Ben-Hur (2016)

Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Screenplay: Keith R. Clarke & John Ridley (based on the novel by Lew Wallace)
Stars: Jack Huston (Judah Ben-Hur), Toby Kebbell (Messala Severus), Rodrigo Santoro (Jesus), Nazanin Boniadi (Esther), Ayelet Zurer (Naomi Ben-Hur), Pilou Asbæk (Pontius Pilate), Sofia Black-D’Elia (Tirzah Ben-Hur),Morgan Freeman (Ilderim), Marwan Kenzari (Druses), Moises Arias (Dismas), James Cosmo (Quintus), Haluk Bilginer (Simonides), David Walmsley (Marcus Decimus)
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Year of Release: 2016
Country: U.S.
Ben-Hur
Ben-HurOn a short list of films for which I imagine audiences to be clamoring, I don’t see any room for another version of Ben-Hur, yet here we are, with a lavish new adaptation of Lew Wallace’s mega-selling 19th-century epic about the struggles of a Jewish prince in Jerusalem at the time of Christ. Wallace’s 1880 novel has already been adapted twice to the big screen, once in 1926 and then again in 1959. Both were enormous box office hits, with the latter version, which was directed by William Wyler and starred Charlton Heston, being that year’s top draw and taking home a record 11 Oscars. It doesn’t get much bigger than that, although ironically at the time the decision to make another version of Ben-Hur was seen as a desperate gamble by MGM, which was financially ailing and poured almost all of its remaining resources into Wyler’s film (it was, at the time, the most expensive film ever made). The gambit worked, and I imagine that the producers of this new version, which is backed by two major studies (Paramount and MGM) at a cost of more than $100 million, are hoping that history will repeat itself.

Written by Keith R. Clarke (The Way Back) and John Ridley (12 Years a Slave) and directed by Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted), the new version of Ben-Hur sticks fairly close to the general plotline of Wallace’s novel, introducing us to Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston), a wealthy Jewish prince who is willing to overlook the Roman occupation of Jerusalem because his family, which also includes his mother Esther (Nazanin Boniadi) and his sister Naomi (Ayelet Zurer), continue to profit and live in comfort. He also has an adopted Roman brother, Messala Severus (Toby Kebbell), who bears the disgrace of coming from a family that participated in the assassination of Julius Caesar (Messala being Judah’s adopted brother is a new addition to this version; in Wallace’s novel he was simply a friend).

Desperate to make something of himself apart from the Ben-Hur family, Messala leaves Jerusalem and joins the Roman army where he distinguishes himself in combat over the next five years. His return is marked by immediate tension as he wants Judah to help him put down the Zealots, who pose a threat to Rome and its new prefect in Jerusalem, Pontius Pilate (Pilou Asbæk)—yes, that Pontius Pilate. Judah is reluctant to help, not so much because he identifies with the violent politics of the Zealots (which he doesn’t), but simply because he doesn’t want to get involved on either side. He ultimately ends up being blamed for an attempt on Pilate’s life, which sends him into slavery and breaks up his family, and the second half of the film follows his quest for revenge, which is aided by his relationship with Ilderim (Morgan Freeman), an African trader who makes it possible for Judah to compete against Messala in a chariot race in the fabled Circus, the climactic action sequence around which all three film adaptations have been built.

Unfortunately, the decision was made to open this version of Ben-Hur at the beginning of the chariot race before flashing back to a more idyll time when Judah and Messala were close-knit brothers, which seems at best unnecessary and at worst undermines the story’s development (it also includes voice-over by Morgan Freeman, whose disembodied cadence has been used so much at this point that it immediately counts as a lazy cliché, especially since all of the information he imparts could have been conveyed by other means).

Otherwise, the film works well enough, but mostly in workman-like fashion that never becomes truly rousing. Jack Huston (Boardwalk Empire) makes for a pent-up, brooding Ben-Hur who is never terribly appealing; we understand his sense of betrayal and thirst for vengeance, but we never really feel it. Much better is Toby Kebbell (Fantastic Four) as Messala, whose desperate desire to prove himself and reclaim him name almost costs him his soul. Regularly appearing through the narrative is Jesus Christ (Rodrigo Santoro), whose calm presence often plays as antidote to Judah’s passion for vengeance and whose crucifixion near the end plays a pivotal role in changing Judah’s worldview. Timur Bekmambetov, who is not exactly the most thoughtful or restrained of directors (his most recent film was 2012’s dreary historical-horror mashup Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter), tamps down his more hyperbolic proclivities to produce a film that is very nearly classical in its style. The chariot race, most of which was done practically but also has plenty of digital flourishes, is certainly the film’s high point, and Bekmambetov should be commended for delivering when it really counts. The film as a whole, however, never really takes off, leaving it stranded and sorely lacking in comparison to its previous cinematic incarnations.

Copyright ©2016 James Kendrick

Thoughts? E-mail James Kendrick

All images copyright © Paramount Pictures and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Overall Rating: (2.5)




James Kendrick

James Kendrick offers, exclusively on Qnetwork, over 2,500 reviews on a wide range of films. All films have a star rating and you can search in a variety of ways for the type of movie you want. If you're just looking for a good movie, then feel free to browse our library of Movie Reviews.


© 1998 - 2024 Qnetwork.com - All logos and trademarks in this site are the property of their respective owner.