Ben Hur

This new animated adaptation of Ben Hur, has but one thing to recommend, namely the voice of Charlton Heston. It is delightful to hear his distinguished voice as he reprises his Oscar winning role. The animation is rather on the crude side by Disney standards but as long as you don't watch this expecting too much you won't be disappointed. Having a running length of 75 minutes however liberties have to be taken with the plot as it progresses quickly from scene to scene, although it is supposed to be the most faithful version of Lew Wallace's tale to date.

Highlights include the sea battle and of course the chariot race sequence which are enhanced through cgi but yet again they are only short segments.

Of the other voice actors none are distinguished, but that doesn't matter much as Heston carries the movie and makes it more accessible for a young audience. It is particularly nice to see the role of Christ expanded upon from what we see of him in previous versions.

DVD features though few are nice as we see Heston talking behind the scenes although he looks extremely unwell and frail.

Over all this new animated tale is a small treat for fans of Heston and the story of Ben Hur.