“Gods of Egypt”:  Mighty fun

February 27, 2016
4 mins read

Release Date: 26 February 2016

Running Time: 2 hours 7 minutes

Directed by: Alex Proyas

Rated PG 13

Grade:  B+

 

DF-04288        The smiling Horus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) casually looks forward to this day, the day when he is crowned king of Egypt. Little does he know that his uncle Set (Gerard Butler) has his own unique and diabolical intentions for the Egyptian throne. Set takes by force what he felt, was promised to be his all along leaving Horus with one eye and even fewer options. Bek (Brenton Thwaites) a whimsical but clever mortal is convinced by his devoted love Zaya (Courtney Eaton) to help Horus reach to his rightful place as the sole leader of Egypt. This of course will be no easy task especially since Set’s true plan is just beginning to unfold.

Expectation vs. Reality. When I saw the trailer for “Gods of Egypt” I saw a film with great actors like Gerard Butler (King Leonidas from “300”) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister from “Game of Thrones”) in “flying-golden-god-combat.” As a fan of all things cool I was very hopeful but leery of this, I’ve been tricked before by the magic of movie trailers. Computer graphics have invaded Hollywood in such a way, that I was concerned genuine talent would be replaced by well positioned terabytes of constructed 3D data.

GOE_VFX_00137(1)   When I saw the actual film I was greatly entertained. I was served the “as promised” “flying-golden-gods” duking it out in mid-air.  I witnessed the vast scenery of a mythical Egyptian kingdom cast across the silver screen. The minor details of the hieroglyphics carved into the architecture  all the way to the majestic folds in the clothing of the god’s royal garments were all well designed. The dialogue danced hand in hand with the absorbing dynamics of the action sequences. There was overflowing witticism between the various characters. This extended even to the whispers of encouragement they gave themselves . The “low” points of the movie were just as interesting as the “high” points. Anytime I see “nine-foot-gold-blooded-transforming-gods” fighting for the fate of the world I’m interested. Chadwick Boseman nailed Thoth, god of wisdom, and Élodie Yung really made a beautiful presence as Hathor, goddess of love. Rufus Sewell made a prominent appearance as Urshu, a villainous architect. Geoffrey Rush fills out the cast with his portrayal of Rah. (Side note, the moment he was on the big screen I knew he was a powerful individual.)

DF-02386    Alex Proyas (“I, Robot”) directed the film but also worked on the screenplay.  I bring this up because vision and story are important keywords in understanding this journey. The gifted actors in this CGI bonanza really deserve more credit because there wasn’t a real bull demon roaring, running and chasing after our adventurers. There was just a green screen and directorial creativity. The actors were well … acting and they did a great job of it. Each point of the character’s development lead to the next point of conflict, till they reached their final goal and it was a great ride getting there. I enjoyed this film for its unexpected romance, sudden sacrifice, and of course its display of godly powers. If you are looking to forget the traffic, the busy workday and the overbearing noise of our modern world my suggestion would be to delve into this legendary quest. To me this is “Games of Thrones” and “300” mixed with a flood of mythological elements. It gives hefty doses of computer graphics with the added bonus of storytelling. This isn’t history it’s fantasy; the type of fantasy we need. – By: Perry Boyd

GOE_VFX_00039“Are you sure you’re not a god? What would I be the god of? The Impossible”

Magic, monsters, gods, and madness reign throughout the palaces and pyramids of the lush Nile River Valley in this sweeping action-adventure inspired by the classic mythology of Egypt. With the survival of mankind hanging in the balance, an unexpected hero undertakes a thrilling journey to save the world and rescue his true love. Bek (Brenton Thwaites), a bold and defiant mortal, enlists the aid of the powerful god Horus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) in an unlikely alliance against the evil overlord. As their breathtaking battle against Set and his henchmen takes them into the afterlife and across the heavens, both god and mortal must pass tests of courage and sacrifice if they hope to prevail in the spectacular final confrontation.

gen__gen__vfx_df_03512__v002.0001_R3‘Egypt has always been a paradise. But now, there is chaos. God of the air, you must protect the mortals”

 Gods of Egypt exceeded my expectations.  I really thought by watching the trailers that it would be a CGI loaded action movie, but I was pleasantly surprised to watch a crafted screenplay by Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless.  The special effects were extraordinarily well done and the cinematography was beautiful.  I screened it in standard format, but can imagine how the wonderful it would look in 3D.  Filming took place in Australia.

gen__gen__vfx_df_01847__v001.0001I really loved the authenticity of the set and costumes.  One word comes to mind – ornate.  Gold was a predominant color and theme in the movie.  Egyptian director Proyas worked camera magic with Bek played by 27 year old Australian born actor Brenton Thwaites.  Bek appears as miniature mortal compared to the god of air, Horus portrayed by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.  Thwaites previous biggest role was starring as Jonas in The Giver.  He also played Prince Philip in Maleficent.  Danish actor Coster-Waldau is known in the Game of Thrones, but he also has quite a filmography on his resume.  Gerard Butler does an outstanding job as Set, the god of darkness.  Butler fans are in for a real treat, because he starts in Gods of Egypt this week and London Has Fallen on March 4.

Gods of Egypt might be classified as an action/adventure, but let’s not forget it is also a love story with Egyptian mythology woven into the story.  The film should appeal to a broad range of audiences.  It is entertaining with a storyline that keeps you engaged. ~A.S. MacLeod

Starring:

Gerard Butler as Set

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Horus

Brenton Thwaites as Bek

Chadwick Boseman as Thoth

Elodie Yung as Hathor

Courtney Eaton as Zaya

Rufus Sewell as Urshu

Geoffrey Rush as Rah

For more information go to http://www.godsofegypt.movie/

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