‘Gods of Egypt’ Director Blasts Critics

‘Gods of Egypt’ bombed in the box office and received pretty bad reviews from critics, the media and your average movie-goers. Some didn’t like the white-washing, many just didn’t like the film. Either way, Alex Proyas, the film’s director, is not here for your opinion. Put a cape on him, because he’s SUPER mad!

A little background on Proyas, he directed ‘The Crow’ and ‘I, Robot.’ He was born in Egypt to Egyptiotes (Greeks from Egypt) parents in 1963. He moved to Sydney, Australia when he was 3. In a series of Facebook posts he blasted critics for being white and jumping on the white-washing bandwagon. “‪#‎CRITICSSOWHITE‬ – Not real. But maybe it should be. Most are white and male, are they not? So as an Egyptian guy, being called a racist by some of these people makes me feel a little queasy. “

To be fair Proyas, you’re still white. 

“Nothing confirms rampant stupidity faster than reading reviews of my own movies,” Proyas posted on Facebook. “You see, my dear fellow FBookers, I have rarely gotten great reviews… on any of my movies, apart from those by reviewers who think for themselves and make up their own opinions. Sadly those type of reviewers are nearly all dead. Good reviews often come many years after the movie has opened. I guess I have the knack of rubbing reviewers the wrong way – always have. “

Proyas goes on to say that the film critics only had an issue with the movie because of the public perception, NOT because of their own opinion.

“This time of course they have bigger axes to grind – they can rip into my movie while trying to make their mainly pale asses look so politically correct by screaming “white-wash!!!” like the deranged idiots they all are.” Proyas ranted. “They fail to understand, or chose to pretend to not understand what this movie is, so as to serve some bizarre consensus of opinion which has nothing to do with the movie at all. Why these days it is so easy… just surf the net to read other reviews or what bloggers are saying – no matter how misguided an opinion of a movie might be before it actually comes out. Lock a critic in a room with a movie no one has even seen and they will not know what to make of it. Because contrary to what a critic should probably be they have no personal taste or opinion, because they are basing their views on the status quo. None of them are brave enough to say “well I like it” if it goes against consensus. Therefore they are less than worthless.“

He then goes on to talk about how the job of a “film critic” will soon go extinct now that any person with a smart phone and internet access can post their thoughts about a movie online. What he fails to understand though, is that it was those very people who posted their thoughts about his movie and “white-washing” that kept others from seeing it. So, maybe he needs film critics after all. 

Honestly, I did not see many film reviews mention the white-washing. It was mainly the opinions of the general public. The BLACK general public. So to blame the bad film reviews on “pack mentality,” is just an excuse to continue to create poorly made movies.