What Is ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’ About?

Under Ridley Scott’s direction and production, the film “Exodus: Gods and Kings,” which hit theaters on December 12, 2014, is a grand biblical portrayal. In essence, it follows the tale (though with some creative liberties) from the book of Exodus, where we find Moses (played by Christian Bale), a prophet, leading the oppressed Hebrews on an epic journey out of Egypt, their long-time tormentors and enslavers.

In the story, Moses, driven by a desire to free the Jewish people from Egyptian rule, guides them towards the Red Sea while harnessing divine anger to ward off their pursuers. Simultaneously, he pledges to safeguard his brother Ramses II (played by Joel Edgerton) and uphold his father Seti’s (John Turturro) heritage, thus transforming into a heroic leader following his rebellion against his own people. A host of other biblical characters make significant appearances in the narrative, including Nun (portrayed by Sir Ben Kingsley), Tuya (Sigourney Weaver), Malak (Isaac Andrews), Joshua (Aaron Paul), Viceroy Hegep (Ben Mendelsohn), Nefertari (Golshifteh Farahani), and others.

Although many people were eagerly anticipating the biblical epic Exodus: Gods and Kings during Christmas 2014, it fell short of striking a resonant note among the vast number of theatergoers. The film didn’t do well financially, earning $268.2 million globally against a production budget ranging from $140-200 million (according to The Numbers). A closer examination of the movie’s lukewarm critical and audience reception suggests reasons such as a whitewashing controversy, pacing issues, blatant historical inaccuracies, and more.

The Critical Response to ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’

Beyond being a financial letdown, the movie titled Exodus: Gods and Kings also faced severe criticism. At the moment, it has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 30% and a Metascore of 52, which suggests that reviews have been generally poor to mediocre. The critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes is quite critical as well.

Although it occasionally tries and aspires grandly like its original story, the movie Exodus: Gods and Kings doesn’t fully match the greatness of its classical origins.

Critics found several issues with the movie, such as underdeveloped characters, unnatural dialogue, a slow pace, and weaknesses in the screenplay. Additionally, Scott faced criticism for deviating significantly from the biblical source material as depicted in the Book of Exodus, a point highlighted in IndieWire’s review.

The film “Exodus: Gods and Kings” encounters a common predicament in commercial entertainment: By opting for safety, the movie falls short of enhancing the source material, and it fails to seize the excitement that has kept audiences enthralled for thousands of years.

Similarly, The Playlist’s review added:

“Exodus: Gods and Kings struggles with being overly dramatic and tedious, similar to an account from the Old Testament. The film, directed by a visionary, fails to effectively blend a human narrative with a story about gods and kings.

Less patient with Scott’s brazen disregard of historical accuracy, Slant Magazine‘s review states:

It quickly becomes apparent that Ridley Scott’s interpretation prioritizes some aspects of credibility while deliberately ignoring others.

Despite the questionable portrayals based on scripture, the choice of Caucasian actors for Middle Eastern roles sparked a significant controversy, known as whitewashing. This practice undermined the movie’s authenticity and made it harder to find supporters, as most critics found fault with the casting. However, a few critics appreciated the acting and technical aspects of the film, but their numbers were insignificant compared to those who criticized it. The review from The Wrap specifically pointed out the casting issue.

Instead of this heavy remake oozing seriousness – with questionable character selections added – it’s only the interesting scenes involving frogs and locust plagues that stand out, and the visual effects are no match for the dramatic spectacle of a gusty Charlton Heston splitting the Red Sea.

Despite the fact that the general public assisted in keeping Exodus: Gods and Kings from being an utter flop at the box office, they themselves expressed dissatisfaction with its performance.

Audience Response to ‘Exodus: Gods and Kings’

“Exodus: Gods and Kings” currently holds a 35% rating on the Popcorn Meter at Rotten Tomatoes. Many casual viewers align with the critics’ views. A frequent criticism is that in an attempt to cater to every global viewer, the film weakens its biblical roots as Ana E points out.

Exodus: Gods and Kings might not appeal to viewers, whether faithful or not. The film appears to have overlooked the importance of storytelling. Events unfold without clear purpose. There’s a lack of historical context and developed secondary characters. There’s little adventure to engage with. Instead, you’ll likely find yourself waiting for the movie to conclude.

Agreeing with the sentiment is Korra N, who adds:

Exodus: Gods and Kings, a film by Ridley Scott, showcases stunning visuals and grandiose production quality. However, it’s marred by questionable casting choices and unoriginal writing, making it a less memorable biblical epic. If you’re primarily seeking spectacle, you might find worse, but otherwise, the movie lacks depth beyond its visual appeal, cinematography, and soundtrack.

Perhaps Rick M says it best, adding:

“A pathetic, worldly modern interpretation that has Moses as an uninspired, war-mongering, worldly man. The historical accuracy of almost every detail is totally uninspiring. Not sure what they were trying to do with this film, but it fails miserably. And what the hell was that damn kid that kept showing up?! The writers’ idea of the god of the Hebrews? A terrible depiction, from start to finish.”

Even though Exodus: Gods and Kings, one of Ridley Scott’s top-earning films despite its high budget, didn’t resonate with most viewers a decade back, you can now watch it on Tubi.

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2024-12-04 04:02