Gods of Egypt - Clash of the ... White Men?

[Ihateregistering1]

I'm all for trying to get appropriate casting where possible, for setting and time period.

However, as others have pointed out, we don't really know what the ancient Egyptians looked like, and there's other issues that this movie really doesn't seem to care about getting the overall mythology right and the fact that, let's face it, in a year, nobody is gonna remember this movie.

I am too, but this movie doesn't even have a setting or time period. From the director:
"...the world of Gods of Egypt never really existed. It is inspired by Egyptian mythology, but it makes no attempt at historical accuracy because that would be pointless, none of the events in the movie ever really happened. It is about as reality-based as Star Wars, which is not real at all ...Maybe one day if I get to make further chapters I will reveal the context of the when and where of the story. But one thing is for sure: it is not set in Ancient Egypt at all." -Alex Proyas

To me, the movie seems to be like if they made an entire movie that took place in Asgard. Yes, it's clearly inspired by Ancient Mythology (Norse), but it doesn't pretend like this is supposed to be accurate to anything in history or planet earth, and only cursory accuracy to the actual mythology itself.

 

[Dalisclock]

I'm all for trying to get appropriate casting where possible, for setting and time period.

However, as others have pointed out, we don't really know what the ancient Egyptians looked like, and there's other issues that this movie really doesn't seem to care about getting the overall mythology right and the fact that, let's face it, in a year, nobody is gonna remember this movie.

I am too, but this movie doesn't even have a setting or time period. From the director:
"...the world of Gods of Egypt never really existed. It is inspired by Egyptian mythology, but it makes no attempt at historical accuracy because that would be pointless, none of the events in the movie ever really happened. It is about as reality-based as Star Wars, which is not real at all ...Maybe one day if I get to make further chapters I will reveal the context of the when and where of the story. But one thing is for sure: it is not set in Ancient Egypt at all." -Alex Proyas

To me, the movie seems to be like if they made an entire movie that took place in Asgard. Yes, it's clearly inspired by Ancient Mythology (Norse), but it doesn't pretend like this is supposed to be accurate to anything in history or planet earth, and only cursory accuracy to the actual mythology itself.

So my comparison to God of War feels even more apt. It's hard to complain about GoW being disrespectful when it obviously doesn't care because it's set in an Ancient Greece that never existed. Gods of Egypt is doing the same thing.

 

[RJ 17]

Recommendation: This is one of those films you rent late at night with some friends just to mock.

So basically you're saying that in a year this will be considered a "cult classic."

 

[Ihateregistering1]

I'm all for trying to get appropriate casting where possible, for setting and time period.

However, as others have pointed out, we don't really know what the ancient Egyptians looked like, and there's other issues that this movie really doesn't seem to care about getting the overall mythology right and the fact that, let's face it, in a year, nobody is gonna remember this movie.

I am too, but this movie doesn't even have a setting or time period. From the director:
"...the world of Gods of Egypt never really existed. It is inspired by Egyptian mythology, but it makes no attempt at historical accuracy because that would be pointless, none of the events in the movie ever really happened. It is about as reality-based as Star Wars, which is not real at all ...Maybe one day if I get to make further chapters I will reveal the context of the when and where of the story. But one thing is for sure: it is not set in Ancient Egypt at all." -Alex Proyas

To me, the movie seems to be like if they made an entire movie that took place in Asgard. Yes, it's clearly inspired by Ancient Mythology (Norse), but it doesn't pretend like this is supposed to be accurate to anything in history or planet earth, and only cursory accuracy to the actual mythology itself.

So my comparison to God of War feels even more apt. It's hard to complain about GoW being disrespectful when it obviously doesn't care because it's set in an Ancient Greece that never existed. Gods of Egypt is doing the same thing.

People complained about GoW? I had never even heard that.

The only difference I'd say is that GoW at least had cursory connection to the real world, since you did go to Athens, Rhodes, it talks about Sparta, etc.

 

[IamLEAM1983]

Who cares? There's no reason the actors should be egyptian or have the same complexion. They're acting.

You're misinterpreting what I said. I'm not saying the actors should be or should've been Egyptian - if we're following that logic, then the original Clash of the Titans would have rustled a lot of jimmies way back when - I'm saying there's precedent for considering part of Ancient Egyptian society as being at least somewhat Caucasoid. Egyptian gods are only characters, when they're not used as vague archetypes. There's no reason anyone from any ethnicity whatsoever couldn't play them.

Phrasing this differently, you could even say holding a grudge against Gods of Egypt for its White cast is like holding a grudge against the Marvel Studios Thor-related productions for the whole Black Heimdall kerfuffle. In other words, it's ridiculous.

Honestly, I'm kind of holding my breath for movie-related outrage generators to start railing against Batman v. Superman because Wonder Woman isn't depicted by a Greek national or an American woman with some Greek heritage. That'd be equally silly.

 

[P. K. Qu'est Que Ce]

Actually, Egyptian in the time portrayed would not have been our modern Egyptian, but black African similar to modern Central Africa. Arabs didn't take over Northern Africa until long after Ancient Egypt was a memory. At any rate, they could have cast a treat and that script, concept, shooting, editing, and overall storytelling would still have been dog shit.

 

[direkiller]

Actually, Egyptian in the time portrayed would not have been our modern Egyptian, but black African similar to modern Central Africa. Arabs didn't take over Northern Africa until long after Ancient Egypt was a memory.

And by that you mean by the end of the early kingdom?
The middle kingdom encompassed most of the Arabian Peninsula's coastline. And they were certanly doing trade with Arabian peninsula empires and tribes before that.

Egypt like most empires was a mixing pot, for a vast majority of it's time it never consisted of just one race or culture.

