No epic feel in ropey remake
Sometimes remakes are presented with the cinematic equivalent of an open goal; the chance to improve on a patchy – or even poor – original.
But the 1959 Ben-Hur was a true juggernaut, winning 11 Oscars, appearing on several “best of” lists generated by the American Film Institute and making a $20 million profit on its initial release.
A daunting prospect for Russian-Kazakh director Timur Bekmambetov to update for modern audiences, then – but potentially exciting given the inventive visual storytelling he used in Night Watch, Day Watch and Wanted.
John Ridley and Keith R. Clarke stick with the familiar tale – adapted from Lew Wallace’s novel – of prince Judah Ben-Hur ( Jack Huston) seeking revenge on his adopted brother Messala (Toby Kebbell), a Roman general who falsely accused him of treason and forced him into slavery.
We kick off with a Morgan Freeman voiceover, but any hopes of Shawshank Redemption-style quality filmmaking are quickly kicked to the kerb.
Freeman apart, big name stars stayed clear of this pointless remake, and any possible gravitas the legendary actor could bring is hampered by his distracting, perfectly styled dreadlocks.
Brits Huston and Kebbell give it their best shot as the warring brothers; Huston is no Charlton Heston but his reluctant hero rises to the occasion and Kebbell stays clear of any grandstanding to create a petulant, selfish villain who feels more real as a result.
They are let down, though, by a surprisingly restrained Bekmambetov. Perhaps the director was burned by his Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter flop as, aside from some early excellent use of light – sun and candles – and shadows in Ben-Hur’s family home, there’s little sign of his trademark innovative visuals.
Mini scraps in the snow and rain feel like they’d barely register as dress rehearsals for Game of Thrones and a claustrophobic rowing sequence runs far too long, with more interesting action barely glimpsed at through the ship’s peepholes.
The main event, of course, is the climactic chariot race and while it took 10 more days to film than the original’s famous showdown, it fails to deliver the same level of breathless brilliance.
Clocking in at just over 10 minutes in length, there are a few thrills and spills as Bekmambetov gets to the heart of the race with close-ups and low angle shots, and surrounds the collisions with swirling sand and ear-bashing sound design.
It’s not enough, though, to make up for the slowpaced, earnest dullness of the rest of the film.
We’re 35 minutes in before anything of consequence happens and there’s far too much pontification and chat.
Ben-Hur 2016 is no turkey but in lacking the original’s epic scope and grandeur, makes for a redundant remake.