Charlton Heston may be rolling over in his grave and he actually should be, as this is truly a disaster of epic proportions.

I was at my sister's last week for the Holidays and my Dad was celebrating his 90th Birthday, so my sister planned for us all to go see this movie, knowing how much my Dad loved the original Ten Commandments.  I warned about what I had read, but my sister, said, "No, the only negative reviews are from those that don't appreciate the Bible."  Uhhh, not quite true, as those that appreciate the Bible and know "the facts", also know that this ain't no retelling of Moses and his peeps' plight.

Made for $140 Million, it's already very clear this is a certified flop here in the states, with a paultry $52 Million in the till.  It's pulled in $96 Million overseas, and when all is said and done, although it will make its budget back, it's going to be looked at as a HUGE flop.

There are so many odd choices here that combine to make this a must pass on title, I really don't know where to begin.

You'd think Christian Bale as Moses would be enough to guarantee success, but his performance here is so weak, I'd call it embarrassing.  He seems completely lost and really brings nothing to the movie.

The same could be said for pretty much any epic $100 Million + budget film directed by Ridley Scott, but again, his presence here is dead on arrival.

Casting Sigourney Weaver in a throwaway role?  Little known Aussie, Joel Edgerton, as Ramses?  Accents from all over the planet?  Crazy...  The only decent performance belongs to good old Ben Kingsley, IMO.

The story is where this is so off, though.  What they chose to show and what they chose to omit is what's so wrong.  Bottom line is that it's slow and dull and it's 2 1/2 hours long, with a finale of the Red Sea being parted that doesn't hold a candle to the 1956 classic.

The only impressive visuals for me were sweeping ariel shots and the strangley graphic violence of the Nile River crock attacks.  My Dad, on the other hand, said it was the best movie he's ever seen - not sure he really meant that, as anyone who knows him, knows his favorite movie of all time is The Godfather, which he watches over and over, every time it's on TV (as he prefers the edited version, to the R rated original.

Don't waste your time on this mess...stick with good old Chuck Heston and his grey beard.

Grade - D+  

Ridley Scott is in his "old director phase". Like most, he isn't going out on a good note. Seems like he's been phoning it in for years.

Haven seen the movie but the previews didn't look very promising and the reviews aren't good as well.

If all it makes back is its budget then it will make a loss of a hundred million or so. Budget doesn't factor in marketing costs.

On another note... I wouldn't watch a film like this even if they paid me to go and provided sustenance.

Quoted from DustinBowcot On another note... I wouldn't watch a film like this even if they paid me to go and provided sustenance.

Hows about they throw in a massage. I'd consider it. For myself I mean. I mean they massage me. Well, maybe.

R

Quoted from rendevous Hows about they throw in a massage. R

Depends on the optional extras.