Two years after the scandalous and not very successful movie rental, Exodus: Kings and Gods, another blockbuster on the theme of Ancient Egypt appears . An ancient civilization with a rich history and mythology continues to excite the imagination of scriptwriters and directors, prompting them to create ambitious projects that impress with their budget, special effects and the most eminent cast. It will be about the movie Alex Proyas "Gods of Egypt." Actors and roles, plot, budget, criticism and box office - all of this you will learn later.
About the plot
Egyptian mythology, characterized by complexity and extreme complexity, is a real source of inspiration for screenwriters. It has everything: revenge, love, cruelty and generosity. The plot of the film is based on several ancient Egyptian myths telling about the struggle for power between two gods: Seth and Horus.
The kingdom on the banks of the Nile flourishes in peace and prosperity, people and gods are preparing side by side for an important event - the coronation of a new king. The ceremony is not destined to take place, the cruel god of darkness and war Seth intervenes in it. He kills Osiris and captures the throne, depriving the eye and sending to prison his main rival - Horus. The gods of Egypt (actors and roles are listed below) enter into a fierce struggle. In the company of a young thief, Horus sets out on a campaign, risking everything he has left, including his life.
Interesting Facts
- For the director A. Proyas (“Raven”, “I, Robot”, “Dark City” and “The Sign”) this film was the first in the last seven years.
- Despite the fact that the film is about Egypt, not a single Egyptian was involved in the film. Moreover, the director and company Lionsgate were forced to apologize for the predominance of the "white" cast.
- Interestingly, about 200 people (group and actors) were involved in the film, who worked on creating the painting “Mad Max: The Road of Fury”.
- Additional preparation was required by D. Butler and N.K. Waldau before filming the film “Gods of Egypt”. Actors and roles are selected quite harmoniously. However, D. Butler admitted that as soon as he found out who his character was, he immediately thought that he would have to take up his physical form. The viewer will certainly appreciate his inflated and athletic figure. N.K. Waldau (photo below) also did not stand aside and noticeably lost weight for filming.
- The episodes, which takes place in the desert, were filmed in Australia, filming in the Sahara was considered too dangerous.
Gods of Egypt: Nicholas Coster Waldau
Dane Nikolai Koster Waldau is known not only as an actor, but also as a screenwriter, producer and director. Great success and popularity brought him the role of Sir Jaime Lanister in the television series "Game of Thrones." In the film, he played the role of the narcissistic god of the sun and sky - Horus (son of Osiris and Isis). The Egyptians portrayed him as a man with the head of a falcon. This fact was reflected in the picture when creating the character’s armor.
Gods of Egypt: Brenton Thwaites
The young Australian actor Brenton Thwaites has already managed to take part in very famous projects, such as The Blue Lagoon and Malificent, during his still short career. In the film "Gods of Egypt" he played the role of a young thief. His character is a brave and kind guy, he is in love and is ready for anything to free his girlfriend Zana from slave fetters. It is she who helps him steal Horus' eyes from the treasury. A chase is organized for the lovers, during which the girl is killed.
Gerard Butler Character
The star of the film "300 Spartans" - the Scottish film and television actor Gerard Butler - played the role of Set in the film "Gods of Egypt". His character is the personification of rage, chaos, war and destruction, death and sandstorms. Seth Egyptians depicted in different ways: a man with a donkey's head with a fiery mane and burning eyes, or a crocodile, or a snake. It is interesting that initially, like Horus, he was revered as the patron saint of royal power and much later made him an antagonist.
As mentioned above, Gerard Butler gained good muscle mass before filming began. Despite the fact that he is a negative character, he is pretty much to the viewer. And the actor himself, by the way, is considered the most friendly in Hollywood.
Criticism and box office
The budget of the film amounted to 140 million dollars. He was barely exceeded by box office at the box office. The picture was not particularly successful, in addition, it was noted mainly by negative reviews from critics. One of the most cited reasons is excessive abuse of computer graphics, discriminatory cast (mostly “white”), and the simplification of Egypt’s complex mythology to please viewers. Actors and roles have received negative criticism for the film “Gods of Egypt”. They were considered too stereotyped, predictable. In general, the picture has, according to the popular American cinema portal, 3.5 points out of a possible ten.