Ben-Hur Review

(Poster courtesy Wikipedia)

One thing I've noticed about 2016's film docket is that Hollywood has repeatedly milked existing properties. This includes all assortments of franchise sequels, reboots, prequels, but above all: remakes. Such has been especially prevalent this year, and the latest classic film to get this treatment is the Biblical epic Ben-Hur.

Regardless of the time period in which it’s been produced, the story of Ben-Hur takes place near (and during) the time of Jesus Christ’s ministry in Palestine.

This is in the background of the narrative, though, for much of the story focuses on the rivalry between two men. They were raised together in the same Jewish family, but one of them was an adopted orphan of Roman descent.

Let me be perfectly honest here, though: I wasn't excited about this film to begin with, and then eventually seeing the trailer didn't help with things either. It seemed to highlight everything I hate about modern Hollywood filmmaking. Even so, I was willing to give this version a chance.

Unfortunately, though, this recent rendition of the classic epic pales in comparison to what came before. However, I do not say this as a simple comparison, for simply comparing and contrasting to a previous work of art is a cheap method of criticism (although every critic, myself included, does that from time to time).

I digress: this 2016 rendition of Ben-Hur, directed by Timur Bekmambetov, has definite pros and cons on its own merits. For instance, the middle portion of this film almost saved my experience. This is due to some solid set pieces, which are creatively-recreated from the 1959 version starring Charlton Heston.

I could have done with fewer video game-like POV shots, but Bekmambetov's crew did well to shoot, frame and edit the action in such a way that entertainment value was consistently high. These sections of the film also have agreeably greater dramatic depth than others.

But this leads me to my main point on why this Ben-Hur film ultimately fails: anything that is sandwiched in the middle is undermined, cheapened, and ruined by the story's bookends. In other words, the messy opening act and cringe-worthy ending sour the overall experience.

Inexcusably clunky dialogue and storytelling deeply harm the opening of the film, removing much of the needed dramatic depth needed to connect the audience with the characters. That's not to mention that most of the cast is either bad or uncommitted in their line delivery, although Toby Kebbell gave a solid performance. I expected more from Morgan Freeman and his obnoxious gray dreadlocks, though.

But as I mentioned, the ending is absolutely laughable. While I do greatly appreciate the filmmakers' willingness to retain the Christian elements of the story, I was often bothered by how simplistic Christ and His teachings were portrayed here. Furthermore, (minor spoiler alert) once Christ is crucified in the story, everything that transpires thereafter is nigh embarrassing.

For one thing, a miracle's depicted in such a laughable way that even faithful Christians would be embarrassed by. And shortly after this happens, a character confrontation occurs that is even worse than the infamous "Martha" scene in Batman v. Superman.

(Photo courtesy Rotten Tomatoes)

As a whole, Ben-Hur's resolution felt very cheap, rushed, and ridiculous, lessening all that came before it.

Even so, Ben-Hur is by no means an atrocity. Enough exists in this remake to redeem it from cinematic doom, to be sure of something. Nevertheless, there are much better ways to begin and end a story; this film could have taken some hints from such methods.

4.0/10

RED FLAG FOR PARENTS (spoiler alert)

-DRUG ABUSE: None.

-PROFANITY: None.

-SEXUAL CONTENT: A man and his wife begin to pass passionately, but after a couple of seconds of doing so, the film cuts to them laying next to each other in bed. It’s implied that they had sex since their shoulders are bare, but we see nothing else than this image. Many men are seen bare-chested; this is mostly in the context of such individuals being subjected to torture or slavery.

-SUBJECT MATTER: Loyalty to family, race, and belief systems all matter in the story of Ben-Hur. Also, expect many allusions to Christian teachings between direct references to Christ’s life and people changing their lives around.

-VIOLENCE: There is a considerable level of violence in Ben-Hur, and some of it is more graphic than others. We witness a couple of snippets from Christ’s Crucifixion such as him carrying the cross through Jerusalem, giving up the ghost on Golgotha, and then getting pierced with a spear in His side (although He is dead at this point). We see some blood from the puncture, but the camera pans away before the imagery gets too graphic. A man is shot in the neck with an arrow, and we later see him writhe and choke since it’s implied that blood filled his trachea. A frenetic scene inside a warship depicts numerous slaves and soldiers being killed by fire, arrows, impacts from battle rams, and then being drowned. The climactic scene in the film focuses on an epic chariot race, in which numerous men are trodden down, flung through the air (their chariots get destroyed), brutally maimed, and even killed as a result of what takes place. Horses also get harmed and killed in this race.