Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)
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A general in the Egyptian royal household must choose between his loyalty to the crown and his heritage as a Hebrew.
The story
In 1300 B.C., Moses serves as a general in the household of the Egyptian royal family. During a battle at Kadesh, a prophecy reveals a destiny for both him and Prince Ramesses. Following a period of exile and a life as a shepherd in Midian, Moses is called by a divine voice to lead the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt. He eventually confronts the Pharaoh, demanding their release from servitude. When Ramesses refuses, Moses must organize a resistance against the Egyptian forces while facing the looming threat of divine judgment and the power of the Pharaoh's military.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1300 B.C., Moses is a general in the Egyptian royal household. After a prophecy suggests he and Prince Ramesses will become great leaders, Moses saves Ramesses in battle. Later, Moses discovers his true identity as a Hebrew and is exiled from Egypt, where he lives as a shepherd in Midian for years. He eventually hears a divine call to free the Hebrews. Upon returning to Egypt, he confronts Pharaoh Ramesses II. When the Pharaoh refuses to free the slaves, Moses initiates a rebellion and calls down ten plagues. After the tenth plague kills the firstborn of Egypt, Ramesses allows the Hebrews to leave. As they flee toward the Red Sea, Ramesses pursues them. A miracle parts the sea, allowing the Hebrews to cross while the Egyptian army is drowned by the returning waters. Moses eventually leads his people to Midian and later to Mount Sinai to receive the Ten Commandments. The film ends forty years later with an elderly Moses leading the Hebrews toward the promised land.
- First release year
- 2014
- Runtime (minutes)
- 150
- Production countries
- United States; United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Ridley Scott
- Writers
- Adam Cooper · writer; Bill Collage · writer; Jeffrey Caine · writer; Steven Zaillian · writer
- Cast and characters
- Christian Bale · Moses; Joel Edgerton · Ramesses; John Turturro; Aaron Paul · Joshua; Ben Mendelsohn; Sigourney Weaver · Queen Tuya; Ben Kingsley
- Genres
- adventure; drama
- Themes
- faith; identity; liberation
- Tone and mood
- epic; grand
- Setting
- Ancient Egypt and the Sinai Peninsula in 1300 B.C.
- Premise and plot tags
- biblical; historical; epic
- Source material / true-story basis
- Book of Exodus from the Bible
- Reception
- The film received mixed reviews, with praise for its visual effects and performances, but criticism regarding its pacing, screenplay, and lack of emotional depth.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 29% · scale: percentage · review count: 208; Metacritic · score: 52 · scale: 100 · review count: 42
- Production trivia
- The title was changed from Exodus to Exodus: Gods and Kings because of a trademark issue.; The production used 400 live frogs on set.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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