 

[Flatfrog]

It needs no other justification than "that's what the director wants".

But if 'what the director wants' is 'a movie with no black faces in it', isn't that racism?

 

[Something Amyss]

"What if Egyptians were white?" That sounds like a fantasy that has already been done to death.

A white world seems very much like a very common fantasy for white people.

 

[MrFalconfly]

It needs no other justification than "that's what the director wants".

But if 'what the director wants' is 'a movie with no black faces in it', isn't that racism?

Technically yeah.

But so would a film with absolutely no Caucasian faces. Or Arabic.

But we're still talking about one directors artistic vision for one film, and not every film ever made, ever.

 

[P. K. Qu'est Que Ce]

Actually, Egyptian in the time portrayed would not have been our modern Egyptian, but black African similar to modern Central Africa. Arabs didn't take over Northern Africa until long after Ancient Egypt was a memory.

And by that you mean by the end of the early kingdom?
The middle kingdom encompassed most of the Arabian Peninsula's coastline. And they were certanly doing trade with Arabian peninsula empires and tribes before that.

Egypt like most empires was a mixing pot, for a vast majority of it's time it never consisted of just one race or culture.

Meanwhile: Thousands of years earlier in ANCIENT EGYPT, circa the Great Pyramid of Giza et al... the age of myths, legends, and hieroglyphics, and the ancient religion butchered in teh movie...

Just to be clear: Pyramids, ancient era? Circa 2800+ B.C.E
Muslim conquest of Egypt? 600+ A.D.

It needs no other justification than "that's what the director wants".

But if 'what the director wants' is 'a movie with no black faces in it', isn't that racism?

Technically yeah.

But so would a film with absolutely no Caucasian faces. Or Arabic.

But we're still talking about one directors artistic vision for one film, and not every film ever made, ever.

If this was an "artistic" vision, than so is every dump I've ever taken. I'm pretty sure that this was a big budget attempted blockbuster, not an attempt at art, but hey... no one can prove otherwise I guess.

 

[direkiller]

Actually, Egyptian in the time portrayed would not have been our modern Egyptian, but black African similar to modern Central Africa. Arabs didn't take over Northern Africa until long after Ancient Egypt was a memory.

And by that you mean by the end of the early kingdom?
The middle kingdom encompassed most of the Arabian Peninsula's coastline. And they were certanly doing trade with Arabian peninsula empires and tribes before that.

Egypt like most empires was a mixing pot, for a vast majority of it's time it never consisted of just one race or culture.

Meanwhile: Thousands of years earlier in ANCIENT EGYPT, circa the Great Pyramid of Giza et al... the age of myths, legends, and hieroglyphics, and the ancient religion butchered in teh movie...

Just to be clear: Pyramids, ancient era? Circa 2800+ B.C.E
Muslim conquest of Egypt? 600+ A.D.

4th Dynsty was ~600 years before the middle kingdom.

"Just to be clear: Pyramids, ancient era? Circa 2800+ B.C.E
Muslim conquest of Egypt? 600+ A.D."
Because the religion matters in this?
Egypt was owned or owned, Iranian, Persian, and Arabic empires for the better part of it's history.

 

[P. K. Qu'est Que Ce]

Actually, Egyptian in the time portrayed would not have been our modern Egyptian, but black African similar to modern Central Africa. Arabs didn't take over Northern Africa until long after Ancient Egypt was a memory.

And by that you mean by the end of the early kingdom?
The middle kingdom encompassed most of the Arabian Peninsula's coastline. And they were certanly doing trade with Arabian peninsula empires and tribes before that.

Egypt like most empires was a mixing pot, for a vast majority of it's time it never consisted of just one race or culture.

Meanwhile: Thousands of years earlier in ANCIENT EGYPT, circa the Great Pyramid of Giza et al... the age of myths, legends, and hieroglyphics, and the ancient religion butchered in teh movie...

Just to be clear: Pyramids, ancient era? Circa 2800+ B.C.E
Muslim conquest of Egypt? 600+ A.D.

4th Dynsty was ~600 years before the middle kingdom.

"Just to be clear: Pyramids, ancient era? Circa 2800+ B.C.E
Muslim conquest of Egypt? 600+ A.D."
Because the religion matters in this?
Egypt was owned or owned, Iranian, Persian, and Arabic empires for the better part of it's history.

Are you seriously trying to conflate Arab, and Persian? I recommend sticking to anonymous forums while doing that! lol
That nonsense aside, you're still wrong. I think you're forgetting about a couple of thousand years in there.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_ancient_Egypt#Dynastic_Egypt

I think you also might be confusing Greeks, Persians, and Arabs.

 

[Gordon_4_v1legacy]

All I will say is that we're getting a double dose of Gerard Butler.
This week in Gods of Egypt, next week in London Has Fallen.
Also, he's got another 2 movies scheduled for this year.
Dude is keeping himself busy.

Man's gotta pay his bills; and I can think of worse ways than being paid to pretend to be Set.

Weeeelll.... There's a historical precedent for Ancient Egypt to have contained more than a few "white" faces. DNA tests have shown that modern inhabitants of the region aren't genetically related to the mummies we've dug up. According to some Greek scholars, Ramses more than likely had blond hair!

Now, as to whether this is "dark hair bleached by constant exposure to sunlight" blond or natural blond? That's something else entirely. Plus, considering how the local gene pool had gotten a lot more diverse by the time Cleopatra took the throne (she being of Greek descent), I don't find that all too surprising.

Who cares? There's no reason the actors should be egyptian or have the same complexion. They're acting.

I like Gerrard Butler, but I don't think you can call what he does 'acting' it's more like mugging for the camera while constantly rolling a D6 for your Charisma check.