---
title: "Exodus: Gods and Kings: the reviews"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/exodus-gods-and-kings/reviews"
title_page: "https://film.one/film/exodus-gods-and-kings"
critics_score: 49
critics_reviews: 24
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014): what the critics said

Critics' score 49 from 24 reviews: 5 positive, 10 mixed, 9 negative.

Most critics come away unconvinced; the reviews lean mixed to negative. Where they do agree is on the spectacle. The plagues are praised almost everywhere, with the locusts, the frogs and the approaching chariots singled out, and the Red Sea sequence is frequently named as the film’s strongest stretch. Ridley Scott’s ancient Egypt is found elaborate and sumptuous, and several reviews praise Christian Bale’s tense, conflicted Moses as the human centre the film otherwise lacks.

The reservations cluster on the script. Critics complain of thin characterisation, rushed relationships, a weak opening and a long, flat middle, and several find the film’s attempts to rationalise the miracles muddled. Joel Edgerton divides them: Radio Times finds his Ramses camp, the Evening Standard finds him sympathetic. Slant Magazine and The Wrap object to the casting of predominantly white actors in the ancient setting. The spread is wide, from four stars at Total Film and Den of Geek to one at Time Out.

## Total Film — Jamie Graham

Rating 4/5. 1 December 2014. 

Graham sees the film as a bold, entertaining adventure whose scale and uncompromising action make it a striking Biblical epic. He praises the vast battle and plague sequences, while noting that some supporting roles are camp or underdeveloped.

[Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/exodus-gods-and-kings-review/)

## Variety — Justin Chang

Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 29 November 2014. 

Chang finds the film an imperfect but transporting biblical epic, praising its visual spectacle while appreciating its skeptical, morally searching take on faith. He especially singles out the vividly staged plagues and the suspenseful Red Sea sequence.

[Read the review](https://variety.com/2014/film/reviews/film-review-exodus-gods-and-kings-1201364857/)

## Empire — Nev Pierce

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 27 November 2013. 

Pierce finds the film a thoughtful, modern biblical epic, though its spiritual uncertainty weakens the cathartic payoff. He especially praises Christian Bale’s tense, conflicted performance as Moses.

[Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/exodus-gods-kings-review/)

## Vulture — Bilge Ebiri

Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 12 December 2014. 

Ebiri finds the film clumsy and tedious at first, but ultimately an enjoyable biblical epic. He praises the visceral spectacle of the plagues and the exodus, while criticizing the early storytelling and character work.

[Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/2014/12/movie-review-exodus-gods-and-kings.html)

## The New York Times — A. O. Scott

Fi1m's normalised score 64/100 (inferred from the text). 11 December 2014. 

The article appears to be a review, but its verdict and specific praise or criticism cannot be verified from the inaccessible page. The available text contains no review content.

[Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/12/movies/exodus-gods-and-kings-ridley-scotts-biblical-drama.html)

## Radio Times — Alan Jones

Rating 3/5. 

The review finds the biblical epic a slog that lacks the awe of earlier religious epics. It praises Christian Bale’s performance, while faulting the script and Joel Edgerton’s camp portrayal of Ramses.

[Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-6o5u3x/exodus-gods-and-kings/)

## The Hollywood Reporter — Stephen Farber

Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 29 November 2014. 

Farber finds the film an intermittently thrilling but ultimately unsatisfying spectacle, with a weak opening and anticlimactic ending. He praises the visually impressive plagues and Red Sea sequences, while criticizing the script and underused cast.

[Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/exodus-gods-kings-film-review-752338/)

## IndieWire — Eric Kohn

Rating C. 29 November 2014. 

Kohn finds the film bland and ponderous, arguing that it drains the story of its imaginative force. He praises its impressive visuals, especially the sweeping images of locusts and approaching chariots.

[Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/culture/review-christian-bales-moses-cant-liberate-ridley-scotts-bland-exodus-gods-and-kings-67452/)

## Los Angeles Times — Kenneth Turan

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 11 December 2014. 

Turan finds the epic’s dramatic side uneven, shifting between solemnity and unintended silliness. He praises Scott’s elaborate depiction of ancient Egypt and its spectacle.

[Read the review](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-exodus-review-20141212-column.html)

## RogerEbert.com — Matt Zoller Seitz

Rating 2/4. 11 December 2014. 

The review gives the film a negative assessment despite its epic ambitions. Its spectacle is undermined by dramatically thin storytelling.

[Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/exodus-gods-and-kings-2014)

## Screen Daily — Tim Grierson

Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 29 November 2014. 

The visible standfirst suggests a mixed, critical verdict on the film’s gargantuan scale. It singles out the film’s bigness and brawn, which it describes as nearly laughable.

[Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/exodus-gods-and-kings/5080493.article)

## Slant Magazine — Eric Henderson

Rating 1.5/4. 5 December 2014. 

