The Travelling Toe: "Gods of Egypt" (movie critique)

GODS OF EGYPT

The Travelling Toe and a Dear Friend ventured out early one afternoon to see the new flick "Gods of Egypt". This is sort of a Sci-Fi Fantasy movie, rather hard to classify to just one genre.

The film is set in ancient time Egypt in what is an alternate universe. It is during the time that the gods lived among the humans. However, the gods are taller than humans and when they are killed they do not bleed red blood but golden blood.

The story opens with the reigning King Osiris deciding to retire and pass the crown to his son Horus. However Horus does not take the upcoming new duties seriously. All the other gods have gathered to participate in the coronation. And the humans have come to see the new king take his place on the throne. In the human crowd are 2 young lovers, Bek, who is a thief, and his girlfriend, Zaya.

This should be a happy time for all., but of course it isn't. The brother of Osiris, Set, who was banished to rule the desert, unexpectedly appears. Set feels their father Ra had cheated him out of the throne and sent him to the desert. Set has decided to steal back what he thinks should be his. He attacks and kills his brother Osiris. Horus immediately vows revenge for his father's murder and attacks Set. But Set overpowers Horus and pulls his eyes out. (yuck) Without his eyes, Horus has no super powers. Seth banishes Horus to a desolate jail in the desert and hides the 2 eyeballs in his high security treasury vault.

With Set in power, all humans are pretty much enslaved to work to make Set more powerful. Hathor, who was Horus' girlfriend, stays with Set and becomes his adviser (hint - this is part of a bigger plan).

Zaya, who has always prayed and worshiped Horus, talks Bek into stealing back the eyes and taking them to Horus to free him. Being a thief, Bek is able to penetrate the security but can only get one of the eyes. As Bek and Zaya are escaping to take the eye to Horus, Zaya is killed. Bek is devastated and even though Horus does not want to return to fight Set, he decides he must so to save the humans and avenge his father.

The rest of the story centers on Horus and Bek making the trek through the desert fighting demons and other weird creatures to reach the capitol for pay-back.

Does Horus settle the score with Set? Does Set get his comeuppance? Does Horus ever get both eyes back? Is Bek able to call Zaya back from the land of the dead? Are Horus and Hathor reunited again?

Well, Dear Readers, The Travelling Toe will not spoil the ending for you as you will just have to find out for yourselves.

Set was played by Gerald Butler and Horus by Nikolay Coster-Waldau, both very handsome men. Just one small observation, all the actors used a sort of proper English accent, but Gerald used his natural Scottish brogue. And some of the CGI background scenes were a little iffy.

CAST