By Brett Blake Those who know me well know that I’m a huge movie score fan. 2014 proved itself to be an improvement on 2013 in that regard, as there was a pretty fantastic assortment of music to come out of this year’s cinema. Was it an all-time-great year for film scoring? No, but the high points proved to be very high. As such, I’ve decided to compile a list of my ten favorites of 2014, complete with full-length tracks. In addition, I’m going to briefly exalt some singular cues from scores that didn’t make my top ten, stand-out tracks from scores that - while good - aren’t quite strong enough to be called one of the best of the year, but which still contain some incredible highlights. So on that note… The Best Cues From A Score Not On My List “The Hanging Tree” from THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, PART 1 (vocals by Jennifer Lawrence, orchestration by James Newton Howard) What begins as a simple, folksy melody sung by Jennifer Lawrence eventually grows into a grand and rousing thematic statement as orchestrated by composer James Newton Howard. This track is the score’s unquestionable highlight, just as its corresponding scene is the unquestionable highlight of the film itself. “Main Title” from A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST (composed by Joel McNeely) Taken in its entirety, McNeely’s score for this western parody is almost too much to take, but this single cue - which embodies all the fun, pastiche-y elements of the score proper - is a ton of fun. “Technically, Missing” from GONE GIRL (composed by Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross) While their GONE GIRL score supports the movie enormously well, Reznor and Ross contributed only one truly stellar track, and it is this one, a moody and rhythmic piece which uses textures and ambiance in interesting ways. “The Plank” from UNBROKEN (composed by Alexandre Desplat) Desplat will be showing up a couple of times on the top ten list below, but I couldn’t let his work for UNBROKEN - and this cue in particular, which underscores as close to a cathartic moment as the movie offers - go unrecognized. It’s subtly uplifting and moving in a fashion befitting the quiet heroism of Louis Zamperini. “Alan Turing’s Legacy” from THE IMITATION GAME (composed by Alexandre Desplat) While the score itself is exactly the sort of thing Desplat could write in his sleep, this cue - underscoring the finale - works incredibly well (both in the movie and on its own); the writing for piano and flute is particularly evocative. And now… The Ten Best Scores Of 2014 10. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY (Tyler Bates) Bates delivers a rock-solid action score with several prominent themes. The first of which, for the titular Guardians themselves, forms the backbone of this cue, called “The Kyln Escape.” The second prominent theme, signifying the family/emotional aspects of the characters, makes its most grand statement in this finale cue, entitled “Black Tears.” 9. THE MONUMENTS MEN (Alexandre Desplat) An old fashioned score for an old fashioned film, Desplat’s work on THE MONUMENTS MEN is a throwback of the very best kind, one that evokes the stylings of Golden Era-type Hollywood scores without being too goofy or on-the-nose. The score boasts an infectiously fun main theme… … As well as some proper suspense and dramatic underscore, encapsulated in the cue entitled “Finale.” 8. GRAND PIANO (Victor Reyes) Belonging to one of the more underrated films of the year, GRAND PIANO’s score is an impressive, stylish homage to the likes of Bernard Herrmann (particularly his collaborations with Alfred Hitchcock). Reyes’ score exists primarily in the form of a concerto which is performed throughout the course of the film, and its evocative “1st Movement” is a stellar encapsulation of the entire score. 7. MALEFICENT (James Newton Howard) James Newton Howard can usually be counted on to deliver the goods, and he certainly does here, with a score that offers sweeping orchestration and interesting themes, as well as some blistering action. “Maleficent Is Captured” is an example of JNH’s action writing at its best… … While his “Maleficent Suite” is an atmospheric exploration of some of his key thematic ideas for the film. 6. DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES (Michael Giacchino) Giacchino tackles the latest APES film with a deadly-serious tone; this is a fairly dark score, with moody melodies, offbeat percussion, and driving rhythms. The action material is strong (typical for Giacchino), and is best displayed in the “Gorilla Warfare” track. As is customary with Giacchino, he ties all his thematic ideas up into a cracking end credits piece, and DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES is no exception. “Planet of the End Credits” exists as the ultimate summation of what the score has to offer, and it’s a fantastic suite. 5. THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN 2 (Hans Zimmer et al.) A controversial score, no doubt, but I found it to have a remarkably fresh sound from Hans Zimmer (though not as fresh as another Zimmer score which will appear later on this list). It sounds nothing like his work for the Batman or Superman movies, and while the material he created for the character of Electro isn’t his strongest, his other primary themes definitely are. For instance, his material for the Green Goblin, which is heard in the cue “Sum Total”… … Rises and falls with a kind of eerie menace before exploding into frenetic, savage action. Zimmer’s more ambient, electronic textures combine with brass fanfares to make a cue like “I Need To Know” pulsate with ethereal, contemplative, evocative, and heroic moods. But the score’s real heart lies in the theme for Peter Parker’s relationship with Gwen Stacy, which is one of the loveliest melodies Zimmer has composed in a great while, full of longing and bittersweet emotion, as heard in its fullest performance in the cue “We’re Best Friends.” 