Yes, the story has been told many times before, on film alone. It also reminds me of a well-known old book. I didn't expect major liberties to be taken with the familiar story, but, what is the point of a new version which offers nothing new? The movie seems aimed at children, and adults with child-like sensibilities who have never heard this story before. The presentation is cornier than my Grannie's hominy stew! A serious and earnest mood seems appropriate, but the dialogue and mannerisms of the characters are so simplistic as to make them seem laughable. There are occasional attempts at humor, which are truly pathetic. These attempts are not only not funny, they pale compared to the attempts at humor from the old Davey and Goliath series. Many of the actors chosen for the voice work simply don't work. The choice of Christian Slater is found to be poor within ten minutes of his first utterance. There is a Kirk Douglas-like man among the complaining Hebrews, his voice rising, falling, and cracking much like the similar voice from Ren and Stimpy. There is a short, fat, crude, whining Hebrew who seems to be a caricature of a modern citified heathen. He becomes obnoxious early on, and never stops. Lastly, the teeth. Baby Moses has at least thirty teeth.....a miracle, perhaps? The teeth of the adults tend to glow, and seem like a set of dentures a bit too large for their mouths. All in all, a great disappointment.
Review of The Ten Commandments
