MusicChat It's complicated... I really like the directing, acting and writing but, there are issues with the way it's shot that I just can't deny. As much as I love the storytelling and the fantastic performance but, there are also certain scenes that didn't need to exist.

Lachlan Coulson This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

Candida It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

shock_wave_1339 This movie was a quick-and-dirty Cliff Notes version of the novel which I have read. The major events from the book were presented but many wonderful supporting characters were left out. Even what was presented was altered from the original novel including the ending. The 1959 version was much better and truer to the novel but even it left out a lot, the novel is very long but a good read.

sergelamarche Les femmes portaient brassières et slips, le texte trop moderne, c'est pas crédible. Quelques bonnes scènes dans le bateau et la course de char. On a l'impression d'être dans un futur éloigné au lieu du passé.

Michael Ledo We already know the end of the story as Ben-Hur (Jack Huston) is synonymous with chariot race. There is no mystery as to what happens to the Jesus character (Rodrigo Santoro) either. Jack Huston is not as a commanding figure as Charlton Heston, nor is he meant to be. They humanized the character.The film is introduced by Morgan Freeman who later turns up as the desert trader Ilderim. Toby Kebbell plays Messala Severus, a complex protagonist/antagonist character, the adopted Roman brother of Judea Ben-Hur. The costumes were not very historical, the pants suit Ester wears, the saddles with stirrups, modern stitching showing on sleeves cuffs, etc. They attempted to keep things historical, but there may be a few issues there. At least no one was wearing a Rolex (Spartacus 1960).Be aware there is a mock-buster "In the Name of Ben Hur" that is not worth a free viewing.The film had a happy uplifting ending. Spiritual at times. Watch it to get the feeling, should have a rapid price drop.

Mike_Devine The 1959 Charlton Heston-starring classic 'Ben-Hur' defined big budget blockbusters from Hollywood's 20th century heyday. Fast forward a few generations and we have 2016's adaptation of the brother vs. brother battle royale. "Spoiler" alert - one pales in comparison to the other.Even without comparing the two, the Jack Huston and Toby Kebbell-starring film is a disappointment, as it tries to be an epic action-adventure but comes off feeling like a messy compilation of dramatic family scuffles, Roman war battles (on land and sea) and some chariot racing to boot. We see how two adopted brothers who are princes in Jerusalem grow apart after a false accusation is made against one (Huston, as Judah), resulting in his banishment and of course inevitable return to seek revenge against the other (Kebbell, as Messala).Since this is a remake of an older, celebrated film, plot originality is not at play here - everything comes down to execution. In this respect, you can tell MGM and the production team sank a lot of budget into the special effects, the set and the sound. Aside from the two frontmen, most of the rest of the supporting cast are relatively unknown, from Nazanin Boniadi (who plays Judah's wife) to Rodrigo Santoro (Jesus of Nazareth) and Pilou Asbæk (Pontius Pilate) - fresh off his role as Euron Greyjoy in 'Game of Thrones.' And then, no biblical times saga would be complete without an appearance from Morgan Freeman.While it was a valiant effort to try to shave off the long runtime of the original film, what happened here is things instead feel extremely condensed and forced. Portions of 'Ben-Hur' easily could have been left out in order to allow for a streamlined, "clean" product, but instead audiences are left confused as to what the story really is about.'Ben-Hur' is a warning sign to Hollywood that not all cinematic classics should be 21st Century- ized in an attempt to make a quick buck.