4. GODZILLA (Alexandre Desplat) Hey, it’s that Desplat guy again! This time, Desplat creates a gigantic score to accompany the gigantic scale of the action and destruction on display. The main title cue - called “Godzilla!” - is one of the best title pieces of the decade, deploying a sound that absolutely screams “monster movie,” with its fast ostinatos, eerie instrumentation, and huge brass lines. And for the finale (entitled “Back to the Ocean”), Desplat transforms the title character’s monstrous motif into a heroic piece which concludes the score in grand fashion. 3. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 (John Powell) Powell’s sequel score is just as impressive as the original, as he incorporates all the key themes from that first film and adds a few more. The opening track, called “Dragon Racing,” is a fantastic recap of the key thematic material from film one, freshly arranged and performed by an energetic orchestra. The new thematic material then gets a chance to shine in one of the climactic cues, titled “Toothless Found,” which starts off moody and atmospheric but then grows to become as rousing a bit of film scoring as could be found in 2014. It’s positively swashbuckling in places, and the brass runs and fanfares that begin at around 1:54 are absolutely phenomenal and exhilarating. 2. INTERSTELLAR (Hans Zimmer) Hans Zimmer teams once again with director Christopher Nolan, and the result is Zimmer’s most original score in some time, employing an organ to convey a majestic religiosity, a component which is heard most clearly in the track “Cornfield Chase.” The piano and organ parts here are gorgeous. The “Stay” cue, which underscores the main character’s decision to leave his daughter behind and launch into space, is a stunning track, both wrenching and rousing, and with a truly optimistic undercurrent. The piece builds slowly up to a gigantic statement of the score’s main theme, which begins at around 5:35 and is one of the score’s major highlights. Also a highlight is the track “No Time For Caution,” which is used during perhaps the movie’s best and most intense sequence, and it’s a perfect encapsulation of the darker, more action-y elements of the score. The churning and pulsing rhythms (again with organ counterpoint) are enormously effective here. 1. THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (Howard Shore) Shore’s (presumably) final score for the cinematic version of Middle-Earth showcases his consistently intelligent placement, development, and usage of motifs to create a soundscape that is cohesive and thematically dense. The bulk of this terrific score is comprised of tremendous variations on themes previously established, such as in the smashing opening cue - “Fire and Water” - which weaves his theme for the dragon, Smaug, into a propulsive action showcase. One of the film’s new themes is featured in rousing fashion (amid doom-laden brass writing) in the track called “Battle for the Mountain,” and the big statements of this new theme at 1:00 and - especially - 1:44 are unabashedly heroic. This is but a prelude to “Sons of Durin,” which opens with a superb, fanfaric treatment of the theme for the Dwarf characters before launching into a masterful action piece which pulls together several of the major themes into an aggressive - but satisfying - wall of orchestral sound. And just when you think Shore has surely exhausted all of the possible action material he could have, he tops himself and brings us “To the Death,” which underscores the climax of the film’s titular battle, and is a mini-masterpiece of action/adventure writing. The section from 4:22 to 5:07, featuring choral statements both massive and gorgeous, is perhaps the finest 40-odd seconds of any score this year. Shore’s score closes with “Ironfoot,” a superb suite of some of the score’s new themes (and a couple returning ones). This is a more relaxed, contemplative, and ultimately melancholic piece than any of the above-mentioned action cues, and it represents a nice curtain call for this score. The final minute or so of the track, featuring an ethereal, sad choral rendition of Shore’s theme for Lake-Town (introduced in the previous score) is a haunting close to Shore’s work on these films. So there you have it. Please feel free to share your thoughts!
