Marty and I recently read the latest book by our friend John Maxwell and allow me to paraphrase one thought that really got my attention. God is never disappointed in us! Disappointment being the gap between expectation and reality – and since God knows all and sees all there is no gap from His perspective.

It is sadly a different analysis when Marty and I give you our opinion of Exodus: Gods and Kings! We could hardly wait to get to the theater to see it. We like the cast and the original screen play by God is fantastic. We had very high expectations! Needless to say we were very disappointed and do not recommend this movie for anyone.

I will comment on three aspects of the film: Scale – Pacing – Biblical Errancy.

The Scale of Exodus competes with anything we have seen in ten years. If you are into special effects and wide panoramic shots Exodus gets an A+.

The Pacing of the film is, however, a horse and chariot of another color. Exodus: Gods and Kings moved at the pace of an elderly Pachyderm with an ingrown toenail. I’ve seen less fits and starts when I was teaching Tony how to drive stick in my 1985 Targa. Several people left our showing and I would have taken a potty break but I was intent on seeing every minute.

Biblical Errancy. Exodus: Gods and Kings reminds me of a young script writer who rubs the brass lantern and ask the Genie for the perfect script. The Genie comes through and after reading the outstanding manuscript the young author decides to keep the overall theme of the book but rewrite the characters and scenes. Time and memory don’t allow me to list the numerous Scriptural inaccuracies which often led into the world of the unbelievable. Take for example the scene of the Burning Bush. As a young family man living in an oasis Moses is climbing the “Mountain of God” in defiance of the people’s view of God’s word and he is punished by being hit by a landslide and is buried in what looks like quick sand with only his face showing. The bush appears like an electric fire place in a condo and when Moses comes to he doesn’t see the Angel of God or hear God’s voice but has a conversation with an imaginary child.

Contrast this fictionary with Exodus 3: “Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up. So Moses thought, I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up. When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, Moses! Moses! And Moses said, Here I am. Do not come any closer, God said. Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground. Then He said, I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. At this, Moses hid his face, because he was afraid to look at God.”

I could go on for three more pages because I love to read what I have written because like any blogger I am foolish enough to think you give to toot about what I have to say. That said, I’ll say this. The general theme of the Exodus was presented – there was no cursing and no sexuality – we both thought the actors did a good job and while the plagues were not Biblicaly presented, they, along with the parting of the Red Sea were visually very impressive.

Larry