Ben Hur 2016 (Not a remake of the 1959 classic, but a re-imagining of Ben-Hur a Tale of the Christ)


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I believe the producers when they say that this is a re-imagining of the story and not a remake.  Their take is different and they were even able to improve many aspects of the story.

The first parts of the movie was a bit dragging, but as the movie progressed, most especially when Judah Ben-Hur was arrested for sedition because of something Dismas the Zealot did, we felt every lash and other excruciating pains.  We also felt Messala's struggle and the music added to whatever emotion we were feeling that time.

Who cares if this is a Lightworkers Media production?  It's beautifully made and I must say, it's even better than the original, except for the fact that Charlton Heston was a big star and had a great impact to society whereas Jack Huston, except for being showbiz royalty, is practically a nobody compared to the stellar power of Charton Heston.

Even if I have seen Jack Huston act in other movies, I think this is his biggest break so far.  It's just a pity that people, including myself, keep on comparing him with the great Charlton Heston.  We shouldn't.  I must say, even if Jack Huston isn't showbiz royalty, he could really act.

This guy is a couple of years younger than my bestie, so I was about to call him a young man, but he is almost forty, so I guess he's not.

Morgan Freeman is Morgan Freeman.  Hats off.

Toby Kebell is great here(the last movie I watched where he played the lead character was War Craft).  Nazanin Boniadi, who was a former Scientologist, plays the role of Esther, Judah Ben-Hur's wife, convincingly.


The whole team should be congratulated.  I know, I know.  Nothing beats the original, but the original movie was adapted from a story called BEN-HUR, A TALE OF THE CHRIST, a book that was also made into a movie in 1925.  

We love the movie called Ben-Hur(1959) starring Charlton Heston, Haya Harareet and Stephen Boyd.  In that movie, Messala and Judah Ben-Hur were best friends instead of being brothers. The movie is special to my parents because I think they saw that version together.  I have watched that version on TV several times during Holy Week specials, but I must say that it didn't have the same effect on me like how The Ten Commandments affected my life, but I was still impressed with it.  

The 1925 film was great for its time, then improved in 1959(this is what many people remember) then re-imagined "today".

(2016)Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston) loses everything after his adopted brother Messala (Toby Kebbell), now an officer in the Roman army, returns to Jerusalem and accuses the young prince of treason. Stripped of his title and separated from his wife (Nazanin Boniadi) and family, Ben-Hur must endure years of slavery on a galley at sea. When fate brings the estranged brothers to an epic and deadly chariot race, Ben-Hur finally gets the chance to exact vengeance on the man who destroyed his life.
Budget100 million USD


(1959)Charlton Heston plays a Palestinian Jew who is battling the Roman empire at the time of Christ. -Hur,His actions send him and his family into slavery, but an inspirational encounter with Jesus changes everything. Heston finally meets his rival in a justly famous chariot race and rescues his suffering family.
ScreenplayGore VidalKarl Tunberg,Christopher FryMaxwell AndersonS. N. Behrman

Please read these two articles from The Hollywood Reporter:

'Ben-Hur' Premiere: Cast Reflects on Family Dynamics, Vengeance and Redemption




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