Henderson gives the film a negative assessment, arguing that its approach to credibility is selective and its cultural choices are retrograde. He singles out the casting of predominantly white actors in the story’s ancient setting as a particularly troubling failure.

[Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/exodus-gods-and-kings/)

## Evening Standard — Charlotte O'Sullivan

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 19 December 2014. 

O'Sullivan finds the film incoherent and says Moses lacks personality and pulling power. She praises Joel Edgerton's sympathetic portrayal of Ramses and notes the striking spectacle, but feels Ridley Scott is not fully engaged.

[Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/exodus-gods-and-kings-film-review-christian-bales-moses-lacks-any-kind-of-coherence-9935251.html)

## The Guardian — Mark Kermode

Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 28 December 2014. 

Kermode finds the film dramatically weak, with its spectacle and racial casting controversy unable to overcome its shortcomings. He singles out the plagues as genuinely awe-inspiring, while the rest of the film is more headache than triumph.

[Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/dec/28/exodus-gods-and-kings-review-drowned-dramatic-failings)

## The AV Club — Ignatiy Vishnevetsky

Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 11 December 2014. 

The critic finds the biblical epic a tedious, muddled slog that squanders its competing ideas. He singles out its awkward attempts to rationalize the plagues and parting of the Red Sea while retaining Sunday-school spectacle.

[Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/christian-bale-leads-a-slog-through-the-old-testament-i-1798182172)

## Time Out — David Ehrlich

Rating 1/5. 11 December 2014. 

The one-star rating signals a strongly unfavorable verdict. The accessible excerpt introduces the story as one repeatedly retold, but does not reveal what the critic specifically praises or faults.

[Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/exodus-gods-and-kings)

## Den of Geek — Ryan Lambie

Rating 4/5. 22 December 2014. 

Lambie finds the epic visually sumptuous and praises Ridley Scott’s bold, quietly unsettling approach to the story. Christian Bale’s intense Moses and the fraught bond between Moses and Ramses stand out, though the dialogue and some supporting roles disappoint.

[Read the review](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/exodus-gods-and-kings-review/)

## The Skinny — Josh Slater-Williams

Rating ★★★. 17 December 2014. 

The critic calls it a misguided but breezy epic, and the best of Scott’s recent big-budget mediocrities. The plague sequences stand out for their potent, unsettling horror atmosphere.

[Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/exodus-gods-and-kings)

## Paste — Scott Wold

Rating 5.9/10. 11 December 2014. 

Wold finds the film a tone-deaf, overlong failure despite its moments of spectacle. He praises the exhilarating plague montages and striking wide shots, but says they cannot overcome the screenplay and characterization.

[Read the review](https://www.pastemagazine.com/movies/exodus-gods-and-kings)

## Deadline — Pete Hammond

Fi1m's normalised score 55/100 (inferred from the text). 10 December 2014. 

Hammond is uncertain whether this familiar story offers enough freshness to draw audiences. He praises Scott’s skill at depicting the plagues, while questioning the tale’s novelty.

[Read the review](https://deadline.com/2014/12/exodus-gods-and-kings-review-christian-bale-ridley-scott-1201317699/)

## Digital Spy — Stella Papamichael

Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 23 December 2014. 

The review finds the film stirring but ultimately unsettled, as its religious themes and human drama lose force to spectacle. It praises Christian Bale’s nuanced performance and the emotional weight he brings to Moses’s doubts.

[Read the review](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a617163/exodus-gods-and-kings-review-a-film-that-stirs-and-never-settles/)

## The Wrap

Fi1m's normalised score 25/100 (inferred from the text). 29 November 2014. 

The critic finds the biblical epic stodgy, solemn, and unsuccessful at making the familiar story feel fresh. They single out its reactionary casting and underwhelming set pieces, while noting the frog and locust effects as a bright spot.

[Read the review](https://www.thewrap.com/exodus-gods-and-kings-review-christian-bale-ridley-scott-joel-edgerton/)

## Eye for Film — Angus Wolfe Murray

Fi1m's normalised score 15/100 (inferred from the text). 23 December 2014. 

The critic gives the film a strongly negative verdict, finding it confusing, boring, and poorly acted. He singles out the long, flat middle section for particular complaint.

[Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/exodus-gods-and-kings-2014-film-review-by-angus-wolfe-murray)

## Consequence — Michael Roffman

Fi1m's normalised score 10/100 (inferred from the text). 11 December 2014. 

Roffman finds the film a passionless, exhausting epic that fails to make its biblical story compelling. He particularly criticizes the thin characterization and rushed relationships, despite the visually interesting plagues.

[Read the review](https://consequence.net/2014/12/film-review-exodus-gods-and-kings/)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/exodus-gods-and-kings.md