Ben Hur (DVD)

I've seen the 1959 Ben-Hur multiple times - it's a masterpiece on every level and rightly won 11 Oscars. So this 2016 take was never going to be equal to it. However, that said, it does have its moments - notably the sea battle which is done with all the power of CGI (the 1959 version had to make do with models and back projection). Someone on the production also had the great idea of doing it from the POV of the galley slaves, so all the action and carnage is glimpsed through the oar slits. The result is claustrophobic and visceral.Morgan Freeman is the only big star in this production and he adds all the charm and charisma you would expect - which is fortunate because some of the dialogue is NOT good. (I hate it when people say "OK" to each other in historical epics, haha!) Thankfully, Morgan could add gravitas to a takeaway menu!I also VERY much liked Jack Huston in the title role. He's not a big guy like Charlton Heston (in the 1959 version) and looks MUCH younger, thus bringing more vulnerability to the part. He also had an iron-grey hair look going on towards the end which I found very appealing. ;-)All in all, this is SO different to the 1959 film that maybe they should've given it an alternative title. Apart from the galley slave sequence and the chariot race, most of the narrative, and certainly the ending, is TOTALLY different to the Heston version. It's not a remake - more of a reimagining.Anyway - I bought this through Amazon's sellers and it cost me just under a fiver. I think it's well worth a look for that price. :)

As time goes by effects become different and writers think they can remake films to surpass the original classic and I have never seen a success of this, there was only one Charlton Heston and only one Ben Hur movie that deserves 5 star, who knows if the original never existed maybe this would get 5 star, but facts are the original does exist and any remake is going to be compared with it. The story line in this film as been changed i the original it is a slate that falls in this it is a arrow that is fired, he talks to Jesus while he is working as a carpenter and he doesn't save the captain of the ship as in the original, however it is a watchable film but nothing on the original and I find the book even better then the films. But there will never be a remake and another Charlton Heston and I am glad the original get the vote as it was a 100% film and never will there be a remake to match it so I must give this 3 star.

This is very very poor, the early life of Judah Ben-Hur and Messala is treated like a Californian teen television drama. There is far too much overt pressure on Messala to reassert his authority and have Judah arrested, therefore giving Messala some justification. When Judah escapes the galley he is just shipwrecked and returned still a fugitive rather than as Young Arius so he could be just arrested, it just doesn’t make sense.The flow of the narrative is also very patchy like it has been constructed to fit around commercial breaks on television. If you are thinking of getting this, think again. The 1959 version with Charlton Heston is a hundred times better than this tripe.I am no Christian but I am rather disturbed at how Jesus comes across as just some mildly charismatic guy who pops up now and again, okay you see him getting kissed by Judas and arrested and crucified but this is all skipped over in a rather perfunctory manner, giving it zero gravity.The story of Judah Ben-Hur’s mother and sister’s incarcerations, getting leprosy and healing is also extremely muddled here. This film never feels in the slightest bit epic. Even the chariot race is rather tame until the end, but just when it builds a little bit of tension, it just becomes laughably unbelievable.Morgan Freeman brings the only bit of presence to the screen, unfortunately his character is made up like he should be in Pirates of the Caribbean.A character who should have some authority in the story is Messala but he Just doesn’t have any.

Not a scratch on the original storyline and the happy ending with the brothers reunited did not reflect, in my opinion, the whole idea of good oer bad was lost. I'm waiting for the remake of Spartacus and at the end when asked, "who is Spartacus" they all point at Spartacus and say, "It's him".

I really enjoyed this version of Ben Hur not as good as rhe original but still was very enjoyqble and worthy of praise in itsvoen right. It had a slight difference to the original but that is tbe appeal to ne for this. Well acted presented and deserves credit. Excellent price and good value. I would recommend it to anyone interested in this biblical epic

Predictably, this is as bad as you would expect it to be. The original is one of those classic , comforting movies that is usually shown around Easter or Christmas and although it's not the greatest movie in the world it is still very entertaining if you're into those old time Biblical epics. This update is slow, boring and the acting is very wooden. The highlight is a fast paced and spectacular looking chariot race but even this pales into comparison with the original because it's all special effects rather than the guts and glory of the original. Hollywood is capable of making the old swords and sandals movies relevant again as seen by the superb Gladiator but this one is way off the mark.

This film is not worth watching. Forget about the poor acting, the pathetic dialogue, the fancy dress party costumes, and the comical CGI, but this film is attempting to put across some sort of political and religious agenda which really destroys the already very poor production. On top of all of that it is extremely boring too, so don't waste your time on this film.

Although if you watch this without knowing either the book or the original film you can enjoy this remake and take away a message packaged up.....this just isn't the real story of Ben Hur which is much more complex and epic