The Prince Of Egypt (1998)

The Prince Of Egypt - 1998

Our next film is 1998's "The Prince Of Egypt", an animated portrayal of the Biblical story of Moses, from his origins to the exodus of the Israelite people from the land of Egypt.

The film's outstanding voice cast includes Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock, Jeff Goldblum, Danny Glover, Patrick Stewart, Helen Mirren, Steve Martin, and Martin Short.

In the land of Egypt, the Israelite people are serving as slaved.  The pharaoh has issued a decree that all newborn Hebrew babies are to be killed.

Desperate to save her son's life, one Hebrew mother hides her son in a basket and sets it afloat on the river hoping that her actions will cause him to live and not die.

After a particularly harrowing ride on the river, the basket floats into the palace of the pharaoh.  The Queen brings him out of the basket and names him Moses.  He is raised alongside her son, Rameses.

As they grow, Rameses and Moses are always playing pranks and getting into trouble with the priests.

Naturally, the priests tell their parents who in turn remind the boys of their responsibilities.

Of course, that doesn't stop them from getting right back out there and getting even with the priests for tattling on them.

One day, Moses is named Chief Royal Architect by Rameses, who is now the Prince Regent.  He is gifted a young Midian woman named Tzipporah.  She is full of fight and fire.  When she is brought to Moses's chambers, she ties up his servant and his dogs and runs away.

Moses chases after her and winds up in the Hebrew town of Goshen.  He meets his sister, who hums a little of the lullaby his mother used to sing.  He remembers it.  She also tells him that he is Hebrew.

Full of questions, Moses races back to the palace and discovers that everything his sister told him is true.

When he confronts the Queen about his parentage, she tells him the truth.  Moses is even more hurt and confused.

One day, Moses pushes an Egyptian who is being cruel to an old Hebrew slave.  The Egyptian falls to his death.  Everyone is shocked to see that Moses is responsible.  Despite Rameses' pleas that he stay, Moses runs away from Egypt.

He heads straight into the desert where he walks until he can go no further.

He finds himself in the land of Midian, where he comes face to face with Tzipporah, the girl who ran away from his chambers back in Egypt.

Moses stays with Tzipporah and her family, becoming a shepherd.  He also marries Tzipporah.

While tending the sheep one day, Moses is startled to see a bush that looks to be on fire, yet doesn't burn.  As he gets closer, the voice of God speaks to him from the bush.  God tells Moses he is sending him to Egypt to be the deliverer of his people.

God gives Moses his staff and tells him that "with this staff, you shall do my wonders".

Moses obeys God and returns to Egypt with Tzipporah.

They go directly to the palace.  Moses finds that Rameses is now pharaoh.  The two are delighted to see one another again.

That changes, though, when Moses tells Rameses of his mission to help free the Hebrew people.  As a sign of God's power, his staff turns into a snake.

When Rameses commands his priests to show their power, Moses finds that he's "Playing With The Big Boys Now".

Later, Rameses tells Moses that under no circumstances will he let his people go.

And so, in a display of God's power and might, the plagues of Egypt begin.  Rameses hardens his heart further and will not let the Hebrews go.

The final plague, the death angel that slaughters the first born of all who don't have blood on their doorposts, is the straw that breaks the camel's back.  Rameses agrees to let the Hebrews go, and Moses rushes to break the news to them.

The Hebrews (and even some Egyptians) begin their journey out of Egypt as they sing "There Can Be Miracles When You Believe".

The Hebrews come to the Red Sea, where they can go no further.

Rameses has had a change of heart and wants the Hebrews back, so he's chased them with his army.

As they begin to corner the Hebrews, God sends a pillar of fire to block their path.

Moses brings his staff down in the Red Sea and the waters part, allowing the Hebrews to escape on dry land.  They proceed with torches through the deep parts of the sea.  Even the animals are amazed at some of the sights they sea.

Just as the last Hebrew is crossing onto the other side, the pillar of fire keeping the Egyptians in place vanishes, and the army begins to chase them.  Once they are in the middle of the sea, the walls of water begin to crash around them and they are obliterated.

Moses and his people watch with wonder and amazement at God's protection and provision as they are now a free people.

Rameses bemoans the loss of his army, his son, his brother, and everything that he held dear.

Moses continues to lead his people and brings them the Ten Commandments as they rejoice.

Cast rundown:

   Val Kilmer....................................Moses

   Ralph Fiennes...............................Rameses

   Michelle Pfeiffer............................Tzipporah

   Sandra Bullock.............................Miriam

   Jeff Goldblum...............................Aaron

   Danny Glover...............................Jethro

   Patrick Stewart............................Seti

   Helen Mirren................................The Queen

   Steve Martin................................Hotep

   Martin Short................................Huy

And that's all for The Prince Of Egypt.  It's really a very well done movie.  The Red Sea sequence, though only four minutes long, took two years to complete.  The film won an Oscar for the song "When You Believe".  I leave you with the version recorded by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey.

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