'Ben-Hur' review: Not superior to the 1959 film, but still well worth your time

Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Cast: Jack Huston, Toby Kebbell, Morgan Freeman, Rodrigo Santoro, Nazanin Boniadi, Sofia Black D'Elia

What's it about:
A Jewish prince and his adopted brother fall out over allegiance to Rome. An unintended incident leads to their downfall and the beginning of an adventure. How a prince becomes a galley slave, a chariot racer by fate, and an avenger by choice, is what the film is about. How the crucifixion of Jesus changes him in ways he never imagined.

What's hot:
If you're familiar with the 1959 movie version and think you know this one's story, bear with me and read on... because it isn't as similar to that film. Sure, Judah Ben-Hur is still a Jewish prince and a man of means but while the original had a morally astute Judah, the new one has a politically astute one. Messala isn't just his friend here, but an adopted brother. In this one, Messala is a warmonger, but a reasonable one. In the original, he is all cunning and power-hungry. Here, an early throw from the horse while racing and a devoted Messala carrying a severely injured Judah on his back, home shows a strong brotherhood, something Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd's characters rarely had. In this film, Messala and Tirzah are in love and it is circumstances that keep them apart. Judah and his beloved Esther are married to each other. Judah and Jesus's meetings are far better etched and the explanation for Messala's hateful actions find a place here. Hugh Griffith's blackface gives way to a dreadlocked Morgan Freeman, playing Iderim. 
While Jack Huston can't better Heston in performance, he makes for a far more relatable Judah than the famed actor. He looks the part of a Jew while Heston always rocked the Roman look better. Toby Kebbell as Messala brings a rare joy one doesn't associate with the character. The fact that he plays it nothing like Boyd works for him. Nazanin as Esther is the film's true north. But one wishes there was more of Rodrigo Santoro as Jesus

What's not:
But it is the grandeur, the glory, the spectacle that you came for. The chariot race that was the 1959 film's biggest draw is also where you'll find this film, despite its CGI, lacking. But you have to wonder, was it worth the remake?
 
What to do: The comparisons to the 1959 film of the same name are inevitable. And because they belong to different eras, play out differently. The good news, that despite it not being superior to the 1959 film, it's well worth your time and stands on its own, despite its... shorter running time.

Rating: ***