– By Cate Marquis –
New 3D BEN-HUR is no classic
Rating: 2 out of 5 stars
The movies have long been fascinated by “Ben-Hur,” Lew Wallace’s 1880 bestselling novel – two silent versions, a 1907 short one and a spectacular 1925 feature film, and the familiar 1959 Technicolor classic with Charlton Heston. This will be at least the 4th movie version.
The 1925 version has the most thrilling chariot race, with a raw energy and real sense of danger – very real danger as the director hired Italian men skilled with horses to essentially run a chariot race, with all the inherent dangers (if you have never seen it, you really should). Memories of that gripping, cinematic chariot race helped prompt director William Wyler to remake “Ben-Hur” in 1959, in full color and sound, with a top-star and all the epic “cast of thousands” grandeur of Hollywood’s Golden Age.
Now a new technology has its say with the old story -with CGI effects and 3D. Director Timur Bekmambetov, best known for “Nightwatch” and “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” certainly has the knack for action and effects but might not be the director you think of for “Ben-Hur.” You just know it is going to be all about the chariot race.
READ THE FULL REVIEW AT WE ARE MOVIE GEEKS:
http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2016/08/ben-hur-2016-review
