Gener8xion Entertainment, Oct. 2006, Directed by Michael O.Sajbel. Starring: Tiffany Dupont, Luke Goss, John Rhys-Davies, James Callis, John Noble, Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister Jr., with Omar Sharif, and Peter O’Toole.
This movie was well worth seeing. Excellent camera work and visuals. Extraordinary sets, magnificent costumes, and pageantry. Top flight actors and acting. I clapped with everyone else in the theater at the climax of the movie. Only a weak and implausible script kept this from being a true epic. Nevertheless, it was a good movie overall, and I was happy that I took the time and spent the money to see it.
This movie really is a love story between Xerxes, the Persian King (Luke Goss) and Esther/Hadassah (Tiffany Dupont). Luke Goss here, reminds me of a dark haired Fabio. Tiffany Dupont does an exceptional job in convincing the observer that a king could very well fall heads over heels for her. The love story thread is weak in terms of historical accuracy, but provides the best developed and the most interesting part of the script. The most interesting character in the movie for me was Hegai, the head harem eunuch played by Tommy ‘Tiny’ Lister Jr.
The intrigue and assassination plots are way to complicated and confusing to follow. The Jewish back story including Samuel, Saul, & Agag is much more than what is really needed to explain the diabolical plots of Haman. Haman is played by Jim Callis (Battlestar Gallactica) who does a convincing performance as the main villain.
The movie script does depart somewhat from the Biblical text in several instances, and there are a number of extraneous and unnecessary story lines. The story of Mordecai is there, but clearly takes a back seat to the ‘love story’. However, the main story of God’s providence remains intact for everyone to enjoy in the end.