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By Brett Blake Director Morten Tyldum’s THE IMITATION GAME is a textbook example of consummate British filmmaking craft on display, and I mean that in the very best way. It tells its story well, bolstered by every technical department, and it offers a host of fine performances, though none are more impressive than that of Benedict Cumberbatch in the lead role. Centrally, the story concerns Alan Turing (Cumberbatch), who - during World War II - helps lead a team of British mathematics geniuses in an effort to break Enigma, the Nazi code method deemed by many to be completely unbreakable. Through this effort - and through his relationship with Joan Clarke (Keira Knightley), in particular - we not only are treated to a cracking, true-life espionage yarn, but we also gain an appreciation of Turing as a closely-guarded man with secrets (mostly involving his homosexuality), but who is, without question, an incredibly important figure in the grand scheme of the Allies’ eventual victory in WWII. Much of the movie exists on the level of a spy thriller, albeit a kind of subdued one; this is not the sort of film where shootouts or chases are the source of the thrill (though there are some brief - but effective - cutaways to bombing and combat in the war), but rather conversations provide the real juice. The scene where (spoilers for real life) Turing and his team break the Enigma code is a masterpiece of editing and intellectual thrill, as is the sequence which follows, where the team debates having to let a Nazi attack on a civilian fleet go forward (in order to prevent the Nazis from discovering the Allies have broken the code); it’s one of the great scenes of the year. A film like this - one with an unusual or quirky protagonist - truly does live or die in the hands of the actor playing the role, and Cumberbatch rises to that challenge and strikes it down with ease, delivering a superb performance, one of the finest of the year. He imbues Turing with a complex humanity; it’s a mannered performance, full of interesting choices, line readings, and quirks, but these are never distracting, and they serve to illuminate certain fundamental things about the man. His relationship with his own sexuality is a fascinating component, though the screenplay - wisely - never lets this become a primary focus. Surrounding Cumberbatch is a rogue’s gallery of fine British character actors. We are treated to some very strong work from Charles Dance (absolutely making a meal of the dialogue he’s given; in fact, the entire screenplay contains some razor sharp, witty dialogue), Mark Strong (playing a good guy for a change!), Matthew Goode, Rory Kinnear, and - most importantly - Keira Knightley. Knightley’s role, on paper, could have become a walking cliche (the strong, intelligent young woman trying to make her way in a field dominated by men), but she brings an incredible amount of nuance to the part, and the way her relationship with Turing progresses has a unique flavor that, thankfully, doesn’t resolve in a conventional way. The period setting of the story is lovingly rendered by the costume design (in particular), the production design, and the cinematography; the photography, for example, has a crisp look that nicely and warmly depicts the era. Alexandre Desplat contributes yet another fine score in 2014 (he surely must not have slept very much at all, this year), propelling the movie along with strong piano and string rhythms; it’s the kind of score he’s written before (no new ground is broken), but it underlines the film in a really effective way, particularly towards the end. It’s hard to really come up with nitpicks for this one; some may quibble with the way the final section of the movie plays out (involving Turing’s post-war encounter with the U.K.’s anti-homosexuality laws of the time, and the way in which that directly and immediately impacts his life), or some might say it presents the story in too conventional a manner. None of these really bothered me in the slightest; THE IMITATION GAME is good, old fashioned, straight-forward storytelling that is completely engrossing and entertaining, and Benedict Cumberbatch gives a performance that even detractors of the film would have to concede is worthy of admiration. This is one of 2014’s best films. By Brett Blake UNBROKEN, the second film to be directed by Angelina Jolie, is an admirably reverent and handsomely-mounted production, boasting technical credentials of the highest caliber and several very strong performances. It is flawed, however, and not without some miscalculations on scripting and execution levels, but it’s too fascinating and compelling a tale to overlook. The film tells the story of Louis Zamperini (Jack O’Connell), who initially rises to fame as an Olympic track star in the 1930s. Following the outbreak of World War II, Zamperini enlists, and is eventually involved in a plane crash in the Pacific Ocean, which is followed by some 40+ days lost at sea before being found by the Japanese and sent to a prisoner of war camp, where further horrors are visited upon him. Jack O’Connell, playing Zamperini, does some remarkable work with some difficult material. Let’s face it, the film basically presents a series of nearly unimaginable hardships that Zamperini must endure (hardships which are probably only a hint of what the real man went through while a P.O.W.), which is something that would be difficult to navigate for most actors. O’Connell, however, keeps Zamperini incredibly relatable and human, and he displays an extraordinary sense of decency and strength. He’s not exactly a newcomer (he has a long list of credits to his name), but it’s certainly his most high-profile gig so far, and based on his work here, there are big things in store for (and from) him. O’Connell is backed-up by some fine performances from the likes of Domnhall Gleeson, Garrett Hedlund, and - most importantly - Miyavi, portraying the deeply unsettling Japanese commander of Zamperini’s P.O.W. camp; Miyavi (supposedly something of a superstar in his native land, hence his Madonna or Prince-esque single name) is truly eerie in the role, and his youthful boyishness clashes nicely with the character’s nefarious and chilling nature. As a director, Jolie