Movie Review || Ben Hur

“You will beat him, won’t you?

He’s just a Jew.

Should my driver cross the line first, any and all claims against him are quit.”

Ben Hur!

This has got to be my favorite movie of 2017. I’m a huge fan of tragedy. I actually do not like movies with happy ending but the way the story in this movie was narrated, no I did not see the tragedy coming so quick. I cried like 4 times before the first 1 hour passed.

“Each of us has a choice

You and Judah can make things right”

Movie Title: Ben Hur

Released Year: 2016

Written by: General Lew Wallace

Screenplay by: Keith Clarke and John Ridley

Duration: 125 minutes

Genre: Action|Adventure|Epic|Drama|Historical Fiction

Rating: 9/10

“First to finish, last to die”

Ben Hur captures the story of a Jewish prince. During this period, the Romans took tyrannical rule of Jerusalem making opposing Jews, slaves.

Ben Hur played by Jack Huston is a prince who lived peacefully with his mother, sister and an adopted brother Messala Severus (Toby Kebbell), a Roman. They were devoted and loved each other deeply despite their different beliefs and religion. Messala grew to love Tirzah, Judah’s sister but his mother disapproved of the relationship and she never hid this. Hence, Messala has to leave to fight for himself and with the Roman army to become an officer and rich man. Hoping he’d that would get ‘mother’s’ approval and love.

Three years later, he returned as an officer having fought so many wars and won. He reunited with his family and tried to convince Judah to become an informant.

Messala asked Judah to speak to his people to make sure they are on the side of the Romans. He told him about the schedule return of Pilate to Jerusalem. And that he’s returning for peace or death. Who will want to make peace with people who had murdered their families in gruesome ways? Or treat them as slaves in their own land?

Judah refused to name those who opposed to this rule. During this period, a group of opposition arose named the Zealots. Tirzah and Judah rescued one of them named Dismas, treated him and housed him.

Pilate arrived to Jerusalem. On this arrival, everyone came out of their homes to watch him. Judah and his family were at the balcony too to see the grand entrance. Dismas out of revenge and hate tried to kill Pilate with a bow.

Have your read Fate or Karma?

From that point, the plot thickens. Any attempt on the Romans leads to death. Hence, the officers charged into the Hurs home to make an arrest.

Judah told Dismas to run away as he could not bring himself to betraying a fellow Jew hoping Messala would use his position and get them a fair judgement.

This did not happened as thought. Judah  took the blame and was sentenced to enslavement aboard a galley. His mother and sister was sentenced to be crucified. While his wife, Esther escaped. Messala condemned the people he has grown to call family.

Ben-Hur and Messala fall out with the two hating each other for their perceived betrayals.

The plot of this epic movie is not devoid of empathy. Because as each new event unfold, the viewers became more closer to the characters. Thereby, becoming empathizing as they watch their favourite character suffer untold hardship.

You just can’t help but wonder at the quick turn of events when a noble prince suddenly becomes a slave. Enduring a terrible life and no access to the outside world for 5 years. And when the shipwrecked, he held on to the mast until he was washed ashore. One can only wonder how he managed to stay alive.

But this answer is not far fetched as his hate grew, the more he sort revenge against his brother, Messala.

“My life, I give it of my own free will”

Another interesting twist to this movie was the adaption of the story of Jesus. The character of Ben Hur is to work as an allegory for the life of Jesus. A part of his life was told as well as the death. This dwelt more on the theme of forgiveness. Ben Hur watching Jesus died on the cross, brought alive the human part in him. A man he has encountered on several occasion during his days as a prince and after he was arrested of treason and condemned. He realized through the death of Christ that forgiveness brings total healing.

Not only is the movie filled with excitement, but it also pulls on the heartstrings with emotional scenes between a man and himself, a man and his wife, a man and his mortal enemy, and ultimately a man and his faith. The movie does an exceptional job at highlighting faith, forgiveness, redemption, and reconciliation without the cheese factor that one would usually expect from an inspirational movie.

We are humans and we get on the wrong side of ourselves. We kill, we lie, we hate and we do so many hurtful things to ourselves but in the end, we need to come to a place of healing and forgiveness.

“I can’t fight anymore

I can’t hate anymore”

Forgiving is hard but it is a core necessity in life. We don’t move on when we don’t forgive. We become more bitter and vengeful and hateful. It causes us more pain than happiness but when we learn to forge ahead and let the past go, we heal. And we live.

“Don’t look back Judah, your life is ahead of you”

You can download the movie here.

Have you seen this movie? What do you think about it? Do you agree that forgiveness helps to heal? How far can you go to forgive someone who took everything away from you?

Image credit: Google Images