Show Info

Genre(s): Drama

First Air Date: April 10, 2006

Summary

Starring Dougray Scott, Naveen Andrews, Omar Sharif, Linus Roache, Mia Maestro, and Padma Lakshmi

This is a new, made-for-TV, four-hour retelling of the Biblical epic. Don't worry; ABC still plans to show the Charlton Heston original.

Also On The Web: Official Show Site

What The Critics Said

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What Our Users Said

Vote Now!The average user rating for this show is 2.5 (out of 10) based on 27 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

Fred M gave it an8:
This remake is better than the original on several fronts. It is a lot more realistic (in the original version, Moses is too "nice" to be able to achieve what he did). It also covers a lot more of the events described in the Bible, whereas the original concentrated too much on Moses' life as a prince which isn't covered much in the Bible. For these reasons, the remake is a lot more instructive although perhaps not more entertaining. Despite what the Washignton Post says, the special effects are also very good, especially the parting of the sea.

Sam gave it a0:
I appreciate the effort that the filmmakers wanted to depict the story of Moses and the exodus of Israel, and that the film helps viewers to put themselves into Moses' shoes and gain understanding of the intense burden laid upon Moses' shoulders. As excited as I was to see this film, I was greatly disappointed in the storyline. (I'll leave out the videography, special effects, and artistic ability in this review.) What is most disappointing is the historical inaccuracy of this movie and how it is so far from the historical accounts from Biblical texts. One of the overarching principles from the Bible is that *God* led His people out of Egypt, and He promised that He would take them to a land that is flowing with milk and honey. Not only did He give this promise, but He led His people in a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. He never left them; He always was visible to the Israelites. The movie, however, depicts a God who remains silent during the entire wandering through the desert. This movie changed the essense and theme of the Biblical text and instead depicts God as a silient, cruel, disciplinary void. In addition, the depiction of Moses was just as wrong. Moses was known as a man of faith (why else would he be such a father-figure to Israel throughout the Old and New Testaments, even that Moses is known as a man of great faith). However, the movie depicts him as a pragmatic, insecure loner who despises the calling that God placed on his life. Ok, I'll allow some creative freedom for the filmmakers in the Exodus story... but when this is beyond creativity -- it is heresy.

sandra gave it a9:
i thought it was great

Eda F gave it a9:
So good to see a Moses who struggled with his responsibility, rather than the larger-than-life Heston version. Had to forward through the violent scenes with the kids, but found it more interesting and thought-provoking than the 1956 version. Scott's portrayal of Moses' struggles and evolution into a leader were fascinating.

K Smith gave it a10:
Hollywood likes glamour. That is what you get in the original "Ten Commandments." There was nothing glamourous about the Exodus. God was pretty clear and direct with his commands to the Israelites. When they did not obey him there were severe consequences. This prortrayal was much closer to what I saw in my mind as I read my bible. If people were to pull out their bibles and read them, they would find this rendtion much closer to the truth. God is not some warm fuzzy character that some people like to protray, He is an all powerful God and he sees justice done as in the case of the Egyptians.

Robert Z gave it a1:
Accuracy of Old Testament is questionable. Boring to watch. Special effects were better in the 1956 version. Acting was sub-standard. All in all, a disappointment. Hard to beat the original.

Heath M gave it a9:
Far more interesting than the 1956 version, where Moses ceases to be human after the burning bush incident and turns into a swept back hair cartoonish preacher. This version actually shows the bizarre and brutal nature of the Old Testament. We have women and children murdering wounded enemies on the battlefield and the mass killings after the golden calf as Moses purged those who disagreed with him. Unlike the 1956 version, where the murder of the firstborn of all Egypt is shown as the King of Egypt's own doing, this version lays it all on the feet of the Hebrews god as does the text. Moses fictional Egyptian adopted brother gets to make the statement after his firstborn is murdered by Moses god, that "your god is cruel." Indeed. And this version deserves great kudos for being willing to show the cruelty of the text and oddness of the people, and not turn it into some sort of macabe mixture of 1950's jingoistic American patriotic zealotry married to modern Christian fundamentalism as the 1956 version does. Certainly the acting was not always the best and wooden here and there, but geesh have you seen Heston's Moses? What's curious is how this version continues to follow some of the odd extrabiblical material in De Mille's version, such as the murder of the Hebrew children being done because of some odd Egyptian prophecy, and one wonders what the makers where thinking by including this. However, many questions come up from this version which are critical to our era to answer, such as were Moses conversations with his god nothing more than internal projections, and what is the place of people who claim to have heard the voice of their god in the modern world? Sept 11 was wrought by those who claimed to have contact and knowledge of their gods will, and this movie, in the final mass murder where even children are killed, showed where that viewpoint leads us. Overall this is thoughtful TV.

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