Overview
A gripping tale of struggle and survival during the birth of a nation.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Slow
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- earnest
- sweeping
- politically charged
- classic cinema night
- historical film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regarded the film as a memorable, visually expansive historical epic whose emotional vitality and production scale were undermined by excessive length, diffuse storytelling, and overt ideological treatment.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The narrative follows Jewish immigration, political negotiations, independence, and the resulting regional war as parts of Israel's establishment.
British authorities, Jewish immigrants, Zionist organizers, and neighboring Arab forces express conflicting claims and goals surrounding Palestine and Israel.
The 208-minute production presents shipboard immigration, military mobilization, independence, and large-scale conflict in an epic studio style.
The central immigrants are Jewish refugees attempting to leave Cyprus and reach Israel, where their arrival becomes part of a broader national struggle.
Films like Exodus, and why
Lawrence of Arabia
shared historical drama, nation-building conflict, large-scale wartime spectacle, and political idealism
The Battle of Algiers
shared epic historical drama, armed conflict, competing national identities, and sweeping production scale
The Promise
shared drama about Jewish displacement, persecution, resistance, and the founding of Israel
The Longest Day
shared 1960s historical epic form, wartime violence, ensemble storytelling, and ideological conflict
Movie Details
- Director
- Otto Preminger
- Release Date
- 1960-12-15
- Runtime
- 208 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (239)
Cast
- Paul Newman
- Eva Marie Saint
- Ralph Richardson
- Peter Lawford
- Lee J. Cobb
- Sal Mineo
- John Derek
- Hugh Griffith
- Gregory Ratoff
- Felix Aylmer
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Exodus about?
- A sweeping historical epic follows Jewish immigrants, British officials, and emerging Israeli fighters through the fraught birth of a nation.
- What is Exodus like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Exodus as slow, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Exodus violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in Exodus as moderate.
- What did critics think of Exodus?
- Critics broadly regarded the film as a memorable, visually expansive historical epic whose emotional vitality and production scale were undermined by excessive length, diffuse storytelling, and overt ideological treatment.
- Which films are like Exodus?
- Films with a similar feel include Lawrence of Arabia, The Battle of Algiers, The Promise, and The Longest Day.
- How long is Exodus?
- Exodus runs 208 minutes.
- Where can I watch Exodus?
- In United States, Exodus is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand.
