Ben-Hur (2016)

Very well executed

As Good As It Gets

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

Great character development. I was on the edge of my seat throughout the entire movie. A masterpiece production. Bravo!

Movie Review: "Ben-Hur" (2016) - Another misunderstood and undermined major Hollywood production based on a former Industry's success from 1959 with regards to William Wyler's remake of the first novel-adaptive "Ben-Hur" (1925) directed by Fred Niblo (1874-1948). Here "Wanted" (2008) director Timur Bekmambetov got the chance to reinvent a classic tale of betrayal and revenge, receiving a 100 Million Dollar production budget from Hollywood veteran producer Sean Daniel, who has not trusted it his R-rating certified director in re-imagining the story of royal Judah Ben-Hur, portrayed by fighting-chance pushing, close to as convincing as Charlton Heston (1923-2008) at the time, actor Jack Houston, who goes through purgatory to meet his accuser and former friend Massala, performed by still-seeking solid grounds in acting miscast actor Toby Kebbell, in the arena of Horse-racing of metal-splicing and wooden-splintering proportions. Nevertheless director Bekmambetov disguises some casting weaknesses with pushing limits action scenes, especially a sea battle sequence, where well-defined camera angles and main character POV-infused cinematography by Oliver Wood, who fought for the audience attention in late Summer of 2016, although it would have been better to keep perfecting the 120 Minutes cut in terms of the supporting cast surrounding Morgan Freeman, Rodrigo Santoro, Ayelet Zurer and Pilou Asbaek as Pontius Pilatus in order to improve on pacing and further polishing visuals as the already highly emotional score by composer Marco Beltrami to deliver action scenes narrowed together for high-octane suspense in order to make it a contemporary historical full-blown action thriller with an R-rating to start with, being recommended by the young to mid-aged adult of international audience around the world instead summer-escaping Marvel Studios-spoiled teenagers meeting match points for still-struggling label of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer toward a late release in holiday season 2016/2017.© 2017 Felix Alexander Dausend (Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC)

I am a huge fan of the original Ben-Hur movie but did think it was a bit outdated. When I heard a new version was being made I was waiting in anticipation. And I'm not one of those people that thinks the original version was the best and difficult to surpass. But this movie is so bad in terms of casting, script, storyline and cinematography, I need to warn any potential viewers to stay away. I tried to watch this on the plane, TV and gave it one last chance on my business travel in my hotel room. I was that desperate to like this movie. But I could not stand watching this for more than 5 minutes at a time. I rarely ever say this but this is one of the worst movies I have ever seen.

Although Charlton Heston made a career out of over-acting, it fit well with the grandeur of the original Ben-Hur. The cinematography and story in the 1959 version were simply exceptional. Unfortunately, this new version fails by comparison in almost every aspect. The story is changed in small ways, but every one of them for the worse. How can one feel the desperation and then triumph of the chariot race when the antagonists are made to represent nothing? Judah isn't all that sympathetic and Messala isn't all that bad. Their motivations don't support their actions. Indeed, after everything, it turns out that Messala doesn't die, the characters drop their antagonism for no apparent reason, and everyone lives happily ever after. Ugh! Add to that a plodding pace that doesn't build at all, a chariot race filled with so many cuts and close-ups that you never really are convinced it is real, with characters who bounce back from impossible physical conditions with super- hero like ability with hardly a scratch...it becomes a yawner.Re-making one of the all-time classics is fraught with peril. Here is a perfect example of why not to do it.