Ben Hur - An All Time Great Epic!

REVIEW: BEN-HUR

SUMMARY:

I can sum up this movie in one word - FANTASTIC! I have watched this movie several times over the past 20 years and I see something new or realize something different about the movie each time. I would recommend this movie to anyone and everyone over the age of 5. The movie is a fictional tale of a Judean prince (Juda Ben-Hur) whose life intersects with Jesus Christ at pivotal moments in both of their lives. The religious aspects of the movie are well presented and stirring. The action is intense and generous. WARNING - this is a very long movie and it will require your attention. The duration and attention are well rewarded throughout the movie. This movie has it all: drama, action, comedy, religion, power, despair, and hope. It will make you laugh, cry, and move your soul (the two scenes when Ben-Hur interacts with Christ are subtle and intense at the same time). Charlton Heston is at his ABSOLUTE BEST as Juda Ben-Hur. No one else could have played this part as well.

PLOT DETAILS:

The movie begins at the birth of Christ with the introduction of the wise men in Bethlehem. We will see one of them again. Ben-Hur is also born at about this time.

The movie speeds forward in time approximately 25 years to see a prosperous house of Hur, with Juda as it head. All is well in Judea with the Hur's. Trade is good and the new Roman garrison commander is a boyhood friend (Messala - a Roman Tribune) of Juda's. Hope has arrived to Judea for peace, or has it?

Messala appears to have hardened since his boyhood and an accident (an incident where the new Pro-Consul is injured) soon turns to catastrophe and tragedy for the great House of Hur. The family women are imprisoned, their goods seized, and Juda sent to the serve in the Roman navy (a certain death sentence).

On the way to his ship, Juda is driven to despair and thirst. He is on the verge of losing all hope and love for life when a young Jesus Christ (we are not told this directly) gives him water to drink. A Roman guard almost stops this but turns away in shame. Juda is march on but he cannot turn away from the vision of hope (Christ). This is a very powerful scene in the movie.

Juda survives 3 years in the Roman navy before his ship sinks and he is left alone with the fleet commander on some floating debris. The Roman Admiral repays his rescue by eventually adopting Juda as his son. Juda becomes a great and famous chariot driver in Rome, but he yearns to return to Judea and find his mother and sister, avenge his family, and rebuild the House of Hur.

Juda returns to Judea and enters into the great chariot race (running for the Arabs) against Messala (the Roman representative and favorite to win). The race scenes are INCREDIBLE - it is well shot and intense! Messala is left battered and near death, but his revenge is cruel. I tells Juda that his mother and sister are LEPPERS! This is a horrible fate for anyone, both medically and socially.

Juda sets out to retrieve his mother and sister and seek Christ for a miracle (despite his lack of faith). They finally find Christ, but he is carrying the cross to be crucified. The second of the two most moving scenes comes when Juda rushes forward to the fallen Christ to give him water to drink. THIS SCENE IS VERY RELIGIOUSLY INTENSE. The unspoken words between Christ and Juda will move your soul. Even at the end, Jesus gives Juda more than he could have hoped for - His Faith. A final miracle of Christ is the cure of Juda's mother and sister, even after his death on the cross.

RECOMMENDATION

If you have not seen this movie, RENT IT ASAP. Make sure that you sent aside some time to watch it and take it all in. You will not be disappointed. I give this movie a 10/10! It is definitely in my top 10 movies of all time.