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Deities of ancient mythology have nothing on the wizards of computerized visual effects in "Gods of Egypt," which wraps a cheesy storyline within yards of gaudy spectacle.
The movie depicts an ancient Egypt where gods live among mortals — as 9-foot-tall humanoids with gold running in their veins. The two sons of the sun god Ra (Geoffrey Rush) divide duties, with the beneficent Osiris (Bryan Brown) ruling the people and angry Set (Gerard Butler) overseeing the desert.
When Osiris prepares to hand over his crown to his son Horus (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, from "Game of Thrones"), Set arrives to murder Osiris, defeat Horus and take his eyes, and enslave the people. It's up to a cunning mortal thief, Bek (Brenton Thwaites), to steal back one of Horus' eyes and cajole Horus into returning to face Set and restore peace to Egypt.
Director Alex Proyas ("Knowing," "I, Robot") applies layer upon layer of visual effects, including goddesses riding giant cobras and Rush's sun god battling a cosmic worm monster. But the over-the-top visuals can't hide the campy shortcomings of a script by "The Last Witch Hunter" writers Matt Sazama and Ben Sharpless — or the scenery-chewing performances by Butler, Coster-Waldau, Rush and most of the rest of the definitely-not-Egyptian cast.
'Gods of Egypt'
Opening Friday, Feb. 26, at theaters everywhere; rated PG-13 for fantasy violence and action, and some sexuality; 127 minutes.