acquits herself fine, displaying a Clint Eastwoodian sense of focus and a lack of fussiness. It’s a straight-forward job by her, allowing the events to speak for themselves rather than underlining them with flash or tricks. Though this does have a side effect of making it difficult to discern a “Jolie style” (read: there’s nothing about it that makes it identifiably a film by Angelina Jolie, but it’s early in her directorial career, so perhaps a signature style will eventually present itself), she gets out of the way of the story and lets it land with the impact it needs without forcing it. On a filmmaking craft level, UNBROKEN is certainly impressive. The production design feels authentic (ditto for the costumes), and the sound work packs a punch (quite literally, as there are more beatings depicted in this film than in any other single movie of 2014). Alexandre Desplat’s score has some lovely, effective, and uplifting moments (maybe too uplifting for the tone of the film; more on that below). The cinematography - by the great Roger Deakins - is often subtly striking; Deakins has long been a master of manipulating light and shadow, and there are images in here as indelible as any Deakins has conjured up. Never too moody, nor too nondescript, the photography fits the material perfectly. Where the movie stumbles (and it is not entirely a minor one) is in its unrelenting - sometimes downright grim - tone. While there are some well-timed moments of levity, they are few and far between, and for the most part, we are treated to a succession of human brutality that feels unending. Whether this is a pacing issue is unclear, because individual moments and sequences are cut very well, but the overall film feels quite overlong; indeed, the “lost at sea” segment feels like it goes on as long as the real ordeal did, and the same goes for the prisoner camp section of the movie. It’s puzzling; perhaps this was the intended effect, to really hammer home the unending quality of Zamperini’s real-life trials, but if that’s the case, it was a miscalculation. The movie runs 137 minutes, but it easily felt a good half hour longer than that. And the other problem is that for a film with this much tough-to-take material, the audience needs a sense of catharsis by the end, and UNBROKEN seems unwilling to give the audience that release. The movie wraps-up in what should be a conventionally-satisfying way, but after witnessing countless beatings and psychological mind games, the movie requires more of an emotional kick to bring it all home, and no such kick really arrives. Personal mileage may vary in this instance, of course, but I was left a bit cold and unfulfilled at the end of the story. I have a personal theory that co-screenwriters Joel and Ethan Coen (yes, those Coens) might have been the architects of this anti-saccharinity (I’m sure that’s not a real phrase, but I don’t care!), as their careers have never been marked by overt emotion. In short, the movie’s not cold, but it doesn’t go out of its way to send you out of the theater on a wave of good vibes, either. With all of that being said, UNBROKEN still presents a portrait of an incredible young man in extraordinary circumstances, and whatever the movie’s faults may be, it’s nearly impossible not to appreciate a film this earnest and this well-made. By Brett Blake The climactic final entry in THE HOBBIT trilogy, THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES once again displays director Peter Jackson’s seemingly boundless enthusiasm and desire to please the audience, because the film - while not reaching the heights of the previous film, THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG - is an enormously entertaining adventure romp that manages to engage, thrill, and even lend the story some emotional heft not yet explored up to this point in the trilogy. Beginning at the exact moment the last movie ended, the story opens with an attack by the dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) on the people of Lake-Town. In the aftermath, Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and the dwarves - led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) - hole up in the mountain known as Erebor, and find themselves embroiled in a dispute with both the surviving people of Lake-Town - led by Bard (Luke Evans) - and an army of elves under the command of Thranduil (Lee Pace); each camp has a claim to certain riches inside the mountain, and conflict ensues. But unbeknownst to all parties, an evil force marches on Erebor, intent on wiping all of them out. More than the previous two movies, BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES feels the most handicapped by the idea of splitting the J.R.R. Tolkien novel into three films (more on that below), in the sense that both AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY and THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG still basically adhere to classical ideas of story structure. With this film, however, it’s much more of a two-act story, with the second half of the movie being - more or less - one giant, extended action sequence. The good news is that said sequence - the titular battle itself - is marvelous stuff. It wisely doesn’t try to compete with the scope of the battles found in the LORD OF THE RINGS films, but it compensates by providing a wide variety of combat; yes, there are huge armies charging towards each other, but there’s also close-quarters fighting, as well as some inspired bits of animal/monster/creature mayhem. There are many stirring and rousing (and even heart-wrenching) moments, and ultimately it does feel like the three-film wait was worth it in that sense, at least. There’s a ton of other great stuff in here, too. Bard emerges as probably the most noble and heroic figure of the whole trilogy, and his concern for his fellow Lake-Towners (and his family) makes him easy to root for. Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) get more to do this time around, both in terms of action and emotion. The production design is as impressive as ever; the ruined city of Dale, where the survivors of Smaug’s Lake-Town attack take refuge, is as impressive as any set in this or the LORD OF THE RINGS trilogies. Howard Shore’s music reaches its apotheosis in this installment, underscoring the climactic events with both power and grace, and building on his established themes in fun ways; it’s the best score of 2014. But most importantly, the story’s key element - Thorin’s increasing madness and delusion, and what comes as a result - is handled with just the right touch; Armitage sells the hell out of it, and his interactions with others (particularly with Martin Freeman’s Bilbo) land with exactly the kind of impact they need. The ultimate conclusion to Thorin’s character arc is equally well-handled, and it makes for an entirely satisfying payoff to both his character’s journey and his relationship with Bilbo. Now that the three films are completed and released to the world, we can - for the first time - fully examine the decision to split Tolkien’s source novel (not a long book by any stretch of the imagination) into three movies. Personally, it’s never much bothered me, but it’s been a consistent source of criticism (and even ridicule), so it’s worth dissection. Fundamentally, THE HOBBIT is an episodic book packed with incident, so to attempt to rush through it in a single 2+-hour movie was never in cards (you’d end up rushing past so many cool incidents that need to breathe), but on the other end of the spectrum (and having now seen the completed trilogy) taking 300 pages worth of written word and blasting that out into nearly nine hours of cinema does seem like a bit of overkill. This story did not need to be three movies (that’s not to imply the individual movies themselves aren’t good, because they definitely are), and while THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES clocks in with the shortest running time of any of the HOBBIT films so far, it is paradoxically the one which also feels the most bloated and overblown. It is a movie which is adapting only the last handful of the novel’s chapters, and is essentially 140 minutes of narrative climax. Now, that makes for a very entertaining thrill ride of a film, but you can at times feel Jackson reaching for every small moment and beat to boost the running time. The biggest example in that regard would be the opening Smaug attack; it may be a spectacular action setpiece (and, boy, is it; it’s probably the best single scene in the whole movie), but it so clearly needed to be the finale to the previous film, rather than the opening to this one. Its inclusion here feels more like tidying up unfinished business, instead of an organic entry point to this story, and while the spirit of Smaug symbolically and thematically lives on in Thorin’s madness, it’s jarring to have the big villain of your second film dealt with in the first ten minutes of your third. THE HOBBIT would have been best suited as a pair of films, each of which could have had very strong narrative contours, rather than the slightly muddled story arcs the existing three films have. But that’s all basically Monday morning quarterbacking. Whether the story really demanded it or not, we’ve got a trilogy of HOBBIT films, and ultimately, I think that’s fine. THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES is above-average action-adventure cinema, and it’s a completely fulfilling and entertaining ride. Now at the end of director Peter Jackson’s 20-odd hours in Middle-Earth, I can honestly say that I enjoyed all of, and would be ready for more. It’s a special thing he and his crew have pulled off (whatever you might think of the respective merits of the individual films), and they deserve admiration for providing a heart-felt, deeply un-cynical send-off for Tolkien’s world and characters in cinematic form. By Brett Blake Director Ridley Scott returns to the historical epic genre with EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS, and the word “epic” is certainly an apt one. The film is huge in scope, refreshingly old-fashioned in its filmmaking philosophy, and surprisingly thoughtful in its handling of the central characters and story. Said story is one of the most well-known on the planet. Moses (Christian Bale) is raised as a prince of Egypt, along with his brother-in-all-but-blood, Ramses (Joel Edgerton), until Moses uncovers his true lineage as a Hebrew and, through directives from God, sets out to free the Hebrew slaves which have been oppressed by the Egyptians for centuries. Exilements, burning bushes, plagues, and astonishing feats of aquatic power are all featured along the way as Moses fights to lead his people to freedom. EXODUS is a gigantic movie, the kind of film where people say “all the money is up on the screen.” The production design is simply extraordinary, with large, built-for-real sets and a period authenticity that is palpable. Equally impressive are the costumes, which convey so much about the vast