This holiday season, “Exodus: Gods and Kings,” Hollywood’s latest fantasy saga, is set to hit theaters, and critics say the film’s twists and turns will keep moviegoers on the edges of their seats until the very end.
“It’s a thrilling guessing-game,” Chicago Sun-Times’ Richard Roeper said. “You’re rooting for this ‘Moses’ character the whole time, but you’ve got no idea who’s going to prevail in the end.”
From the tangled mind of visionary screen-writer Steven Zaillian, the film is set in “Ancient Egypt,” an arid land where a group called the “Jews” have been held captive for hundreds of years.
“You’ve got this Moses guy, and he’s the leader of the Jews,” Zaillian told fascinated Daily Cardinal reporters. “And they’re enslaved by ‘Pharaoh,’ who leads another group called the ‘Egyptians.’”
But the plot thickens when an omnipotent deity intervenes.
“Eventually, ‘God,’ a superbeing with all sorts of powers, teams up with Moses, and the stage is set for an epic showdown. But I’ve already said too much.”
Critics say “Exodus” has the potential to outshine “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies” in the contentious fantasy arena this holiday season.
“I think there’s going to be a passing of the torch,” Roeper said. “Who knows what’s next for the ‘Jews?’ We could be witnessing the beginning of the next ‘Lord of the Rings’ franchise.”
Roeper says he was awestruck by “Exodus’” storyline, a plot he’s dubbed “a creative masterpiece for the ages.”
“No doubt, Moses and his Jews are going to inspire a cult following.”
