Courier at the movies – Ben-Hur
This is a "Ben-Hur" of and for its time, but also a little better than its time
The celebrated 1959 version of the saga, once the most-Oscar-winning-picture-of-all-time, clocked in at almost four hours.
This 2016 movie, on the other hand, gets the job done in pretty much exactly two hours.
The briskness was but one reason I found this quasi-Biblical epic strangely refreshing. Starring a steely Jack Huston as Judah Ben-Hur and Toby Kebbell as his Roman-adopted brother, Messala, the action is fresh, moving and entirely credible. The cinematography is gorgeous and perfectly captures Jerusalem, colonised by the Romans during Christ’s’ time, and set the scene for Easter when we viewed the movie.
The sea battle during which Judah makes his escape is a really effective bit of action moviemaking – one of those scenes that compel you to exhale when it’s finally over. It’s frantic and loud, but not particularly over-the-top.
The appearance of Morgan Freeman as the noble North African, Ilderim, who takes in Ben-Hur after his sea escape, is slightly off-putting because the dreadlocks forced on him make him look like an uncomfortable Bob Marley.
Nevertheless, that rich, dark, foamy, chocolatey voice that also narrates is good enough for me. The chariot race, too, is both wholly watchable – no bones are crunched, and plenty could have been – and coherent. Lead actors Huston and Kebbell both do very credible work.
Pilou Asbæk as Pontius Pilate is especially riveting. This Pilate is not nice. Rodrigo Santoro as Jésus Christ plays a quietly commanding role.
“Ben-Hur” has more Christ in it than any previous version. And a lot of philosophising in the dialogue. “You confuse peace with freedom,” one character opines.
This is a “Ben-Hur” of and for its time, but also a little better than its time, it turns out. It’s Christian message of forgiveness is very real and something South Africans could/should aspire to. I can credibly pronounce it a good popcorn movie. Star rating: 7/10.
