THE TEN COMMANDMENTS

US, 2007, 88 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Ben Kingsley, Christian Slater, Alfred Molina, Elliot Gould, Kathleen Barr, Christopher Gaze.
Directed by Bill Boyce and John Stronach.

This animated version of The Ten Commandments is geared towards a children’s audience. It is a simplified presentation of the Book of Exodus. It is very literal in its presentation (as well as deriving many visual effects from Cecil B. de Mille’s The Ten Commandments). It retraces the material covered in Dreamworks’ The Prince of Egypt (1998).

The film is very much Sunday School instruction. It presents the stories of Moses and the exodus as being absolutely historical – although, the animation style might indicate to young viewers that they see it as legendary material, sagas from the history of Israel, which the book is.

The animation is straightforward, along the lines of The Miracle Maker although the human characters are less well drawn and are presented more straightforwardly. There is an interesting two-dimensional section during the credits indicating Moses’ childhood and adolescence and growing up.

While the film is narrated by Ben Kingsley in a low-key British voice, the accents of the main characters are particularly American. While this is effective for Americans to hear the Scriptures in their own intonations, it can be off-putting for those who hear the American accent as something more contemporary rather than historical. Christian Slater is Moses, Alfred Molina has the chance to rant and rave (with an American twang) as the Pharaoh. Elliot Gould is surprisingly low-key as the voice of God.

The film was written by Ed Naha, a writer of science fiction and thrillers, novelisations of such films as Robo Cop, a film researcher – not the kind of writer that one would expect for this straightforward interpretation of Exodus. The directors have worked in animation and in 2008 produced a film of Noah’s Ark: The New Beginning with an even wider range of star voices with Elliot Gould once again as the voice of God and Ben Kingsley as the narrator.

Adults will find the film far too simplistic. It would serve as a visualisation of the background of Exodus – though, probably, it pales in comparison with The Prince of Egypt.

It treats most of the episodes in the Book of Exodus although the chapter on the burning bush is particularly disappointing, not much revelation of the nature of God but rather the emphasis on the rod of Moses which can turn magically into snakes. While there is his marriage to Zipporah, he farewells them and goes back to Egypt to lead the exodus and they are not seen afterwards (though they did accompany him in the other films of the exodus).

1.The intended audience for this film? The effect on adults? Too simple and simplistic? For children? The effectiveness of information, instruction, visualisation, biblical themes? The danger of the presentation of an angry and vengeful God, especially with the plagues and the last plague?

2.The nature of the animation, the human characters, lacking subtlety? The action – and the references to the de Mille film, especially in the parting of the Red Sea, the forming of the letters of the Ten Commandments on the tablets of stone?

3.A reading of the Book of Exodus, a literal reading? The challenge to the credibility of these events as actual? Seeing them as saga, enhancement of episodes? Religious interpretation?

4.The focus on Egypt, the Israelites as slaves, hard work? The Pharaoh and his advisers, his vengeful attitude towards the Israelites? Oppressing them? The edict for the death of the male children?

5.Moses’ father and mother, their concern, the soldiers’ search? Their putting Moses in the basket, Miriam following, the princess finding him, keeping him, Miriam getting her mother as nurse?

6.The animation during the credits and Moses growing up? The effect of the two-dimensional animation?

7.The son of the Pharaoh? His sharing the upbringing with Moses, the wrestling scene? The rivalry? The story of Moses, the killing of the Egyptian overseer, his having to flee? Moses in the desert, his search, helping the women from oppression at the well? Being welcomed in Jethro’s household, his marriage, children, the celebration?

8.The experience of the burning bush, the voice of God? The revelation? The information of how to use the rod in confrontation with Pharaoh? The return to Egypt, the farewell to his wife and children?

9.Meeting Aaron again, with Miriam? The background to his upbringing? Moses and Aaron going to Pharaoh, Pharaoh with his son? His contempt of Moses, contempt of the message, declaring himself god?

10.The visualising of the plagues, dramatic, overwhelming the Egyptians? Pharaoh and the hardening of his heart? The advisers wanting to capitulate? The snakes, the ice, the lice, the flies, the blood river? Building up to the death of the firstborn? The Israelites and their meal, painting the lintels with blood?

11.Pharaoh letting the people go, grief over his son? The Israelites moving out, the pursuit by the Egyptians as Pharaoh changed his mind? At the sea, the rebellion? Moses and his prayer, listening to God? Aaron’s help, Miriam’s support? The colloquial dialogue interspersed with the biblical dialogue, the American-style slang?

12.The parting of the Red Sea, the Israelites passing through, the Egyptians’ pursuit? The children looking at the fish in the sea? The overwhelming of the Egyptians, the corpses and the fish?

13.Dathan( and his rebellion, the criticism? Confronting Moses and Aaron? The water and its gushing, the manna, the quails? The Israelites saying they should go back? Moses and his exasperation?

14.Moses on Mount Sinai, the forty days and forty nights, the giving of the Ten Commandments, the reciting of them? Moses coming down, discovering the golden calf? Breaking the tablets?

15.Aaron, the rebellion of the people, collecting the gold and jewels, making the calf, worshipping it?

16.Joshua singled out as the successor? Moses supporting him? Reaching the Promised Land, Moses and his age? Looking across the river? The commission to Joshua? The people going into the land? Moses, his going to the mountain, his death?

17.How effective or ineffectual is this kind of biblical film for biblical instruction? For inspiration?