Dom moses review12/27/2023 ![]() He’s the cousin and brother of heir apparent Rhamses (Joel Edgerton), but the preferred child of Rhamses’ father, the Pharaoh Seti (John Turturro). Skipping much of the stilted pageantry associated with his legend, the film opens on Moses (Bale) as already a man full grown. This knowing agony informs the movie well enough to overcome its own considerable plagues (of which there are many).Īt the risk of sounding redundant in the 21 st century, Exodus: Gods and Kings is the well-worn story of Moses and his journey from Prince of Egypt to Liberator of the Israelites. Most of all, however, Scott zeroes this story in on the brotherhood of Moses and Rhamses, and what it means to lose it. As embodied by a boisterously fierce Christian Bale, the man who went up the mountain came back down ready to kick some ass, be it that of Egyptians, doubting Hebrews, or even Exodus’ peculiar representation of God Himself. Yet, Scott’s own Exodus: Gods and Kings comes from a very different place and with a refreshingly inventive take on Moses. DeMille exuded in mounting The Ten Commandments. Oft repeated, the story of Moses and his spiritual battle with Pharaoh is nonetheless most associated in the collective imagination with Charlton Heston, shrouded in a ridiculously big bushy beard, parting the Red Sea with almost as much fanaticism as his director Cecil B. Dominic realized that it would be impossible to win the respect of such a people unless his friars lived very simply and humbly, with no opulence.Ridley Scott is deliberately walking over holy ground with Exodus: Gods and Kings, and I’m not just talking about the old Hebrew tale. That meekness was essential for the early Dominican friars as well, because they were sent to preach to the Albigenses, a heretical sect that viewed the material world as evil. Dominic, and also why the Dominicans are sometimes referred to as “the hounds of the Lord.” Dogs are known for their loyalty and humble obedience to human masters. The name “Dominic” means “dog of the Lord,” which is why a dog is often pictured in icons and paintings of St. The torch set fire to everything in the dog’s path. Dominic was born, tradition holds that his mother, Blessed Jane of Aza, had a dream in which a dog was leaping from her womb with a torch in his mouth. But apart from his one brief lapse at Meribah, Moses remained both faithful and humble. Moses worked stupendous miracles on a regular basis, and he received the Ten Commandments directly from God on Mount Sinai. Throughout the Bible (and in the world around us), we can see how difficult it is for human beings to wield power and influence without succumbing to the temptations of pride. That is why he had the honor of leading his people to freedom, and why he alone among the giants of the Old Testament was permitted to speak to God face to face.Ĭonsidering the task for which Moses was appointed, it makes a kind of sense that meekness was an essential qualification. ![]() As today’s reading tells us, he was the meekest man on the face of the earth. ![]() It turns out Moses was superlative, though not in a way that we humans tend to notice or admire. They thought they might be better suited to taking charge. Apparently his siblings, Aaron and Miriam, also felt that their brother was an uninspired leader. He comes across as a somewhat cranky person, continually chastising the Israelites for their failures but rarely offering them comfort, sympathy, or inspiration. But when God first orders Moses to approach Pharaoh, Moses immediately objects that he’s a pitiful public speaker. Paul could seemingly hold court for hours on end, keeping audiences spellbound. He shows none of the charisma of a Joseph or a Daniel. He doesn’t really seem to be what we would call a “natural born leader.” He is not a brash and brilliant tactician like King David. His selection is in some ways rather perplexing. It helps us to see why Moses was chosen for the extraordinary task of leading the Israelites from slavery. However, the story from Numbers has always been memorable to me for a different reason, which is especially worth noting today on the feast of St. Today’s readings emphasize human weakness and the need for grace. Moses himself was by far the meekest man on the face of the earth.
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