Review of Ben-Hur (2016) by Thequietgamer — 13 Dec 2016

Part faith-based film and part swords-and-sandals epic, Ben-Hur succeeds better than the average Christian flick, a genre that has recently seen a resurgence of sorts in modern cinema. That's because it focuses on it's story first, and preaching second.

Now one thing I can't do in this review is compare this remake to the original as I have not seen it. I can say though that it should be fairly obvious this movie isn't going to have the same impact as the original. At the very least though, it is entertaining.

Spread across the tale of Ben-Hur's quest for vengeance are Christian themes and messages. You'll see Jesus and hear characters talk about how one should forgive their enemies instead of seeking revenge. These elements are thankfully not very heavy handed in their delivery, making them more bearable for non-believers. They do feel oddly included though. Like unnatural additions to the main plot that could have already been a story of forgiveness all on it's own.

The main plot in the movie pretty solid and backed by equally solid performances. Just like the faith-based elements, it can feel uneven in execution. It does have the tendency to meander a bit from time to time, and when it finally does get to the fateful chariot race it's full-throttle all the way to the conclusion. Speaking of that chariot race, it's quite thrilling to watch. There's one other moment of big-spectacle excitement to be found. The rest of the emphasis is on the story and characters, some of which go underdeveloped and just feel like bland faces meant to push the story forward.

While lacking in truly epic moments, the ones it does have are still exciting to watch. Brought to life by solid special effects and a director who apparently knows how to put on some solid fireworks.

While perhaps uneven in it's execution, Ben-Hur is a faith-based film that has the potential to entertain more than just hardcore believers. That's because it's part big action, special effects driven blockbuster with a strong emphasis on character drama. The themes of forgiveness are appreciated and it's a very relatable story in a sense in that appeals to emotions we've all felt. So it's definitely brought to life in all of the best ways, but at least it still manages to be fun.

7.