There have been a lot of Bible movies in 2014 but, in the end, there are only two true biblical epics. The first is Darren Aronofsky’s brash, baffling, Tolkien-esque spin on the Noah story. The latter is Ridley Scott’s high-minded, sprawling, Ridley Scott-esque spin on the Moses story. The two movies share huge budgets, Oscar-nominated directors, all-star casts and sacred source material. But where do they differ?
###Genre
Noah: Make no mistake—Noah was a flight of high-concept fantasy. While most audiences went to theaters expecting a grand, sword-and-sandals epic, they got a wilder, woollier (rockier) beast that defied easy classification.
Exodus: Between Charlton Heston’s much-loved classic and 1998’s animated Prince of Egypt, the Moses story is a pretty well-trod epic. But Scott’s is notable for exploring the political and familial intrigue behind the big plagues.
Edge: Exodus
###Oscar Count
Noah: Three: (Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Anthony Hopkins)
Exodus: Two: (Christian Bale, Sir Ben Kingsley)
Edge: Noah
###Beards
Noah: Gray, short, scruffy and sort of Hell’s Angel-ish.
Exodus: Luxurious, groomed and sort of Teddy Roosevelt-ish.
Edge: Draw
###Superhero Presence
Noah: Russell Crowe played Superman’s father in Man of Steel.
Exodus: Christian Bale played Batman in Christopher Nolan’s epic trilogy.
Edge: Exodus
