Gods of Egypt tries a little too hard

Movie Title:  Gods of Egypt

Grade:  C

Rating:  PG-13, 2 hours 7 minutes

In a Nutshell:    Before my 15 year old son even saw this film, he determined “It’s just a special effects movie.”  Indeed.  It’s not a bad movie; it’s just not a great one.

Considering its huge CGI budget and ambition, the audience I sat with hardly reacted to anything.  The film tries almost too hard and audiences have been responding with a shrug and a “meh”.

Don’t get me wrong.  It’s filled with action and a few entertaining moments that made me laugh.  It reminded me a little bit of the campy style of The Scorpion King

It’s generally family-friendly as you watch Gerard Butler (Set) battle Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Horus) in an epic struggle for power over Egypt. 

 Uplifting theme: 

• “I don’t know if I’m strong enough.” – Horus

“Then become stronger.” -   Ra

• Osiris, the king (Bryan Brown), holds up two items and explains , “A token from someone with much and someone with little, but when both die and stand at the final gate, what is their value then?  They are symbols of a life well lived.  I say they are equal.  All are welcome in the afterlife.”
• “Never doubt any man who is fighting for the one thing as powerful as a god: love.” – narrator, Bek (Brenton Thwaites)
• The existence and the entrance to the after-life has been debated for thousands of years.  Horus announces, "From this moment on, the after-life must be earned, not by gold, but by good deeds, compassion, and generosity.  What we do, how we act in this life matters."

Things I liked:

• The music really gets you in the mood for a mystical Egyptian journey.
• Some of the CGI is very cool, while other parts are super cheesy.
• I liked the symbolism of the horn that Set gave Horus at the coronation.  It is an ancient symbol of power, the very thing that Set wanted.
• I love watching Geoffrey Rush in anything.  He plays the legendary Ra.
• I love the cool wings on some of the women.
• Rufus Sewell always does a great job as a bad guy. I first took notice of him in A Knight’s Tale. 
• The narrator at the beginning of the movie (an older, wiser Bek, played by Brenton Thwaites) explains that the gods have gold running through their veins, rather than gold, which you get to see several times.  Cool.
• In the style of The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring , the film mixes scale by showing very tall gods next to small mortals.
• I have a hard time rooting for a protagonist who is a thief or another who is selfish and lazy.  I want my heroes to be good and honorable.  Both gods and mortals are featured with all of their flaws in this film, yet they also have redeeming qualities.  There is some growth in the protagonists and love conquers all.
• This could make a good video game.  It almost feels like one already.
• Beautiful shots from above cities.

Things I didn’t like:

• There are a lot of jokes that simply fall flat.
• I thought it was cool how the gods transformed from their human form into their true god shape.
• There were some lame “Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon” suspended fake moves.
• The clothes look like costumes.  The sets look like sets.  The acting feels like acting.  You know you’re watching a movie, rather than disappearing into another world as you watch it.
• The pacing is terrible.
• Absolutely no Egyptian actors were used in the film.  None.  Zero. Ziltch.
• You can tell the movie thinks it's better than it is.

Funny lines:

•  “Your chance of failure is overwhelming.” – Thoth (Chadwick Boseman)
• “If I attempted to explain, your brain would liquefy and explode.” – Thoth

Interesting lines:

•  “Are you sure you’re not a God?” - Horus

“What would I be a god of? Stupidity?” – Bek

“The Impossible.” - Horus

• “Have you gotten so lazy that you’ve forgotten that every god’s life is a journey?” - Ra

Tips for parents:   

• Lots and lots of fighting.
• Lots and lots of beautiful women falling out of their clothes.
• Some profanity.
• Several scenes in bed, but you only see kissing.
• The final messages of the movie are good one for kids: honor, love, kindness, duty, friendship.

The Giver asks great questions about life and free will

Movie Title:   The Giver [HD]

PG-13, 1 hour 40 minutes

Grade:  B

In a Nutshell:  If you haven’t read the best-selling young adult novel The Giver by Lois Lowry, you’ll understand the movie well enough, but also won’t know what you’re missing.  The book provides more depth than the movie, which is usually the case when literature is brought to life on the big screen.  No matter…the film’s content has a lot to offer to those who are brave enough to discuss one of life’s most important questions: which is better: forcing everyone to live in peace or allowing free agency that can threaten peace? 

Uplifting theme: 

• There must be opposition in all things.  You can’t feel complete joy unless you know sorrow.  You can’t choose good if there is no evil.
• Despite the sorrows, dangers, and ugliness in the world, life is worth living every minute.  Humanity is full of flaws, but also possesses incredible beauty.   
• One person can make a difference.

Things I liked:

• I like how the movie starts in grays, blacks and whites, but as Jonas gains knowledge, he is able to see more color.  Knowledge does, indeed, color your world.
• As a college professor and author, I liked the Community’s rule to use “precise language.”  Admittedly, I’m a Grammar Nazi.
• It’s always good to see Oscar winners Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges in anything.
• There is some symbolism in the film that allows the viewer to dig deeper, such as using an apple to disobey one of the Community’s commandments.
• I think Brenton Thwaites does a great job of portraying Jonas, who is both thrilled and frightened by what he learns about the world.
• Cameo appearance by Taylor Swift. 
• I liked the uncertainty of the ending.  We don’t know what’s inside the house, but the exciting possibilities are endless.  Isn’t that how life is when you have choices?

Things I didn’t like:

• Katie Holmes plays a lifeless, robotic mother with bad posture.  You never see her smile once, which is, of course, appropriate for the grey existence within the Community.  It seemed inconsistent with the father’s behavior (played by Alexander Skarsgard), who laughs and shows compassion.  Even more incongruent was his ability to (SPOILER ALERT) kill one baby without feeling any emotion, while bringing home another one to save it.
• There really isn’t any humor in this film.  The only line that got a smirk out of the audience was when The Giver explains to Jonas “You’ve had a dream – a combination of fantasy, reality, emotions, and what you had for dinner.”
• It starts out feeling a lot like the recent movie Divergent.
• I hate watching any babies cry.
• (SPOILER ALERT)  The kisses between Jonas and Fiona had zero passion.  Unfortunately, there was no chemistry between actors Brenton Thwaites and Odeya Rush.
• The movie poster makes it look like Anna Kendrick is in the film, but she's not.

Insightful lines:

• “Just like music, there’s something you can’t see with your eyes…inside you.”  - The Giver
• “Listen to what’s calling from inside.”  - The Giver
• “Faith is seeing beyond.”  - Jonas
• “Memories are not just about the past – they determine our future.”   - The Giver
• “Everything is connected.  Everything is a balance.  Where there is good, there is bad.” – The Giver
• “A dwelling is not a home.  A home is more.”  - The Giver
• “The boy must hold in the pain.”  - Chief Elder
• “When people have the freedom to choose, they choose wrong every time.”  - Chief Elder
• “You have the courage.  Let me give you the strength.”  - The Giver
• “With love comes faith and hope.”  - The Giver
• “We are living a life of shadows, of echoes.” – The Giver
• “If you can’t feel, what’s the point?” - Jonas

Tips for parents:   Older children and teens will especially be able to relate to the idea of wanting to fit in and not being “too” different.  Jonas explains “I always thought I saw things differently.  I never said anything.  I didn’t want to be different.  Who would?”  Parents have a challenging task of helping their children discover their talents and and teaching them to embrace their uniqueness with confidence.  Parents should take advantage of the opportunity to sit down with their kids after this movie and discuss what qualities they think their children possess that makes them special.

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