When General Lew Wallace wrote “Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ,” he did more than concoct one of the best-selling books of the 19th century. He gave a big fat gift to future moviemakers.
Wallace’s 1880 novel contains a ripping yarn of revenge and redemption, and it also bulges with a spectacular sea battle and the chariot race to end all chariot races.
Those doozies are on view in the new film of “Ben-Hur,” as they were in the 1925 silent version and the 1959 Oscar-sweeping hit. Good thing, too, because this movie needs all the slam-bang it can get.
One big issue here is that this “Ben-Hur” delivers the goods in two hours, as opposed to the ‘59 film’s 3 ½ hour marathon. That’s a lot of scrunching, and the remake has little breathing room.
We meet the spoiled Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston, from “Boardwalk Empire”), scion of a wealthy Jewish family, in the thick of his friendship with adopted brother Messala (Toby Kebbell). Their lives will soon part ways: Messala finds glory as a Roman officer, while Judah sticks around Jerusalem, falling for the servant girl Esther (Nazanin Boniani).
You recall the outline: Judah is made a slave, condemned to be an oarsman on a warship. If he can survive, vengeance will be his.
The 2016 version cuts a few key characters, but manages to squeeze in Morgan Freeman as an African horse trainer who likes the way Ben-Hur looks in a chariot. Alas — while I like Morgan Freeman — it may have been overkill to have him narrate for the one-millionth time.
Most of the ancient world is created digitally, which looks persuasive if a little monotonous (everything here seems to be the same color). Director Timur Bekmambetov’s most interesting idea is to play the warship scenes for claustrophobia, as Judah sees only glimpses of the sea battle through the slats of his floating prison.
After some pokey opening scenes, which strain to relate biblical politics to today’s world, the movie slips into a decent trot. Not surprisingly, this coincides with Judah’s time as a slave and the build-up to the chariot race.
That race is exciting, even if the computer-generated horses look unconvincing. After that, “Ben-Hur” rushes through the religious message that was always waiting in the wings, from our first glimpse of Jesus (Rodrigo Santoro) showing off his carpentry skills.
I liked Jack Huston, who seems deliberately cast to be the anti-Charlton Heston. Kebell has a tougher time, maybe because his face says “California surfer” and not “Roman general.”
They don’t make ‘em like the 1959 “Ben-Hur” anymore, and they don’t make ‘em like Chuck Heston, either. This version doesn’t have the time (or the budget) to match that standard, but if you’ve been wondering whether a chariot race can still thrill, the answer is yes.
“Ben-Hur” 2 stars
The new version of a film classic feels rushed at a two-hour running time, although the sure-fire spectacle of the sea battle and the chariot race are still exciting to watch. Jack Huston stars as the Jewish aristocrat condemned to a life of slavery during the time of Christ — and while Huston is no Charlton Heston, he keeps the character watchable.
Rating: PG-13, for violence
Showing: Alderwood Mall, Cinebarre, Everett, Monroe, Marysville, Stanwood, Meridian, Sundance Cinemas, Thornton Place, Woodinville, Cascade Mall
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