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[tab title="Movie Review"]

Gods of Egypt - Movie Review

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2 stars

Toss this title in $10 dollar "so bad it's hilarious" bin at Wal-Mart, folks, because that's where Gods of Egypt is headed.

Visionary director Alex Proyas (Dark City) goes the loopy B-movie route and, at the very least, offers audience a chance to laugh with his latest feature Gods of Egypt. I understand all the hate this movie is getting, but, let's be honest, NOTHING about this intentionally white-washed trek through prehistoric Egypt is as stuffy and overblown as Ridley Scott's yawn-inducing Exodus: Gods & Kings.

In this mythological tale, Proyas chokes down all the familiar legends and spits them into the enviros of a slick video game and produces a film that is equal parts stupid and grand. It is; however, never dull and there's a lot to be said about just how fun the mindless flick is. The secret is that Gods of Egypt knows its completely ridiculous and doesn't shy away from that cold and artificial embrace.

No wonder so many people hate it. It's unapologetically stupid.

Starring Geoffrey Rush as the sun god Ra, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Horus, Gerard Butler as the throne-stealing Set, Brenton Thwaites as the mortal Bek and Courtney Eaton as Zaya, the film is a fantasy flick with the visual flair of 300 and the intelligence of Spongebob Squarepants. It recalls the hollow feel of those sword-and-sandal tales Italy used to produce during the 1950s and the effects, which are outrageously uneven, match the whole lunacy the flick flings at the screen.

The ONE thing that saves it from itself is that all of this cinematic psychosis – from the "bleached" cast to the lame, contemporary dialogue – feels 100% intentional. There can seriously be no other explanation for a film as preposterous as this one. The cast and crew knew they were knee-deep in a seriously whacked film and went 110% gonzo. It stumbles and swaggers and stings but it is always entertaining.

Hollywood – especially in 2016 – can't seriously churn out films as recklessly bad as this, right? The acting is off, the effects are hilariously inconsistent, and, clocking in at OVER two hours, there's zero chance you will see this flick again without being completely drunk. The one thing that can be suggested is that Proyas' latest flick keeps its sense of humor firmly in its cheek as it recounts the story of a mortal battling against a God.

Gods of Egypt knows exactly the level of disservice it's doing to the Egyptian culture and you will gladly let it because train wrecks are usually not this entertaining.

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Gods of Egypt - Movie Review

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for fantasy violence and action, and some sexuality.
Runtime:
127 mins
Director
: Alex Proyas
Writer:
Matt Sazama, Burk Sharpless
Cast:
Brenton Thwaites, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Gerard Butler
Genre
: Action | Adventure
Tagline:
All of Heaven is at war
Memorable Movie Quote: "Egypt has always been a paradise. But now, there is chaos. God of the air, you must protect the mortals."
Distributor:
Lionsgate
Official Site: http://www.godsofegypt.movie/home
Release Date:
February 26, 2016
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date:
May 31, 2016
Synopsis: In this spectacular action-adventure inspired by the classic mythology of Egypt, the survival of mankind hangs in the balance as an unexpected mortal hero Bek [Brenton Thwaites] undertakes a thrilling journey to save the world and rescue his true love. In order to succeed, he must enlist the help of the powerful god Horus [Nikolaj Coster-Waldau] in an unlikely alliance against Set [Gerard Butler], the merciless god of darkness, who has usurped Egypt's throne, plunging the once peaceful and prosperous empire into chaos and conflict. 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 epic final confrontation.

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[tab title="Blu-ray Review"]

Gods of Egypt - Movie Review

Blu-ray

Blu-ray Details:

Available on Blu-ray - May 31, 2016
Screen Formats: 2.40:1
Subtitles
: English
Audio:
English: DTS:X; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit); Spanish: DTS 5.1; English: DTS 2.0
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; Single disc (1 BD-50); UV digital copy; iTunes digital copy; Digital copy
Region Encoding: A

Summit releases this bomb on blu-ray with a decent MPEG-4 AVC 1080p transfer that shows off the detailed fantasy environments like few others. Details are strong and so are the costumes. I just wish that the director still cared about his movies. It is a whole lot of fun to see the details in the costumes but, really, the strong transfer shows all off the film’s faults in the weak visuals and the atrocious acting. It is sad to note that, yes, all the special effects look a bit gamey on the transfer. And, if you are laughing at the movie like I am, it’s all a part of the unintentional humor so why fight it. Gods of Egypt is a B-movie blast mistaken by the studio and everyone else as a blockbuster. Blacks are strong and the score – in a bombastic DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1 – will please anyone who dares check this one out. Just don’t buy it – unless you are a freak like me.

Supplements:

Commentary:

  • None

Special Features:

With Deleted Storyboards as the driving thrust behind the supplemental material on the blu-ray release, you get a decent look at the enviros of the movie. The Blu-ray also includes additional interviews with the cast, on-location featurettes, and an interesting making of featurette focusing on the fact that there were sets (not just green screens) and a featurette focusing on the cast and their outfits. Now, if only the acting was any good...

  • Deleted Storyboards (6 min)
  • A Divine Vision: Creating a Cinematic Action Fantasy (12 min)
  • Of Gods and Mortals: The Cast (11 min)
  • Transformation: Costume, Make-Up and Hair (11 min)
  • On Location: Shooting in Australia (13 min)
  • The Battle for Eternity: Stunts (12 min)
  • A Window into Another World: Visual Effects (11 min)

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