Moses
From SPARK
One-sentence summary
A dramatic, realistic movie of the life of Moses -- a very humble man who learns to trust God fully (182 min.).
Description
From DVD Cover
Faith in God. Escape from slavery. The two great themes from the Old Testament book of Exodus are given thrilling new life in this re-creation of how Moses led the children of Israel from bondage in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land.
Academy Award winner Ben Kingsley (Gandhi, House of Sand and Fog) is Moses and Frank Langella, David Suchet, and Christopher Lee portray other powerful Biblical figures in this monumental production. All the glory and spectacle are here: Moses’ childhood in Pharaoh’s court, God’s voice from the burning bush, the dreadful plagues, the parting of the Red Sea, the granting of the Ten Commandments and the long-awaited return to Canaan. Share the journey – and rekindle your sense of wonder.
Considerations
The actors, clothing, and scenery are all very good. For the most part it fits well with what is known from Scripture. Pharaoh is shown and treated as a god. Moses is portrayed in Pharaoh’s court as a person of low self esteem, brought on by the knowledge of those in the court that he is not an Egyptian and by his stuttering speech when under pressure. Although Pharaoh’s daughter tells him he is a royal prince of Egypt, he sees himself as nothing -- neither Egyptian nor Hebrew. He only seems to recognize later that his nurse was his real mother. He then kills an Egyptian who is about to kill his brother Aaron. When he flees Egypt he still has no real knowledge of the God of Israel. He only knows the Israelites have one god while the Egyptians have many.
Only at the burning bush does he begin to understand who God is. From then on there is a continual growth in his relation with the Lord, although he shows little confidence as a leader of the people when he returns to Egypt and never really becomes a confident leader. He does, however, come to trust God completely and continually seeks God. Aaron speaks for Moses initially but Moses speaks more during the last plagues and during the wilderness years. Aaron is shown as not approving but forced to allow the people to do what they demand in making the golden calf. The Lord’s anger is shown through Moses when he throws down the tablets. However, Moses is brought to tears when the rebellious people are killed following the Lord’s decree. He does not want to lead the people and asks God to take the burden from him for it is too heavy to bear.
Moses is shown as a humble man continually seeking and following the Lord’s guidance. Only immediately following Miriam’s death, when the people complain of lack of water, is it reported that he disobeys God, as his anger comes forth and he strikes the rock twice. Moses repents before God but is not allowed to enter the Promised Land. He passes on the role of leader to Joshua and encourages him. The last view of Moses is on Mt. Nebo overlooking the land and worshiping God.
Limitations
There are portions, e.g., the early life of Moses, that have been added to fill in what Scripture only briefly mentions. These are subject to human interpretation, as are also the way known events of Scripture are presented. There are some parts that don’t seem to fit with Scripture. For example, Moses kills an Egyptian that is about to kill Aaron in a house at night, while Scripture indicates the killing took place among the laboring people and there is no evidence the person he saved was Aaron. Moreover, there is no indication Moses felt he was a deliverer of Israel at that time. No mention is made of Moses having two sons, and the last time his wife, Zipporah, is seen is when he leaves to go back to Egypt.
At the Red Sea, Moses is shown holding his staff over the water for what appears to be at least overnight (nearly five minutes of movie time). After the Lord drowns the army of Pharaoh the people appear to be sad over the loss of lives, whereas the Biblical account indicates joy and gladness, demonstrated by singing and dancing, for the Lord’s victory over their enemies. When the ark is being transported, it is shown out in the open leading the procession, and yet Scripture indicates it was covered and was in the middle of the procession of tribes.
Some things may have been too difficult to accurately portray. For example, the pillar of cloud and fire, the smoke and fire of Mt. Sinai, and the earth opening up to swallow Korah’s followers during their rebellion. Also throughout the movie the cast size is just too small to accurately represent the multitude of people. It appeared there were only a few hundred people, which simply cannot give the impression of several million.
These are only one reviewer’s observations. If you are interested, you should view and test this movie with your people group to learn their reaction and identify any scenes, music, or cultural issues that could detract from the Word of God.
Guidelines for Use
The movie is generally faithful to the theme of Scripture but would be most appropriate for mature believers able to discern what is based on Scripture from what is only conjecture.
Where to Obtain
Link to Producer or Source Organization
Cost
The Bible Collection, which includes six movies (Moses, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, David, and Samson and Delilah), can be purchased for $48 (Sept. 2007) from amazon.com.
Producer/Owners
Author/Artist/Producer
TNT presents a Lube Production, 1996
Current copyright owner
TNT, Inc., and Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc.
Other Information
Reviewed by
VMS Staff: Vernon W.
Date
September 2007
