MOVIE SYNOPSIS: When a merciless god of darkness grabs Egypt's throne, it plunges the once peaceful and prosperous empire into chaos and conflict. Mortal hero Bek teams with the god Horus in an alliance to restore peace and harmony.  

Reel Rating: 3.5 out of 5 Reels
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for fantasy violence and action, and some sexuality  
Released in Theaters: Feb. 26, 2016
Best for Ages: 13+
Genre: Fantasy
Runtime: 127 minutes
Directed by: Alex Proya
Studio: Summit
Cast: Brenton Thwaites, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Gerard Butler, Courtney Eaton, Elodie Young

MOVIE REVIEW: "Gods of Egypt" is the kind of campy swords-and-sandals movie that you have to just accept for what it is. It's cheesy and funny and dumb, but there's also a lot to love about it.

Set in ancient Egypt, the story begins on the day that Osiris (Bryan Brown) is about to crown his son, Horus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), Lord of the Air, the next king. At the ceremony, Osiris' jealous brother, Set (Gerard Butler), shows up to kill Osiris, exile Horus, and seize the thrown. And oh yeah, take Horus' magical, all-seeing eyes, which allow him to turn into a shiny winged creature.

Meanwhile, a mortal couple - Zaya (Courtney Eaton) and her lover, a young thief named Bek (Brenton Thwaites) - devise a plan to steal Horus' eyes back from Set's booby-trapped vault. If anyone can do it, the charming Bek is the one to do it.

Bek manages to steal one of the eyes, but Zaya's employer, Urshu (Rufus Sewell) - who's also Set's royal architect - kills her for her treason. A grieving Bek takes her body to Horus, where they strike a bargain. Bek will give him back his eye, but Horus must revive Zaya. He's a god, so he can do that. Maybe.

Together, Bek and Horus embark on a journey to defeat the evil Set before he destroys their world.  

As mentioned, "Gods of Egypt" is campy and cheesy, and don't expect to see a great piece of cinematic art here. But the special effects are magnificent. Humans turn into shiny gold and silver gods with ease, and the Egyptian settings are nothing short of spectacular. Think lots of pillars, pyramids, gold, jewels and sepia-toned architecture.

Both Gerard Butler ("300") and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau ("Game of Thrones) are adept in this genre. And of course, they're both very handsome, even though Butler is the bad guy and Coster-Waldau is the good guy.

Bek and Zaya are super cute together, and unlike other recent movies about gods and demons, there's actually some character development here. Bek and Horus are funny together, with their ancient Egypt road trip banter. And there's a love interest for Horus in Elodie Yung, a beautiful woman who has the ability to make others do whatever she wants.

Just accept "Gods of Egypt" for what it is - a fun popcorn movie with great special effects - and you might just love it.

PARENT OVERVIEW: This action fantasy includes lots of violence, mostly sword and fist-fighting, though most of it isn't too gory. Language includes a few uses of "ass" and "s--t." There's a fair amount of sexual innuendo, implied sex, and partial nudity (bare backs and side-breasts). Characters drink, and some appear drunk and/or hung over.

PARENT DETAILS (May Contain Spoilers):

Violence/Gore: Good amounts of violence, including stabbing, decapitation, hand-to-hand battles, sword-fights and cruelty (a god cuts off his ex-wife's wings and then kills her). Not much blood is shown, and in fact, when gods bleed, they bleed in gold. Two characters ride atop giant snakes that spew poison and chase the good guys.

Sex/Nudity: A naked couple is shown in bed together, and it's implied that they've had sex. Bare backs, shoulders, a side breast, and male chest are shown. A young woman's silhouette is visible as she changes behind a screen. Female characters wear revealing outfits. A goddess of love has a sexual relationship with two different characters.

Profanity: "Ass," "s--t."  

Drugs/Alcohol: Adults drink, and a god appears hungover in one scene. People are strewn about the room sleeping the morning after a party. A female character drinks from a flask and appears drunk. A character asks another if he's brought wine.

JANE’S REEL RATING SYSTEM:

One Reel – Even the Force can’t save it.
Two Reels – Coulda been a contende
Three Reels – Something to talk about
Four Reels – You want the truth? Great flick!
Five Reels – Wow! The stuff dreams are made of.

Jane Boursaw is the film critic and editor-in-chief of Reel Life With Jane. Contact her at jboursaw@charter.net. Images in this review used courtesy of the studio and distributor.