Ben-Hur

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Ben Him 04/08/2021 Music is grand! Sets were non-cgi. Story was great. Acting was superb. See more Peter V 1d An impressively mounted and effective epic, William Wyler’s Ben-Hur delivers a strong narrative, spiritual resonance and technical innovation. The film grapples with heavy questions about forgiveness, faith, oppression, and humanity and urges the audience to consider the transformative power of forgiveness. Charlton Heston brings a raw intensity to the role of Judah Ben Hur. Judah’s transformation—from a vengeful, broken man to one embracing forgiveness—is potent. Technically, the chariot race scene is a display of expertly choreographed action, practical effects, and dynamic camera work. But the technical brilliance is throughout. The use of widescreen cinematography by Robert L. Surtees captures much and Miklós Rózsa’s musical score is stirring. William Wyler’s direction balances the grandeur of the film’s scale with story. Though the film is challenging as it is very long and perhaps weighed down by its own ambitions, the film works. See more Stephen C @bob25009 3d The worldwide gross is $74,444,716.00. See more Michael R @Deaddaddypig Jan 2 A film we will never see the likes of again, no cgi just epic sets and thousands of extras. Superb acting, fantastic story and action abound. 🎬 See more Andrei P @agpeleias Dec 8 William Wyler's Ben-Hur (1959) is the absolute peak of analog filmmaking, a feat of artistry impossible to replicate in the CGI era. It stands as the greatest film ever made by mastering the balance between massive spectacle and intimate drama. The Chariot Race remains history's greatest action sequence (real danger, no effects) forming the DNA of modern cinema. Structurally, the film perfectly fuses a Revenge Thriller with a Spiritual Drama, tracing a complete "Hero's Journey." Its narrative genius lies in the "invisible protagonist"; by never showing Christ’s face, His presence becomes universal, anchored by Miklós Rózsa’s monumental score: a "sonic narrative" that gives a voice to the divine against the crushing brass of Roman imperialism. Elevated by Heston’s Shakespearean gravity and Boyd’s tragic villainy, Ben-Hur is the ultimate synthesis: the depth of scripture, the thrill of sport, and the scale of an empire. It remains the standard by which all cinema is measured. See more Jose I Oct 6 Wow! This movie is nothing short from... "WOW". Still after 66 years, this picture has the record, tied with Titanic and The Return of the King, for the most amount of oscars, and saying it doesn't deserve it is a crime. The visuals look amazing and better than most films released before and after. The story carries a ton of emotion between Ben-Hur and his rival and childhood friend, Messala, climaxing in one of the most heart pounding moments in cinematic history. The ending is bittersweet, and this isn't offensive to any Christians, but quite the opposite. The acting given to us, especially by Charlton Heston and Stephen Boyd, is flawless. Not amazing, but there's nothing wrong to say about it. The only problem I would say this movie has is its length. It could've been much shorter and still have the same amount of story and context shown, as there are some unncessary shots which drag on for way too long and it doesn't add any artistic flair nor importance to the story, and it can get boring at times. From the four or five versions of the movie, this is definately the best, as it provides color and sound (unlike the original 1925 picture) but it is not completely souless and unnecessary like later installments while still providing all the positives. I watch it every year in Easter. See more Read all reviews

Ben-Hur

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