Movie Info

RATING:

PG for some mild peril

RELEASE DATE:

October 19, 2007

GENRE:

Animation

STARRING:

Ben Kingsley, Christian Slater, Alfred Molina, and Elliot Gould

DIRECTORS:

Bill Boyce and John Stronach

PRODUCERS:

Cindy Bond, John Stronach, and Trevor Yaxley

WRITERS:

Ed Naha

Please Note

In providing movie reviews on our site, CBN.com is not endorsing or recommending films we review. Our goal is to provide Christians with information about the latest movies, both the good and the bad, so that our readers may make an informed decision as to whether or not films are appropriate for them and their families.

MOVIE REVIEW

The Ten Commandments

By Belinda Elliott
CBN.com Daily Life Producer

What's This?

CBN.com - The newest version of The Ten Commandments to hit the big screen is a film that parents can rejoice over. Scripturally accurate, family-friendly, and entertaining, the movie brings the Bible to life in a way that kids can understand.

The animated film recounts the life of Moses and how God used him to free His people from slavery in Egypt. It features a talented cast including Ben Kingsley as the film’s narrator, Elliott Gould as the voice of God, Christian Slater as Moses, and Alfred Molina as the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses.

Though some have compared the movie to The Prince of Egypt, which also tells the story of Moses, the film’s producer, Cindy Bond, says the two are quite different.

The Ten Commandments tells the entire story of Moses’ life, whereas The Prince of Egypt stopped with the parting of the Red Sea.

“The end of their movie is only the middle of ours,” Bond says, “so the entire second half of our movie no one has ever seen before. No one’s done that.”

She also feels that The Ten Commandments is lighter and perhaps even more family-friendly.

“The Prince of Egypt is a wonderful movie,” Bond says, “but I found it to be more adult and kind of dark, definitely darker and heavier than our movie.”

She says while filmmakers tried to make the movie as accurate as possible, they also tried to inject some humor at various points.

The film is geared toward kids, but there are many profound lessons for adults to take away as well, including the value of humility and the fact that God equips those that He calls.

Bond says one of her biggest desires for the movie is that it will not only encourage people to read the Bible, but that it will demonstrate how relevant the biblical events from thousands of years ago are to their lives today.

She wants people to realize that God works in their lives today just as He did back then.

“If you are in bondage, He can free you out of any bondage you’re in, just like He did the slaves out of the hands of Pharaoh. He can deliver you into the Promised Land,” she says. “And I want people to take away how much God loves them and how patient He is with us and how many chances He gives us.”

These lessons and more permeate the tale of Moses, and the film presents them in an enjoyable and understandable way.

For parents who have been looking for entertaining, family-friendly fare that also teaches valuable lessons, The Ten Commandments fits the bill.