Ben-Hur (12A)
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