Review of Ben-Hur (2016) by Phantom S — 20 Aug 2016

As a big fan of the 1959 version, I always felt it was hard to beat that version of Ben Hur. So I am not surprised this did not match the grandeur and scale of the 1959 Ben Hur.

Overall this was an OK film but something was amiss. It felt rushed and I am not sure I would have caught on to the story and plot if I was not already familiar with this story. For a first time viewer of this story it would be hard to follow the narrative.

The sea battle scene as viewed from Benhur's POV may have seemed like a great idea but that view takes away the overall context of what is happening and why. Just like Benhur & the galley slaves are totally in the dark of the ships, fight and action around them and see only the tension within the confines of their galley it leaves the audience as much in the dark with very little context on what is actually happening.

The Chariot race was full of action but again something was missing. I am not even sure what exactly happened that caused some of the accidents that took out the riders. And I defintely did not understand what happened to Mesala. I just know that in the confusion at some point in the race he was out - how and why, I have no clue. And I am pretty certain I did not miss a single frame of the action. Perhaps it all happened too fast for my slow brain to latch on to the narrative.

Also several scenes with their rapid camera movement made it hard to see and focus giving me a mild headache. And I was sitting on the last row in the cinema hall but still felt dizzy with the fast movement & constant swaying of several scenes.

I am not in the film-making business or a film student so cannot explain many things in technical terms. But as a layman there was something lacking in this movie. I have watched the 1959 version several times and will probably see it many more times in future as I like that film and own the blu-ray. I can't say the same thing about this 2016 version - it was ok and perhaps I will rent it when it comes on DVD but unlike the 1959 version I don't think this is a film you would like to own and watch again and again.

And finally, what was that music at the end when the credits were rolling? It did not even feel like it belonged to the same movie or period in History.