'Ben Hur' - Movie Review

'Ben Hur'
U/A; Adventure, Drama
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Cast: Jack Huston, Morgan Freeman, Toby Kebbell, Rodrigo Santoro, Nazanin Boniadi, Ayelet Zurer, Sofia Black-D'Elia
Rating:

This is yet another adaptation of Lew Wallace's 1880 novel 'Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ', which was made famous in it's cinematic adaptation by a towering Charlton Heston in the eponymous role of the fictional Jewish prince turned slave, and an unforgettable chariot race, in the 1957 three and a half hour long widescreen epic 'Ben-Hur' directed by William Wyler and bankrolled by MGM.

Watch the trailer of 'Ben Hur'

There have been adaptations before and after that classic but none have really matched up. Timur Bekmambetov, helmer of films like 'Wanted' and 'Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer' tries hard to match up to the majesty of Wyler's effort and comes quite close given the advantages of modern technology, but despite the epical outlay, this one's a hollow affront. The screenplay, co-written by Keith R. Clarke and John Ridley, compresses quite a bit of story (including a new stretch of back story) into two hours, so there's no definitive room for the characters to become memorable.

Lew Wallace's best-selling book, ambitious in it's interweaving of the adventures of the fictional Jewish prince Judah Ben-Hur with the life of Jesus, was in fact considered a work noted for its ability to make Christianity accessible to modern readers. William Wyler's effort stayed true to that form. Bekmambetov though, is far more interested in juicing up the action without allowing for much exposition or development.

Bekmambetov, understands the importance that the chariot race played in getting the audience into the theatres and therefore makes that aspect his primary focus. The film in fact begins with a brief from the chariot race before cutting back into the past. Judah Ben-Hur a Jewish prince and Messala his adoptive Roman brother share a love for horses and also a close bond with each other until Messala decides to try his luck as a Roman mercenary. Rising from the ranks, Messala becomes Pontius Pilates right hand man and oversees his security. So when an assassination attempt is made on Pilate the relationship between the two adoptive brothers turns. Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston), is falsely accused of an assassination attempt by Messala (Toby Kebbell). He survives years of slavery under the Romans and rises from the ranks hoping to one day get his revenge.

This premise is not uncommon. We've seen it done in 'Gladiator' too and with far more reverence and heft. Bekmambetov appears to be rushing through events to get to his piece-de-resistance the chariot race. So in the process we're left with little character development and the plotting is just a little too wayward especially the sequences that intermingle with Jesus Christ's (Rodrigo Santoro) final journey to the cross. The focus here lies in the melodrama leading up to the final action. The subtleties of the subtext are missing. What was basically a story of forgiveness and reconciliation turns into one that is brashly overdone with events that matter to the director because of their showcase nature. The chariot race, though spectacle heavy, with the regular thrills and misses, makes for interesting viewing but it's also quite forgettable. There's really nothing new in it other than what modern technology can bring. The story's eventual outcome - a lesson in repentance, is lost in the visual bombast designed in overkill.