differences between the Hebrew and Egyptian cultures in the film. The cinematography is terrific, too, capturing painterly vistas and skies (always full of interesting moods, never just clear or cloudy) with a crispness that works in a surprisingly effective way. It’s a gorgeous-looking film of gigantic scale, with crowd and battle scenes populated by thousands of real extras, animals, chariots, and other assorted props. The film spends ample time on the key moments of the story, displaying the fabled plagues, for example, in loving and horrific detail, and climaxing with a visually-stunning interpretation of the parting of the Red Sea. In that sense, the movie is every bit a fitting successor to the Biblical classics that were made during Hollywood’s golden era, not the least of which would be 1956’s THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, a masterpiece which also tackled the story of Moses. EXODUS never rises to that film’s iconic level, nor does it have the ultra-glossy, magical sheen of that version, but it’s a fine spiritual update for contemporary audiences. As Moses, Christian Bale delivers the goods, albeit in exactly the way you might expect him to. His is a brooding Moses, a man conflicted and concerned about the suffering endured by both the Hebrew slaves and the Egyptians upon which the plagues are sent. It’s a commanding performance, though also fundamentally human, with Bale and the screenplay taking great pains to explore the character’s state of mind. Bale makes no controversial choices, and does nothing that we haven’t seen from him before, but there’s a reason he’s one of his generation’s best actors: he brings commitment to every role he takes, and Moses is no exception. It’s fine, fine work. Joel Edgerton’s Ramses is the other central figure in this story, and Edgerton gives the movie’s most interesting performance. He makes some fascinating character choices that border on camp, what with Ramses spending the second half of the film glowering and generally being petulant, but Edgerton (at least for my money) keeps tight hold of the reins. The result is a very entertaining performance that is both big and nuanced, and I thought it was great, but I can certainly see it not working for everybody. The supporting cast is - more or less - kind of forgettable, honestly, even though there are some fine actors in the mix. Ben Kingsley plays the sort of wise old sage part he could handle in his sleep, while the likes of John Turturro and Sigourney Weaver show up and feel kind of massively miscast; there’s not much of them in the film, however, so it’s not a huge deal. Aaron Paul does a fine, stoic job as Joshua, but he’s given little to sink his teeth into (one gets the sense he had some scenes left on the floor of the editing room). Maria Valverde makes a strong impression as Moses’ wife, Zipporah, though that may have more to do with her being incredibly beautiful than it does with the character having big, memorable moments to play. Now, the key question remaining is this: in a world that has seen many versions of the Moses story (on both the big and small screens), does EXODUS truly justify its existence? The answer to that question is, basically, not really. There is nothing in here that we truly have never seen before, and it checks all the boxes we expect to be checked in a telling of the story of Exodus. It’s a movie nobody was really asking for, presenting a story everybody knows. None of that bothers me, as I like seeing new interpretations of oft-told stories, but if a person is going into EXODUS purely for a radically different “take” on the tale, said person will likely come out with a “been there, done that” feeling. Fair warning. However, if you’re more of the sort to keep an open mind and to luxuriate in classy, grand-in-scope cinema, there’s a ton in the film to enjoy. I’d like to take a moment just to say a few words about director Ridley Scott. Frankly, I think the view of his recent work that has been taken by most film critics is unfair; there’s a pervasive perception out there that he’s washed up, that he hasn’t delivered a great film in (at least) a decade, and that even on his best day, all he can muster anymore is empty, garish spectacle. At the risk of slaughtering what could be viewed as a self-made straw man, I think that perspective is absolute nonsense. It is certainly true that his most recent films (2010’s ROBIN HOOD, 2012’s PROMETHEUS, and 2013’s THE COUNSELOR) are all - in one way or another - flawed, and it is also certainly true that his last unequivocally “great” film came nearly a decade ago with 2005’s KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (and it really took Scott’s “Director’s Cut” version of that film getting a home video release for people to see that movie for the masterpiece it is). All that being said, I’m of the opinion that he hasn’t directed an outright bad movie since the 1990s, and that nobody has the same kind of interesting visual technique that he does when he's fully engaged. For that reason, even his lesser films have worth in a cinematic climate populated all too often by bland, “journeyman” directors without any kind of strong personal or artistic vision. Is EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS one of those “lesser” Ridley Scott films? In the final analysis, it probably is, but for those so inclined, it is also a very solid piece of entertainment that delivers on a big-scale cinematic level. |
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